Miami @ New England preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 11, 2017 ) New England 20, Miami 27

There are only three undefeated teams in the NFL and the biggest surprise among them is the Miami Dolphins, who already are halfway to their win total from last season. The Dolphins already own a two-game lead atop the AFC East and will be seeking their first 4-0 start since 1995 when the pay a visit to the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon.

Gillette Stadium has been a house of horrors for Miami, which has not won at New England since 2008 and is 2-14 in its last 16 trips to Foxborough, Mass. -- both wins coming with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady either not in the lineup or making an abbreviated start. "I'm excited to get back up there," said Dolphins wide receiver Danny Amendola, who joined the team as a free agent in the offseason after playing the previous five seasons in New England. "I've had a lot of experience playing there." The Patriots have won nine consecutive division titles but enter Sunday's matchup on the heels of back-to-back, double-digit losses and trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak since 2002 against an opponent that has the attention of coach Bill Belichick. "We've spent some time here on the Dolphins, and they're certainly off to an impressive start," Belichick said. "This is a really good football team. They're good in all three areas of the game. ... It's easy to see why they're 3-0. They're playing well, well-coached."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Patriots -6.5. O/U: 48

ABOUT THE DOLPHINS (3-0): Ryan Tannehill missed the entire 2017 season due to a knee injury, but he is completing 73 percent of his passes and owns a passer rating of 121.8. Tannehill threw for three touchdowns and a season-high 289 yards to rally Miami from a 10-point deficit in last week's 28-20 win over the Oakland Raiders. Kenny Stills, Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant have combined for seven touchdowns and are averaging between 20.4 and 15.0 yards per reception, but leading rusher Kenyan Drake has managed only 104 yards. The Dolphins are tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions and ranked sixth in points allowed (17.6).

ABOUT THE PATRIOTS (1-2): Three-time NFL MVP Tom Brady is coming off one of his worst games in ages, throwing for only 133 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a lackluster 26-10 loss at Detroit. Recent acquisition Josh Gordon practiced on a limited basis on Thursday but New England is desperately in need of help at wide receiver -- James White has a team-high 14 catches and tight end Rob Gronkowski has 13. Rookie running back Sony Michel is in line for a bigger workload after Rex Burkhead went on injured reserve this week. Rookie linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley also went on IR, a blow to a defense that ranks 31st against the run.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Brady has 21 touchdowns and three interceptions in his last eight home games.

2. Tannehill is 10-1 in his last 11 starts.

3. Gronkowski had eight touchdown catches in 11 career meetings versus Miami.

PREDICTION: Patriots 24, Dolphins 23