CONNECTIONS
- While serving as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick hired Jim Bates as the defensive line coach. Bates is now the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins.

• Patriots assistant strength and conditioning coach Markus Paul was born in Orlando, Fla. He was an all-state quarterback and defensive back at Osceola (Fla.) High and led his team to the high school Citrus Bowl in 1983.

• Patriots running back Kevin Faulk completed the first pass of his career against the Miami Dolphins when he took a direct snap from center and then found quarterback Tom Brady for a 23-yard gain in the first quarter (12/22/01).

• Patriots defensive lineman Jarvis Green earned his first NFL start against the Dolphins (10/06/02).

• Patriots quarterback Damon Huard played for the Miami Dolphins for four seasons, appearing in 34 games with six starts and recording 170 completions for 1,691 yards.

• Patriots linebacker Larry Izzo was originally signed by the Miami Dolphins as a rookie free agent. In his five seasons with the team he appeared in 61 games and recorded 95 special teams tackles, five defensive tackles (all solos) and one blocked punt.

• Patriots fullback Fred McCrary was born on September 19, 1972, in Naples, Fla.

• After facing the Dolphins 14 times, Patriots defensive end Willie McGinest has recorded 8.5 sacks for losses of 56.5 yards against Miami.

• Patriots fullback Patrick Pass snared two catches against Miami for 29 yards including a 23-yard screen pass from Tom Brady for the first touchdown of his career (12/22/01).

• Patriots defensive end Anthony Pleasant was born on Jan. 27, 1968, in Century, Fla. He earned All-America, all-state and all-conference honors as a senior at Century (Fla.) High School.

• Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri converted all four of his field goal attempts against Miami, including game-tying and game-winning kicks to spark the Patriots to a 27-24 overtime win against the Dolphins in the season finale. (12/29/02)

• Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel recorded his first career interception against Miami when he snatched a Jay Fiedler pass on the Dolphins first offensive play of the game (10/07/01).

• Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel is originally from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and attended Central Florida; he played quarterback, defensive back, kicker and punter on Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lake, Fla.) High School's football team.

• Miami defensive line coach Clarence Brooks was an offensive guard at the University of Massachusetts from 1970-72, and was the team captain his final season. Brooks also was the defensive ends coach at UMass from 1976-80.

• Miami running backs coach Joel Collier was the Patriots assistant running backs and receivers coach for two seasons (1991-92) and worked in the Patriots personnel department for one season (1993).

• Miami offensive line coach Tony Wise was an offensive line coach at Central Connecticut State in 1975.

• Miami cornerback Terrell Buckley played for the Patriots for the 2001 and 2002 seasons, appearing in 31 games with two starts and recording 47 tackles (45 solos) and seven interceptions.

• Miami tackle Greg Jerman was born on January 24, 1979, in Hyannis, Mass.

• Miami wide receiver Derrius Thompson's cousin, Reyna Thompson, was a cornerback for the Patriots in 1993.

PATRIOTS – DOLPHINS QUICK HITS
- The Patriots biggest win over the Dolphins in Miami was in the 1985 AFC Championship Game, when New England pulled off a 31-14 upset at the Orange Bowl to complete a string of three straight road victories to advance to Super Bowl XX.

• New England has posted two shutouts against Miami in its history, while the Dolphins have shut out the Patriots just once.

• The teams combined for a franchise-low three points in the "Snow Plow Game," a 3-0 Patriots win at Foxboro Stadium on Dec. 12, 1982.

• The Patriots have lost their last five games to the Dolphins in Miami, but have already broken a five-game losing streak this season. The Patriots' 23-16 win over the Jets in Week Three snapped a five-game home losing streak.