NBC Sports Boston's mailbag looks at where the 4-3 Patriots need to improve after falling to the Bears and whether to expect a big move before the Nov. 10 trade deadline. Next up is a bounce-back chance at 1-5 Miami, which is coming off a 28-25 road win over the Jets.
Summary written by Readthrough from the original article. The full story, with photos and any updates, is at NBC Sports Boston.
The Patriots hit the road for a second straight week to face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 4:25 p.m. ET, the first of two meetings this season. New England swept Miami last year, winning 33-27 in Miami and 38-10 at Gillette Stadium to close the 2025 regular season.
No Patriots missed Wednesday's practice ahead of the Week 8 game at Miami. A.J. Brown (ankle/knee), Ben Brown (knee), DaQuan Jones (back) and Morgan Moses (foot) were limited, while Drake Maye (right shoulder) and several others were full participants; for Miami, JuJu Brents and Kadyn Proctor did not practice with concussions.
A.J. Brown returned to the Patriots' lineup after missing four games with an ankle injury, raising hopes he would give Drake Maye a true No. 1 receiver. Musket Fire says bouncing back from the sprain has been hard, and Brown is struggling to be the playmaker he has been, drawing plenty of comment from Mike Vrabel.
After the Week 7 loss to the Bears dropped New England to 4-3, Musket Fire says A.J. Brown and running back TreVeyon Henderson face the most pressure against Miami. Drake Maye played well, but neither Brown nor Henderson contributed much, and the site argues their quiet games are hurting the offense.
