Two AFC East teams will go head-to-head in Week 18 as the Miami Dolphins host the New England Patriots in a critical showdown at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami drew first blood against New England in 2021, with the Dolphins recording a narrow 17-16 victory over the Patriots at Foxborough in Week 1. Can the Dolphins complete the season sweep in Week 18, or will the Patriots exact revenge against their division rivals? Here's a breakdown of the Patriots vs Dolphins clash.

New England Patriots enter Week 18 as -5.5 favorites

New England's quest to regain the division title this season is still very much alive after the Patriots handed the Jacksonville Jaguars a 50-10 beatdown in Week 17. The victory helped the Patriots keep pace with the Buffalo Bills in the race for the AFC East crown, with both teams sharing similar 10-6 records heading into the final week of the regular season.

Unfortunately for the Patriots, the Bills hold the tiebreaker because of Buffalo's better win-loss record within the division. For New England to win the AFC East, the Patriots will need to beat Miami in Week 18 and hope Buffalo loses to the New York Jets in their last regular-season game.

The good news for the Patriots is that they have already clinched their berth in the 2021 playoffs. It will be New England's first postseason appearance since Tom Brady departed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Pats have now qualified for the playoffs in 18 out of the 22 seasons under Bill Belichick's leadership. The last time New England reached the playoffs without Tom Brady was back in 1998.

One guy who needs to step up for New England in Week 18 is Mac Jones. He completed 22 of 30 passes for 227 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in the win against Jacksonville.

Miami Dolphins installed as +5.5 underdogs

The Miami Dolphins had their seven-game winning streak snapped in Week 17 with a humiliating 34-3 loss to the Tennessee Titans. It was a costly defeat for the Dolphins, as they got eliminated from playoff contention.

For Miami to end its season on a winning note against New England, the Dolphins will need to get a much better showing on the offensive end. They mustered just a single field goal in the loss to the Titans, racking up just 256 total yards the entire game.

Tua Tagovailoa looked out of sorts against Tennessee, completing just 18 of 38 passes for 205 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Miami's offensive line offered little protection to Tagovailoa, who was sacked a season-high four times.

The Dolphins, who entered the Week 17 clash with a league-high 45 sacks, failed to sack Ryan Tannehill in the opening half. The Titans took full advantage, building a 17-3 lead after the first two quarters. The Titans continued to pile on the pressure in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Dolphins, 17-0, to complete the rout.

Writer's Prediction

New England wins and covers the spread.

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