Ex-Patriot Gives New England Bulletin-Board Material For Week 1

Keion Crossen believes the Patriots are wasting time and energy with their unorthodox approach to preparation for Week 1.

New England will have plenty of time to get acclimated to Miami, where Mac Jones and company will kick off their 2022 slate with a season-opening showdown against the Dolphins. While visiting NFL teams typically travel to a host city a day or two before game day, the Patriots will spend nearly a week in South Beach, a site where they’ve struggled over the course of the Bill Belichick era. New England is set to travel to Miami on Tuesday and hold multiple practices in the Sunshine State before the AFC East rivals meet Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.

Crossen, a 2018 seventh-round pick by the Patriots who joined the Dolphins back in March, doesn’t expect the early arrival in South Florida will give New England any sort of edge.

“Lol that won’t help,” Crossen captioned an Instagram story about the Patriots’ travel plans, coupled with a pair of crying-laughing emojis.

Oddsmakers also aren’t expecting the Patriots to have a leg-up in this matchup between longtime division foes. The Dolphins, who swept the regular-season series with New England in 2021, are a 3-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook for Sunday afternoon’s game.