MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Warm drinks and trash cans.

The Patriots are going to crush the Miami Dolphins Sunday.

They need to beat the Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium. Last weekend’s stunning loss to the Jets means that the Patriots need a win (or a Denver loss in a later game) to secure home field throughout the AFC playoffs.

Had the Patriots taken care of business last weekend, this might have been a Jimmy Garoppolo game, but not anymore. Nothing can be left to chance with home field on the line.

And now . . . as if the Patriots needed any extra incentive, the Dolphins have reintroduced the scarlet letter.

“C.’’

As in “Cheatin’.’’

It has been amusing to follow the Patriots across football America this season. Photos of deflated footballs and headlines about nefarious activities have trailed them from Buffalo to Denver. We have seen the 16-game schedule stretch into a new calendar year, and just when you thought it was safe to go back in the bathtub waters of Biscayne Bay . . . the Dolphins took us right back to warm drinks and trash cans.

Warm drinks and trash cans. In case you forgot, that was the dismissive phrase that rolled off the tongue of Bill Belichick the one time he was inspired to defend his team and its legacy. Belichick’s boiling point came on the heels of Deflategate, Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin suggesting that folks were messing with his headset in the season opener at Gillette Stadium, and then two (piling on) cheating stories compiled by ESPN and Sports Illustrated.

On Friday, Sept. 11, Belichick finally snapped and roared to the defense of his methods and his men.

“It’s kind of sad really, to see some stories obviously have an agenda to them with misinformation and anonymous-type comments,’’ said the heated Hoodie. “Complaining about warm drinks and trash cans and stuff like that. I think it’s a sad commentary and it’s gone to a pretty low level. It’s sunk pretty deep.’’

Warm drinks? According to SI.com, “Another AFC team has brought its own sports drinks [to Foxborough] because the ones the Patriots supply are often late, warm, or both.’’

Trash cans? According to ESPN, “Numerous former [Patriots] employees say the Patriots would have someone rummage through the visiting team hotel for playbooks or scouting reports.’’

Patriot critics claim that this is all part of the cheating culture in New England. And the Dolphins this week jumped on board with revelations that they took extra staff to Foxborough in October to protect themselves from the diabolical Patriots.

According to the Miami Herald, “The extra staffing ensured that no Patriots employee would have any reason to touch (and potentially tamper with) their gear ahead of or during the Thursday night game.’’

Belichick did not take the bait when he was asked about the Herald report.

“I’m just worried about what we’re doing, trying to coach our team,’’ he answered. “You’d have to talk to them about it.’’

Many tried. It was low-yield.

Miami interim head coach Dan Campbell (an apt name for the boss of the basement dwellers in the Tomato Can Division) did not deny the charge.

“That was my third game,’’ said the coach. “I don’t know all of that.’’

In other words, “You’re damn right I ordered the Code Red.’’

Compounding an already awkward situation, Miami is the professional home of NFL legend Don Shula, who has referred to Belichick as “Belicheat.’’ Shula was head coach of the 1972 Dolphins, still the NFL’s only undefeated team. We know he gloated when the undefeated Patriots were stunned in Super Bowl XLII against the Giants in Glendale, Ariz., in February of 2008.

This should not be a difficult game. The Patriots beat the Dolphins, 36-7, at Gillette in October. The Dolphins are 5-10, readying for a winter of golf and yet another search for a new head coach.

Belichick hates Dolphin boss Mike Tannenbaum, who was general manager of the Jets when they ratted out the Patriots on Spygate in 2007. Now the Patriots have the incentive of home-field advantage and find themselves once again defending the Patriot logo from all those who introduce the scarlet letter.

The Patriots have lost three of five. Unlike typical Belichick teams, they are not playing their best at the end of the season. They have a lot of injured players.

But they have a lot to prove in this season finale. There will be no significant playing time for Jimmy G at Sun Life Stadium. This feels like a beatdown. The Patriots are going to drown the Dolphins.

Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at dshaughnessy@globe.com.