Rob Gronkowski graces cover of GAMEDAY as Patriots look to take another step toward a No. 1 seed vs. Dolphins. (Mike Petraglia, WEEI.com)

FOXBORO — The coldest temperatures of the season will greet the Patriots as they host in the Dolphins in the next-to-last game of the regular season. The forecast calls for sunny skies but temperatures hovering right around the freezing mark for the 1 p.m. ET kickoff (WBZ-TV, Ch. 4).

It’ll feel even colder with winds out of northeast at 10 MPH making it feel like 22.

The 11-3 Patriots – who clinched their third AFC East title last Sunday – have plenty to play for, as the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs and home field advantage throughout is on the line.

With a win, the Patriots will clinch a bye in the first round, thanks to Houston’s stunning 19-16 loss to the Colts on Thursday night. The Texans fell to 10-5 while the Patriots will capture their 12th win with a victory.

On the injury front, today could mark the return of Patrick Chung from a right foot injury. He will test the foot in warmups, as he did on Nov. 13 in New York. That night, he attempted to play but was not cleared by the medical staff. He has missed the last six games since injuring the foot late in the fourth quarter of New England’s loss to the Giants on Nov. 6.

Chung was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report, along with 14 other Patriots. Linebacker Brandon Spikes could also make his return today after missing the same amount of time with a right knee injury.

The Patriots will likely activate defensive lineman Alex Silvestro and defensive back Sterling Moore today after promoting them from the practice squad on Friday.

As they have been all season, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski are the two Patriots stars to watch, with both having significant milestones at hand.

Brady has a current streak of 30 games with at least one passing TD, a Patriots record. Brady has 35 TD passes this season, needing five to become just the second quarterback in history with two seasons of at least 40. Keep in mind, Brady threw four TD passes and a franchise record 517 yards in the season opener against the Dolphins on Sept. 12 in Miami.

Gronkowski already has an NFL-record 15 touchdown receptions for a tight end and another TD rushing. With 1,141 yards, Gronkowski needs just 34 yards to set the new Patriots record for most receiving yards by a tight end. Ben Coates had 1,174 yards in 1994.

The 5-9 Dolphins are playing for jobs and pride. They won their first game under interim coach Todd Bowles last Sunday, beating the Bills in the flurries in Western New York, 30-23.

Keep an eye on Dolphins tailback Reggie Bush. He has been an absolute beast of late and one of the best big-play playmakers in the league in the second half of the season.

Bush has 12 runs of 15 yards or more this season, two more than the 2010 Dolphins had as a team. Last week, after the Bills closed to within 23-13 in the fourth quarter, Bush went left tackle and broke off a 76-yard run to put the game away. He finished with a career-high 203 yards on 25 carries.

One weapon the Patriots won’t have to worry about is Dolphins tight end Anthony Fasano, who caught a 22-yard TD last week from Matt Moore. Fasano, with five TDs this season and 19 in his career, is out with a concussion.