NE Patriots at Miami Dolphins Pick & Preview

Sunday, Dec. 6 - 1 p.m. Eastern - CBS New England Patriots (7-3) at Miami Dolphins (5-6)

Sunday's New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins game has officially moved into the desperation category for the Dolphins. Miami, trailing New England by 2 1/2 games in the AFC East Division standings, must win to keep the first-place Patriots in their sights heading toward the NFL playoffs.

CBS will regionally televise the Patriots-Dolphins game at 1 p.m. Eastern from Land Shark Stadium in Miami. New England won the first Patriots-Dolphins meeting this season, 27-17, on Nov. 8.

Miami has no one to blame but itself for making the Patriots-Dolphins game a must-win game, as Miami gave up 24 fourth-quarter points last Sunday and lost at last-place Buffalo, 31-14.

New England, which was scheduled to play at New Orleans on Monday Night Football last week, will be at least two games in front of the Dolphins and the Jets in the AFC East heading into the Week 13 Patriots-Dolphins game. New England has a relatively soft schedule down the stretch, facing Carolina, Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Houston. Miami's final four games include AFC playoff contenders Jacksonville, Houston, and Pittsburgh, along with red-hot Tennessee.

The Dolphins had won three of four games before the stunning loss at Buffalo. Miami might finally be feeling the effects of difficult injuries on offense, which have caused the Dolphins to lose running back Ronnie Brown and quarterback Chad Pennington for the season.

The Patriots know all about costly season-ending injuries, as they lost quarterback Tom Brady for the entire season early in 2008. Consequently, the Patriots failed to make the playoffs in 2008, losing the AFC East Division tie-breaker to Miami.

Neither the Patriots nor Dolphins have been particularly strong ATS this season.

Miami is 5-6 ATS, although the Dolphins had won five of seven ATS before the loss at Buffalo. New England is 5-4-1 ATS heading into the Monday Night Football game at New Orleans. The Patriots are 1-2-1 ATS on the road this season, while the Dolphins are 2-3 ATS at home.

In the first Patriots-Dolphins meeting, Miami won ATS as the Patriots were a 10.5-point favorite.

Last season, the Dolphins and Patriots split their two meetings, with both teams winning easily on the road. Miami won at New England, 38-13, as a 12.5-point underdog. In the rematch in Miami, the Patriots won, 48-28, as a 1-point favorite.