Patriots fall to the Dolphins, 31-17: Quick observations from a frustrating loss for New England
A promising start for the Patriots quickly unraveled into another frustrating defeat at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Patriots are set to enter Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline at a crossroads.
All of the positive momentum gained from last week’s upset win over the Bills dissipated in short order for the Patriots down in Miami — with extended lapses in offensive execution and an elite Miami passing game paving the way for a 31-17 loss to the Dolphins.
The Patriots are now 2-6 on the season, while the Dolphins move to 6-2 on the year.
Here are a few early observations from New England’s latest loss at Hard Rock Stadium.
A strong start gives way to more frustration for Patriots
For the second game in a row, it looked as though the Patriots were poised to give themselves some early breathing room against a talented AFC East foe.
As was the case against Buffalo, a momentum-shifting play on defense (a Kyle Dugger interception) created six points down the other end of the field. Just three plays after Dugger snagged a pass from Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones hit Kendrick Bourne for a 24-yard touchdown, giving New England a 7-0 edge with 3:39 left in the first quarter.
But despite that strong start, Jones and the Patriots fell back into some familiar frustrating habits over the next two quarters — allowing Miami to counter and build a lead that it did not relinquish.
After Miami reeled off 14 unanswered points, Jones and the Patriots orchestrated a nine-play, 52-yard drive in the closing minutes of the second quarter — giving New England an opportunity to put points on the board before the half.
But the drive ended in disaster, with Jones throwing a costly interception to Jalen Ramsey that nearly resulted in a pick-six. Miami did manage to get a field goal out of the subsequent drive, opening the door for a potential double-score going into the third quarter.
In what was a recurring trend, New England’s offense once failed to capitalize on another prime opportunity to open the second half. On Miami’s first play of the third, a costly fumble was recovered by Anfernee Jennings — allowing Jones and Co. to take over at Miami’s 19-yard line.
But New England promptly went 3-and-out, with the Patriots having to settle for a Chad Ryland field goal.
The Patriots’ offense finally gained some steam in the fourth quarter, with JuJu Smith-Schuster making it a one-score game at the end of a 13-play, 86-yard drive.
But it was too little, too late for the Patriots — as Miami iced the game with a 31-yard touchdown for Jaylen Waddle.
JC Jackson struggles as New England can’t stop Miami’s aerial attack
JC Jackson established himself as an elite ball-hawk corner during his first four seasons with the Patriots. His second go-around in Foxborough has not exactly followed a similar script.
The veteran defensive back was targeted early and often by Tagovailoa and Miami’s offense, relinquishing both of Miami’s touchdowns while in coverage during the first half.
After burning the Patriots for 130+ receiving yards in each of his first two meetings against New England, Tyreek Hill has struggled to burn New England over an extended stretch. In his previous five games against New England, Hill scored two touchdowns and only surpassed 90+ yards once.
But with Christian Gonzalez on the shelf and Jonathan Jones limited due to a nagging knee injury, Hill feasted against Jackson and the Patriots’ D on Sunday.
Hill finished with eight catches and 112 receiving yards in Miami’s win , opening the Dolphins’ scoring surge with a 42-yard touchdown in the first quarter after blowing past Jackson.
Jackson was later knocked for a questionable defensive pass interference call against Hill in the end zone. But Miami made Jackson and the Patriots pay just two plays later, with Cedrick Wilson slipping past Jackson for a 1-yard score to give Miami a 14-7 lead in the second quarter.
Despite a few promising opening drives from New England’s defense, the Dolphins continued to extend drives and put the Patriots on the ropes as the game went on — including two fourth-down conversations.
Given the number of elite weapons present on Miami’s offense, it was all but inevitable that Tua and Co. were going to make New England pay if it couldn’t get them off the field.
Hill and Waddle combined for 233 receiving yards and two scores in the victory.
