Is New England Flying into a Trap Game with the Miami Dolphins?

After Miami’s 28-25 win over the New York Jets last week, the NFL is taking a peek at what’s going on in South Florida. Is this a trap game for the New England Patriots? Probably not. Good coaching and not overlooking a division rival is just simple math and page one of any game plan. But the Super Bowl runners-up could be looking at the record and some time in the sun, possibly overlooking Ollie Gordon II and his downhill running game, rehabbed rookie Caleb Douglas, and the Big Nickel Defense that came to play last week.

Miami’s record makes the Dolphins an easy team to overlook from a distance. New England enters Sunday at 4-3, while Miami is 1-5 after finally beating the Jets. That contrast explains why a trap-game discussion is tempting. It does not prove that the Patriots are overlooking anyone.

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The better question is whether Miami can make this particular matchup more difficult than the standings suggest. A trap is a story about an opponent’s attention. An upset opportunity is a story about football conditions. The available evidence supports examining the second without claiming to know the first.

Miami has a credible way to control possessions

The AP preview places the Dolphins seventh in rushing offense at 131.5 yards per game. Miami has surpassed 100 rushing yards in five straight games, while Ollie Gordon II has scored on the ground in four consecutive outings. That is a recurring foundation, not simply one encouraging highlight.

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Against the Jets, the Dolphins combined that foundation with explosive receiving. Gordon ran for 103 yards, Greg Dulcich caught five passes for 86 yards, and Caleb Douglas scored on both of his receptions. Miami also closed the game with a successful fourth-and-1 quarterback keeper.

The inference is practical: the Dolphins can make possessions matter if they stay organized and retain more than one way to advance the ball. They do not need to convince New England that the entire season has changed. They need to execute well enough to keep Sunday from becoming a sequence of desperate passing downs.

The strongest counterargument is preparation, not reputation

New England is coming off a 30-24 loss at Chicago, according to the AP preview. That is not evidence of complacency. It is a reason to resist the assumption that the Patriots will arrive satisfied with their recent work.

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The same preview reports that Mike Vrabel praised Miami’s effort and improvement. His public assessment does not prove how every player will prepare, but it offers no support for declaring that the visitors dismiss the Dolphins.

This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.