The Dolphins make their way to Foxboro to battle the New England Patriots.

While Miami still owns a 39-28 victory in the overall standings (including playoffs) and are 14-7 in their last 21 encounters with the Patriots dating back to 1989, New England has prevailed in six of the last eight overall meetings dating back to 1995.

A year ago, the teams split their two-game set for the third time in four seasons. In Week 8 at Pro Player Stadium, neither New England nor Miami found the end zone and it was Dolphins PK Olindo Mare who proved to be the game's hero, booting a 25-yard field goal with :49 to play to even the score at 9-9, then connecting on a 43-yard field goal 4:36 into overtime to give Jimmy Johnson's club a 12-9 victory.

Four weeks later on a Monday night at Foxboro (Week 12), Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe threw for 423 yards and a pair of touchdowns (2 INTs), including a 25-yard scoring strike to WR Shawn Jefferson with just :29 to play as Pete Carroll's team drove 80 yards in the final minutes for a 26-23 victory.

Including playoffs, the Dolphins have dropped four straight at Foxboro and are just 2-5 in their last seven visits to New England dating back to 1993.

Worth noting is that each of the last four regular-season meetings between these teams (dating back to 1997) have been decided by three points or less.

Numbers: Including playoffs (0-2), Dolphins QB Dan Marino is 16-15 as a starter vs. New England, throwing for 7,763 yards, 44 touchdowns and 49 interceptions while being sacked 34 times. Including playoffs, in his last 5 games vs. the Patriots (1-4), Marino has thrown for 1,373 yards, three touchdowns and 10 interceptions (3 of those INTs returned for touchdowns) while being sacked 14 times. Including playoffs (1-0), Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe is 7-6 as a starter vs. Miami, throwing for 3,448 yards, 18 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

Since 1996 (including playoffs), under head coach Jimmy Johnson, the Dolphins are 31-5 when they run the ball 25 or more times, 0-19 when they fail to run the ball at least 25 times. Including playoffs, Miami has allowed 187 points in 14 wins, 224 points in eight losses dating back to '98. Since 1996 (including playoffs), under head coach Jimmy Johnson, they have totaled 94 sacks and 80 takeaways in 31 wins but just 33 sacks and 32 takeaways in 24 losses. The Dolphins have allowed just 9 sacks in 14 wins, 19 sacks in 8 losses dating back to '98, including playoffs. The Dolphins have been limited to fewer than 100 yards rushing in three straight games. They have limited the opposition to fewer than 100 yards rushing in three straight games.

Including playoffs, the Patriots have outscored the opposition a combined 639-358 points in 24 wins, and been outscored a combined 388-210 points in 16 losses dating back to '97. They have totaled 56 takeaways in 23 wins, 22 takeaways in 17 losses dating back to '97 (including playoffs). New England has committed five turnovers in four wins, four turnovers in one loss in '99. The Patriots have been limited to fewer than 100 yards rushing in three straight games.

Things To Look For: Just when it looked like the Dolphins were doomed to another bad afternoon at the RCA Dome, QB Dan Marino did what he does best and rescued his team with some clutch passing. Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe has been doing it all season and got it done last week at Arrowhead, but a missed field goal knocked the Pats from the ranks of the unbeaten. Is there any doubt this will be a shootout?

Etc.:Dolphins QB Dan Marino, already the NFL's all-time leader in passing yardage (59,993), needs seven yards to reach 60,000 career passing yards. Since 1996 (including playoffs), under head coach Jimmy Johnson, the Dolphins are 16-12 vs. AFC East foes. Including playoffs, the Patriots are 20-5 in their last 25 games vs. divisional competition (1-0 in playoffs) dating back to Week 8 of 1996, three of those losses to the Jets.