Ugly showing from offense leads to Patriots’ 4th straight loss against Miami
An interception and a pair of costly fumbles hurt New England in a season-opening loss.
A series of costly blunders led to the Patriots’ fourth consecutive loss against the Miami Dolphins in Sunday’s season opener.
The 20-7 loss can be pretty much summed up by four big plays.
New England’s first drive set the tone for the rest of the game. The Patriots marched down the field, moving the ball with ease until they reached Miami’s 28-yard line.
Xavien Howard swatted a Mac Jones pass into the hands of a waiting Jevon Holland for an interception. Howard grabbed DeVante Parker’s shoulder pads, but the refs didn’t call it and a promising drive stalled.
Miami’s first touchdown couldn’t have looked much easier. A Dolphin defender came unblocked into the pocket, where he hit Jones on his blindside and forced a fumble on the two yard line. Melvin Ingram scooped it up and practically walked into the end zone.
There were three Patriots defensive backs around Jaylen Waddle when Tua Tagovailoa threaded the needle, hitting the second-year receiver in stride for a touchdown.
Those plays gave Miami a 17-0 lead heading into halftime, and the Dolphins never looked back. Jones did hit Ty Montgomery for a 6-yard touchdown, but the Patriots’ sluggish start was too much to overcome.
The Patriots had the ball near midfield in the fourth quarter when Jones completed a pass to Nelson Agholor. Agholor fumbled, giving Miami the ball back with less than five minutes to go.
Matt Patricia was reportedly calling the plays with a heavy influence from Bill Belichick. No matter who was calling the plays, the result was ugly.
The defense was mostly solid, but it was also unable to produce any takeaways to help the offense out.
Here’s what happened:
Fourth Quarter
3:54 p.m.: Mike McDaniel becomes the first Dolphins coach since Nick Saban to win his debut.
3:39 p.m: A Kendrick Bourne catch pushes the Patriots past midfield, but a Nelson Agholor fumble results in another turnover.
3:12 p.m.: New England’s drive ends with a punt after a pair of short runs and incomplete passes.
Third Quarter
3:06 p.m.: The Patriots, who have lost three in a row against Miami, head into the fourth quarter down by a pair of touchdowns.
3:04 p.m.: Jason Sanders nails a 49-yard field goal for the Dolphins. Miami leads 20-7.
2:56 p.m.: A on-screen glimpse of legendary boxer Mike Tyson watching the game with Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
2:54: p.m.: Ty Montgomery skids into the end zone on a short pass from Mac Jones for New England’s first score, capping a 15-play 92-yard drive. Miami leads 17-7.
2:52: p.m.: Jonnu Smith adds some yards after the catch, setting up 1st and goal for the Patriots.
2:50: p.m.: An illegal contact penalty on an incomplete pass from Mac Jones to DeVante Parker keeps New England’s drive going in decent field position.
2:38 p.m.: Adrian Phillips has a rib injury and is questionable to return.
Second Quarter
2:19 p.m.: Tagovailoa hits Jaylen Waddle over the middle on a slant route, and Waddle slips past three New England defenders for a touchdown. Miami leads 17-0 heading into the half.
2:14 p.m.: Patriots punt, Matthew Judon gets his first sack of the game forcing a third and 19 that slowed Miami’s offense down.
2:02 p.m.: Jakobi Meyers makes a leaping catch over Nick Needham for a first down.
2:00: p.m.: Miami’s Cethan Carter is carted off the field with an injury.
1:49 p.m.: Melvin Ingram scores a touchdown on a fumble recovery after Mac Jones is sacked just outside the endzone. Miami leads 10-0.
1:45 p.m.: After starting the drive in their own goal line, Miami is forced to punt.
First Quarter
1:33 p.m.: Patriots punt after Mac Jones is sacked and a short pass to Hunter Henry isn’t enough to convert the first down.
1:29 p.m.: A screen pass to Nelson Agholor picks up a first-down on 3rd-and-12 thanks to a big block from tight-end Hunter Henry.
1:22 p.m.: Dietrich Wise gets a big third-down sack and forces a fumble, which Miami recovers. A drive that reached the Patriots 22 yard line ends with a Miami field goal. Miami leads 3-0.
1:20 p.m: Tagovailoa hits an open Tyreek Hill for a 23-yard completion. It’s the second catch as a Dolphin for the six-time Pro Bowler.
1:19 p.m.: A third-down play-fake results in a pass that floats just past the outstretched arm of fullback Alec Ingold. Miami goes for it on 4th and 1 at midfield, picking up a first-down on a neutral zone infraction penalty.
1:10 p.m.: Mac Jones has a pass intended for former Dolphin DeVante Parker batted in the air by Xavien Howard and picked off by Jevon Holland. Disappointing end to what began as a promising drive with completions to Hunter Henry and Jakobi Meyers.
Inactives, 11:30 a.m.
A welcome surprise was revealed on the Patriots’ inactive list Sunday morning.
Running back Ty Montgomery, who was carted off the field during the Patriots‘ final preseason game in Las Vegas, is active for New England’s season opener at Miami.
There are seven Patriots players listed as inactive: defensive backs Joshuah Bledsoe and Shaun Wade, quarterback Bailey Zappe, running back Pierre Strong, offensive lineman Chasen Hines, and defensive tackle Sam Roberts.
New England also called up receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey and linebacker Harvey Langi earlier in the week.
An update on Patriots play-calling, 11 a.m.
Matt Patricia is reportedly expected to be the Patriots’ play caller on Sunday according to NFL.com. It’s the Patriots’ first game without offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who left to become head coach of the Raiders, in over a decade.
Pregame notes, 10:45 a.m.
Coach Bill Belichick took the team down to South Florida on Tuesday to acclimate to the heat during practices at Palm Beach Atlantic University. The temperature in Miami could reach a high of 92 degrees, around 12 degrees hotter than Boston’s expected high according to the Weather Channel.
Heading to Florida early was an unusual move, but Patriots coach has shown a willingness to zig when others zag during his lengthy career in New England.
— Sunday’s game will mark Belichick’s 434th game as a head coach, while it will be the first for Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel. It’s the biggest difference in experience between a coach in his first game and an opposing coach in NFL history, according to ESPN Stats and Information.
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