Dolphins in Different Role vs. Patriots

Tuesday marked the seven-year anniversary of the Dolphins' thrilling 24-20 victory against the New England Patriots in Miami, sealed when newcomer Michael Thomas — signed five days earlier off the San Francisco 49ers — picked off Tom Brady in the end zone in the final seconds.

The teams will face each other again at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday with the Dolphins currently 2-point favorites based on the consensus of Las Vegas betting lines.

If the line holds, it will end a streak of 13 consecutive Dolphins-Patriots games with New England as the favorite. Furthermore, New England has been favored against Miami 33 of the past 34 meetings.

The last time Miami faced New England as the favorite? Yep, you guessed it, that Dec. 15, 2013 game when the Dolphins were 2.5-point favorites.

Since then, the Patriots haven't just always been favorites, they've been heavy favorites. In 10 of those 13 games, New England was favored by seven points or more.

In the 2020 season opener at Gillette Stadium, in the first game of the Patriots' post-Brady era, New England was favored by 7.5 points and won 21-11.

Of course, things are very different this season because the Patriots likely will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008 while the Dolphins are in the thick of the playoff race one year after finishing 5-11.

None of that matters to Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.

"I don’t think we’ve really flipped roles," Flores said. "I think they’re trying to win one game and we’re trying to win one game. That’s where we’re at and that’s kind of our thought process and I’m sure — actually I know — that that’s what they’re saying in their building. I could see how people could think that it’s flipped, but for us it’s a one-game season; it’s the same for them.”

For the record, the Dolphins won five of those last 13 games against the Patriots as underdogs but, for those inclined to be interested in such things, they didn't cover the spread in any of the eight losses.

Here's a rundown of the 13-game streak where the Dolphins were underdogs against the Patriots:

2014 — 5-point underdogs at Miami, won 24-20 ... 7.5-point underdogs at New England, lost 41-13

2015 — 7.5-point underdogs at New England, lost 36-7 ... 9-point underdogs at Miami, won 20-10

2016 — 5.5-points underdogs at New England, lost 31-24 ... 7.5-point underdogs at Miami, lost 35-14

2017 — 17-point underdogs at New England, lost 35-17 ... 10.5-point underdogs at Miami, won 27-20

2018 — 6.5-point underdogs at New England, lost 38-7 ... 9.5-point underdogs at Miami, won 34-33

2019 — 18-point underdogs at Miami, lost 43-0 ... 17.5-point underdogs at New England, won 27-24

2020 — 7.5-point underdogs at New England, lost 21-11