New England Patriots to Practice in South Florida

The New England Patriots are adopting an interesting strategy heading into their opening game of the regular season. To better prepare for the Miami Dolphins, the team has elected to leave early for South Florida. Mike Reiss of ESPN shared the story:
The team hopes additional practices at a small private college north of Miami will help them acclimate to the substantial weather differences South Florida presents from Foxboro, Massachusetts. The team has struggled in recent trips to Miami, losing seven of nine against the Dolphins, so anything is worth a shot. Maybe the Patriots can get a little bit of fun in the sun while they're at it.
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The Patriots are coming off a concerning preseason where a new approach on offense earned persistent skepticism from fans and pundits. With the Buffalo Bills the comfortable favorites for the AFC East crown, the Patriots and Dolphins could be in an absolute dogfight all season long to finish second. With a busy offseason and a quarterback potentially poised to make a leap, the Dolphins have the look of an improved squad over the one that beat the Patriots twice last year. That makes Sunday's tilt absolutely critical for the Patriots. They must do everything they can to prove they can hang with Miami if they have any hope to contend for the playoffs this year. If that means a few more days away from home and a handful of extra practices in the hot Florida sun, so be it.

The Patriots play the Dolphins this Sunday in their regular season opener.

Photo Credit: © Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports