Brian Flores not looking ahead to home reunion with Patriots
'I had a great run there, but I'm in Miami now,' new Dolphins head coach says
Peter Burke, Local10.com Managing Editor
DAVIE, Fla. – Brian Flores isn't looking ahead to Sept. 15.
That's when the New England Patriots will visit Hard Rock Stadium in the second week of the season.
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The NFL released the 2019 schedule Wednesday night for all 32 teams. Among the highlights for the Miami Dolphins are back-to-back home games against the Baltimore Ravens and Patriots to open the season.
But don't expect Miami's first-year head coach to be waxing poetic when the Patriots come to town.
"Obviously, I know a lot of people on that team and (in) that organization," the longtime former Patriots assistant said Thursday. "I had a great run there, but I'm in Miami now."
Despite Miami's struggles in the years since former quarterback Dan Marino retired, the Dolphins have had success when it comes to playing the Patriots -- at least in South Florida.
New England quarterback Tom Brady fell to 7-10 in his career at Miami after last year's "Miami Miracle" gave the Dolphins a 34-33 win in the most-recent meeting between the teams.
Flores, who spent 15 seasons in New England as an assistant under head coach Bill Belichick, was on the losing end of most of them. But that's not on his mind.
"We're building a team here and that's where my focus is," he said. "When we get to that, we'll prepare and get ready to play them when the time comes."
The Patriots have won 15 of the last 16 AFC East Division championships and six Super Bowls since 2001. Veteran players like wide receiver Kenny Stills hope Flores can bring some of that magic to the Dolphins, who haven't won a playoff game since Marino was behind center.
"He's himself and we're building that relationship with him and the team," Stills told reporters. "We're continuing to learn who he is and figure that out, but we're on the right track to start."
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The Dolphins open the 2019 season at home against the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson. This is actually the seventh consecutive meeting between the teams, including last year's preseason game, which Baltimore won 27-10. In the last two regular-season meetings, the Ravens outscored the Dolphins 78-6, including a 40-0 victory in 2017.Who could forget the "Miami Miracle" when the teams last met? Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake played the hero that December day, racing 52 yards into the end zone for a game-winning touchdown. He kept the play alive as time expired after catching a later from receiver DeVante Parker at midfield. Miami's 34-33 win was its last of 2018. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady fell to 7-10 against the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Of course, Brady and the Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl again.Miami will travel to Dallas for the first time since 2011. The Dolphins haven't beaten the Cowboys since 2003, losing each of the last three meetings in 2007, 2011 and 2015. This will also be the first time defensive end Robert Quinn faces his former team since being traded to the Cowboys for a 2020 sixth-round pick in March. Quinn started all 16 games for the Dolphins last season, leading the team with 6.5 sacks.The Chargers finally make the cross-country trek after missing Miami on last year's schedule. Before that, the Dolphins made three consecutive trips to California to face the Chargers -- twice in San Diego and most recently in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson. Miami has won four of its last five against the Chargers, including a 19-17 victory in 2017. The game will serve as a homecoming of sorts for Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey, who grew up in Florida and spent seven seasons with the Dolphins.The Redskins return to Miami for the first time since a 20-9 win in 2011. These teams have met twice in the Super Bowl, with the Dolphins winning the first of consecutive championships in Super Bowl VII and Washington winning Super Bowl XVII during the strike-shortened season of 1982. Miami beat the Redskins 17-10 in their last meeting in 2015.Miami's last trip to Buffalo was forgettable. Buffalo's first-round rookie quarterback Josh Allen threw for a career-best three touchdown passes and scored two more rushing in a 42-17 rout of the Dolphins. The Bills ended the season winning four of their final seven games.The Steelers steamrolled the Dolphins 30-12 in Miami's last playoff appearance during the 2016 season. That was also Miami's last trip to Pittsburgh. Anyone remember Miami's last "Monday Night Football" appearance at Heinz Field? That was the rain-marred game that the Steelers won 3-0 on a 26-yard field goal with 20 seconds left. The Dolphins are just 2-5 against Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who got his first win at Miami in 2004.Adam Gase returns to Hard Rock Stadium, where he spent three years on the Miami sideline before being fired by the team at end of the 2018 season. Mistake-prone rookie quarterback Sam Darnold threw four interceptions and was sacked four times in the 13-6 loss.Miami returns to Lucas Oil Stadium for a second consecutive season. Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck threw three touchdown passes as the Colts beat the Dolphins 27-24 in 2018. Veteran kicker Adam Vinatieri booted a 32-yard field goal as time expired.The Dolphins beat the Bills 21-17 in the last meeting at Hard Rock Stadium, despite being outgained 415-175 in total offense. Buffalo defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who was released by Miami earlier in the season, drew a costly penalty for taunting his former team, setting up Miami's game-winning fourth-quarter touchdown catch by Kenny Stills.The last time the Dolphins played the Browns in 2016, Jarvis Landry was wearing a different uniform. The former Dolphins receiver hauled in a 42-yard touchdown in the third quarter against Cleveland as Miami won 30-24 in overtime. Landry is now with the Browns, having been dealt to Cleveland before the 2018 season. He led the Browns with 81 catches for 974 yards and four touchdowns on his way to a fourth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance.The Eagles soared to a 26-10 on their last trip to Miami in 2011. Philadelphia is just a season removed from beating the Patriots to win their first Super Bowl in franchise history. The Eagles fell short of a repeat in 2018, but they were still good enough to return to the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are in search of their first playoff win since 2000.Miami swept the New York Jets last year, winning 20-12 at MetLife Stadium in September and holding on for a 13-6 win at home in November. The Dolphins led 20-0 at halftime in their first road game of the season, but they wouldn't score again. Adam Gase was 23-26 in three seasons as head coach of the Dolphins, including a 5-1 mark against the Jets.A week after playing at MetLife Stadium, the Dolphins will return against New York's other NFL team. The Dolphins are in search of their first win against the Giants since 2003. The Giants are 6-2 all-time against Miami.The Bengals scored 27 consecutive points last year to beat the Dolphins 27-17 in Cincinnati. Miami will be looking for a better outcome at home this year. Cincinnati was trailing 14-0 at halftime and 17-0 in the third quarter when a series of Miami meltdowns helped the Bengals surge to victory, outscoring the Dolphins 24-0 in the final quarter.First-year Dolphins head coach Brian Flores returns to New England for the first time to face his former boss and players. Flores spent his entire NFL coaching career with the Patriots under Bill Belichick, who gave him his first job as a scouting assistant in 2004. Flores held a variety of titles in his 15 years in New England and was on the winning end of last year's 38-7 debacle in Foxborough. Miami's lone score came in the fourth quarter, with the Patriots ahead 38-0.
The Dolphins open the 2019 season at home against the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson. This is actually the seventh consecutive meeting between the teams, including last year's preseason game, which Baltimore won 27-10. In the last two regular-season meetings, the Ravens outscored the Dolphins 78-6, including a 40-0 victory in 2017.
In other schedule-related matters, Flores said it's too early to say whether the Dolphins will stay in the New York area in the week between December road games at the Jets and Giants.
Miami will play the Jets on Dec. 8 and the Giants on Dec. 15. The Jets and Giants share MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
"That's so far down the line," Flores said. "I'm going to go ahead and say that we had a brief conversation about it, but nothing has been set in stone yet. When it is, I'll let you know."
2019 Miami Dolphins Schedule
Sunday
Sept. 8
Baltimore Ravens
Hard Rock Stadium
Sunday
Sept. 15
New England Patriots
Hard Rock Stadium
Sunday
Sept. 22
at Dallas Cowboys
AT&T Stadium
Sunday
Sept. 29
Los Angeles Chargers
Hard Rock Stadium
Sunday
Oct. 6
bye
Sunday
Oct. 13
Washington Redskins
Hard Rock Stadium
Sunday
Oct. 20
at Buffalo Bills
New Era Field
Monday
Oct. 28
at Pittsburgh Steelers
Heinz Field
Sunday
Nov. 3
New York Jets
Hard Rock Stadium
Sunday
Nov. 10
at Indianapolis Colts
Lucas Oil Stadium
Sunday
Nov. 17
Buffalo Bills
Hard Rock Stadium
Sunday
Nov. 24
at Cleveland Browns
FirstEnergy Field
Sunday
Dec. 1
Philadelphia Eagles
Hard Rock Stadium
Sunday
Dec. 8
at New York Jets
MetLife Stadium
Sunday
Dec. 15
at New York Giants
MetLife Stadium
Sunday
Dec. 22
Cincinnati Bengals
Hard Rock Stadium
Sunday
Dec. 29
at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium
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