DeVante Parker’s huge game was probably the biggest surprise within the New England Patriots’ stunning upset loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. Stephon Gilmore was enjoying a season that earned him the Defensive Player of the Year award. Parker was enjoying a breakout season, but had proven to have the chops to beat Gilmore with consistency.
But Parker finished with eight catches for 137 yards. It was a surprising finish to Gilmore and the Patriots’ season. So as the Dolphins open their season at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, that will be the most interesting matchup.
“The good thing about football, every year starts over. So, you know, you’ve got a chance to prove yourself every year,” Gilmore told reporters this weekend when asked about the matchup with Parker. “This is the first game that you get the opportunity to go out there and prove yourself. I take that mindset each and every week no matter what happened last year, the year before. I try to prove myself each and every week and every game. I’m looking forward to it.”
When asked about Parker again, Gilmore deflected again.
“I think they have a lot of great receivers,” Gilmore said. “They’ve got a veteran quarterback. They have a good offense. I’m looking forward to covering all those guys.”
The Patriots cornerback is avoiding bulletin board material — even in an offseason when Parker was indirectly critical of Gilmore on social media. New England probably got too high and mighty at the end of last season, which was how a feisty Miami team delivered an upset. This year, it may be very different in the AFC East. Tom Brady is gone, and the Patriots will begin to build around Cam Newton. The offense may need time to get its footing — it could look enormously different under Newton after two decades of consistency with Brady.
The Patriots will need the defense more than ever. They will need Gilmore more than ever.
In that sense, it’s easy to see Gilmore’s matchup with Parker dictating the direction of the game. If Parker picks up crucial chunk plays like he did in their matchup at the end of last season, the Dolphins offense could move the ball well enough to win the game. But if Gilmore gets the better of the matchup — much like he did in Week 2 of 2019 when Parker had zero receptions on seven targets — the Patriots defense may help manage the game for the offense.
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