Patriots going through 2 opponents this week: warmth and the Dolphins

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — On Sunday, New England performs Miami’s Dolphins.

Earlier than that, the Patriots will tackle Miami’s warmth.

Excessive temperatures are forecast to be within the mid-60s to mid-70s round Foxborough, Massachusetts, for the subsequent few days — and the best way Patriots coach Invoice Belichick sees it, these may not be the most effective atmospheric circumstances to arrange his group for the steaminess that awaits them in South Florida on Sunday when New England and Miami kick off the common season.

So the Patriots are flying south Tuesday, training this week in Palm Seashore County, an hour or so from the Dolphins’ amenities. Excessive temperatures there this week will attain the low 90s every day, and the forecast for recreation day requires extra of the identical — low 90s, a lot of humidity, and with regard to Belichick’s most popular sideline attire alternative, hoodies may not be the perfect choice.

“They higher SPF up,“ Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel stated.

Sunscreen — seemingly of the excessive SPF selection — will certainly be packed amongst all of the gear the Patriots might be bringing south for the journey. It’s not a completely international idea for New England to take its game-week present on the highway; the Patriots spent every week in Las Vegas final month earlier than going through the Raiders there in a preseason recreation.

“I believe there are a mixture of things, however in the long run all of it seems prefer it’s arrange pretty properly right here,“ Belichick stated. “So, make the journey on Tuesday as an alternative of on Saturday. We’ll already be down there. We’ll be capable of simply give attention to the Dolphins.”

Lately, even for a perennial winner such because the Patriots, journeys to the Sunshine State — the place summer season doesn’t finish simply because pumpkin spice every little thing has hit shops — haven’t at all times gone to New England’s liking, and climate might have been a think about a few of these outcomes.

New England is 3-8 in its previous 11 regular-season video games performed in Florida, together with losses by double-digit margins twice — a 97-degree day at Jacksonville in 2018, and an 89-degree day at Miami Gardens in 2014.

“It’s going to be nice for guys to get acclimated to that warmth,” Patriots defensive lineman Davon Godchaux, a former Dolphins participant — who is aware of how completely different the circumstances are in South Florida — advised reporters in Foxborough final week. “It’s both going to be a sizzling one down there or it’s going to be raining.“

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) talks with head coach Mike McDaniel in the course of the first half of a NFL preseason soccer recreation towards the Philadelphia Eagles, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Maybe each. Forecasters additionally say it’s higher than 50-50 that rain falls Sunday.

“I don’t assume myself nor Coach Belichick — I don’t need to communicate for him — however I believe that’s only a element that he’s making an attempt to assist his group get ready for that recreation, however it’s not the whole thing of it,“ McDaniel stated. “I really feel very fortunate, nearly overly fortunate, that I get to work on my tan on a regular basis. I’m certain there’s a whole lot of gamers and coaches for the Patriots (who’ll) be excited to, , bronze up slightly bit earlier than the TV common season begins. I do know that for a proven fact that in the event you don’t put sunscreen on you’ll get bronzed.”

JENKINS REMEMBERED

The Dolphins had been holding their in-stadium celebration of the lifetime of Jason Jenkins on Monday. Jenkins spent practically 14 years with the Dolphins and finally turned the group’s senior vice chairman of communications. He died unexpectedly on Aug. 27 on the age of 47.

Jenkins is survived by his spouse, Liz, and their three kids. His passing remains to be very troublesome for McDaniel to course of.

“You simply attempt to lean on the folks that you simply love and care about, and attempt to actually lean on one another as a group and put your greatest foot ahead,“ McDaniel stated. “However that feeling doesn’t go away.”

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