Sunday’s matchup in Foxboro between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots, a de-facto a playoff game, is underway. The host Patriots control their own destiny to make the postseason for the second straight year, but they need to win out. A loss to the Dolphins in Week 17 would officially eliminate them from playoff contention. Meanwhile, Miami, the AFC’s seventh seed, can clinch their conference’s final wild card slot with a win and a New York Jets loss at the Seattle Seahawks.
However, Sunday will not feature a showdown between former Alabama Crimson Tide first round picks, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Patriots quarterback Mac Jones. Tagovailoa is now out indefinitely after suffering at least his second concussion of the 2022 NFL season. Nine-year veteran Teddy Bridgewater will start in his place, and he last played in relief of Skylar Thompson in the Dolphins’ 24-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6. Miami is 0-2 in games Tagovailoa has missed this season. However, New England has been fading of late, losing four of their last five contests.
Will the 24-year-old Jones be able to outduel the 30-year-old Bridgewater in this must-win AFC East contest? As the game unfolds, be sure to stay locked in to our live blog of Sunday’s game. Below, you’ll find real-time highlights of all the best plays and expert analysis.
How to watch
Date: Sunday, Jan. 1 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Massachusetts)
TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Patriots -2.5, O/U 41 (courtesy Caesars Sportsbook)