FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday that his team is in for a difficult challenge when they open the 2021 regular season against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro on Sunday afternoon.

The AFC East rivals will clash at 4:25 p.m., marking the second-straight Week 1 game between the two sides.

“It’s a talented team. Obviously well coached, disciplined. They don’t make a lot of mistakes,” Belichick said of the Dolphins, a team that finished second in the division ahead of the Patriots last year. “We’re going to have to do a real good job playing a good, sound football game.”

Miami is coached by Brian Flores, who previously spent more than a decade coaching with the New England organization.

The Patriots and Dolphins split their two meetings in 2020.

Rookie quarterback Mac Jones is expected to make his season debut in the contest.

Jones said Tuesday that he wasn’t surprised that Belichick named him the team’s starter over veteran Cam Newton.

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