The Patriots and Dolphins last met all the way back in Week 1 and Miami came away with a 17-16 win.
They will meet again this Sunday in South Florida, so naturally with the two teams being in the same division, some Patriots players were asked if revenge is on their minds this week?
“No, if the first game was different than [everything] that we’ve done so far would literally be the same," linebacker Dont'a Hightower said Wednesday. "I don’t know if it’s a revenge game, I think it’s more about us just wanting to go out and play and win. Regardless of what happened in the first game, this game is what’s important. Obviously, you’ll go back and look at the film and see what happened and whatever, but as far as a revenge game or whatever, I don’t see it as that. I see it as a game we have to win because it’s our next game. Maybe for some other guys, but I don’t see it as that.”
Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne said something similar, but he does want to get them back for beating them the first time around.
“Everybody thinks different," he said. "Some people might think like that, some of my teammates, but for me it’s just coming in another game, another challenge and we have a lot to play for. If the scenario goes the way we want then we can be playing for a lot more than we realize. I think everybody just needs to come with that mindset that we’re playing for a lot. We’re playing for respect. We’re playing to keep this thing rolling through the playoffs. I think that’s the mindset.
“But, yeah, we want to get ‘em back. If you don’t think like that you’re not a football player, you’re not a competitor. It’s definitely kind of revenge [at the same time].”
The Patriots do have something to play for, as with a win and a Buffalo loss they would win the AFC East. Also, a loss could move them down from the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff standings.
New England is 1-5 in its last six games in Miami played in December or January.
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