FOXBORO -- Mr. Miami is going home this weekend but socializing isn't high on his list.

As he stood in the Patriots' locker room yesterday, Vince Wilfork made it clear he enjoys going home to play football. He'll have 20 family and friends in the crowd tomorrow at Dolphins Stadium and can't wait to enjoy South Florida's 80-degree temperatures. But the second-year pro also knows time is ticking on his team's season.

"It's fun. I've got about 20 people coming to the game but I'm going on a business trip," he said. "I'm not there to meet and greet with the fans. My family is my family but it's going to feel good to play in front of a good crowd and hopefully come out with a win."

Wilfork says that the stakes couldn't be higher this week. Not only do the Pats need to shake off the embarrassment of Monday's 40-21 loss to the Colts, but first place is on the line when New England (4-4) matches up with Miami (3-5).

"We're fighting for first place in our division," he said. "Our focus is the Miami Dolphins and to win. If everybody takes that mindset on the field and plays a 60 minute ballgame, I think we're capable of doing it. There's been too many times this year we haven't been doing that. It's a great time this week to take a step forward."

Wilfork, 24, was destined to be playing football on Sundays. As a powerhouse high school star in Lantana, Fla., about a half-hour north of Dolphins Stadium, Wilfork was one of the most highly recruited players in the country and a USA Today second-team All-American. He stayed home to play for Larry Coker at Miami and won the national title as a freshman in 2001, became a star as a sophomore and a first-team All-American as a junior in 2003.

The defenders he played with were talented. In the 2004 draft, the Patriots chose Wilfork with the 19th overall pick, yet he was only the fourth Hurricane defender selected and one of six Miami players to go in the first round.

As a rookie last season, Wilfork started six games and split time with Keith Traylor at nose tackle. This year, he's the man in the middle of the team's defensive line and playing better than ever. He's second on the team in tackles (to Mike Vrabel) and is getting ready for one of the season's biggest challenges.

If the Dolphins hope to knock off the Pats and force a tie atop the AFC East, they'll likely have to run through Wilfork. The strength of Miami's offense is the two-headed running back tandem of Ricky Williams and impressive rookie Ronnie Brown of Auburn. While they've combined for only five touchdowns, the Patriots see Williams and Brown as a dangerous duo. Coach Bill Belichick says that Williams "looks like the old Ricky," and adds that the only new running back to come into the league he's liked as much as Brown was San Diego's LaDanian Tomlinson.

"They attack the entire field if you don't defend it," the coach said. "If you put guys outside, then they'll run with power up inside and that's where a lot of plays are designed to go for them. They are a good north-south running team, but if the defense over-pursues and collapses, they can balance it out."

Wilfork understands the challenge of stopping "that two-headed monster," as well. The Patriots' defensive problems are mainly infested the secondary but the Dolphins hope to do plenty of damage running the ball, too.

"Both of them have power and both of them have speed," Wilfork said. "Ricky can get out on the edges a lot but they primarily want to run downhill. They're not made to run sideways. They're dangerous when they create holes and run through a defense. We all have to deal with those guys."

Wilfork says the tattered New England defense has re-dedicated itself this week and insists everyone can improve, from the line to the safeties.

"We're 4-4 but our season starts now," he said. "We need to get the Dolphins. We're better than 4-4 and we know that. That's the most frustrating thing. We need to raise our level of play."