Dolphins aim to make annual Patriots September scare into something real

If someone were to tell you that three weeks into the season, the AFC East would have one 3-0 team and three others tied at 1-2, a scant few would guess that the unbeaten team would be any other than the New England Patriots.And with good reason. Since Tom Brady took over as the Pats' starter in 2001, only twice has any team other than New England won the division. In fact, a popular knock on the greatness of the Patriots is that they fatten themselves up on wins in a cupcake division during the regular season. Some years, that might be true. In 2018, well, it’s up for debate — for the time being at the very least.The Patriots are 1-2 for the first time since 2012. It should be noted, of course, that they finished that season 12-4 and once again took first place in the AFC East. In 2008, the Pats also started 1-2 and didn’t make the playoffs. That year the Miami Dolphins, under the coaching of the recently departed Tony Sparano, took the division, which remains the last time it didn’t go to the Pats.Miami sit

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