Injuries continue to pile up on both sides of ball
The Patriots missed two key cogs on defense in Matt Judon and Christian Gonzalez on Sunday. And they lost yet another veteran leader against Miami, with linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley exiting the game with a hamstring injury. He was initially tabbed as questionable to return, but was ruled out going into the second half.
One of the few bright spots for New England on offense in Bourne also exited the game in the fourth quarter after appearing to tweak something in his right leg. Given his impact on an uneven offensive unit, any extended absence for Bourne would be devastating for New England.
The Patriots also lost DeVante Parker in the second half after the wideout was walloped by Miami safety DeShon Elliott. Parker, who missed multiple games due to a concussion last season, struggled to get to his feet after the hit before eventually making his way off the field with members of the Patriots’ training staff.
JuJu on the outside looking in at snaps
After missing the previous two games with a concussion, JuJu Smith-Schuster was cleared and listed on the active roster for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.
But the 26-year-old wideout logged zero snaps through the first three quarters, only trotting out onto the field in the fourth after Kendrick Bourne exited the game due to injury. It was a stark indictment on a free-agent pickup who has struggled to make much of an impact in his first season in New England.
Smith-Schuster did make the most of his opportunity once pressed into game action, with his lone catch of the game being a three-yard touchdown from Jones in the fourth quarter.
Granted, Smith-Schuster’s lack of reps is a direct result of Demario Douglas continuing to pop on New England’s offense. But with both Bourne and Parker going down with injuries on Sunday, the onus will fall on Smith-Schuster to keep what has already been an uneven passing game afloat.
If he’s not up to the task, New England’s decision to ink Smith-Schuster rather than either re-sign Jakobi Meyers or sign DeAndre Hopkins (three touchdowns on Sunday vs. Atlanta) continues to look worse and worse for New England this year.
Odds and ends
For the third week in a row, Christian Barmore has continued to wreak havoc in the trenches. The third-year defensive tackle posted a sack for the second week in a row along with a tackle for loss.
Keion White also popped in his return to game action after dealing with a concussion — headlined including a critical tackle for loss against Salvon Ahmed that resulted in a loss of eight yards.
Kendrick Bourne has now recorded 37 receptions in eight games this season. He had 35 catches in 16 games with the Patriots in 2022. It remains a head-scratcher that Matt Patricia phased him out of the offensive playbook last season.
Ezekiel Elliott managed to avoid disaster in the first half when he fumbled a ball that eventually bounced out of bounds. But that’s now twice in eight games that the veteran running back has been knocked for a fumble. He only coughed up one fumble over his previous two seasons with the Cowboys.
Even with that fumble from Elliott, the Patriots made some solid gains on the ground at 4.1 yards per carry. Elliott gained 36 yards on just seven carries.
Tight end Pharaoh Brown continues to eat up chunk yardage — reeling in a 24-yard catch in the third quarter. He’s now up to 170 receiving yards on the season, just a yard shy of his previous career-high of 171 yards.
The Patriots are 0-6 this season when Jones throws an interception and 2-0 when he doesn’t.
Tua Tagovailoa is 6-0 in his career against Bill Belichick and the Patriots.
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LIVE UPDATES
3:51: Jaylen Waddle runs it in for a 31-yard score. That should do it.
3:39: Smith-Schuster enters the game and reels in a 3-yard touchdown.
Suddenly, we’ve got a one-score game. Dolphins still up, 24-17.
3:32: Bourne has been ruled out of the game with a knee injury.
3:28: Kendrick Bourne heading to the locker room.
3:23: And now Kendrick Bourne appears to be hurt. Seems like his right leg.
3:21: End Third: Patriots trail, 24-10.
3:19: And Bradley Chubb comes up with a sack.
3:19: Tavai nearly picks that one off. Dolphins punt.
3:16: Rough showing from the refs tonight. Surprised there was no call on that Parker hit, now they pick up a flag on an illegal man downfield call against Miami.
3:10: The Patriots have already ruled Parker out for the game. Head injury.
3:03: Man, Parker got crushed on that hit.
3:02: Not good for New England.
3:00: Yet another big play by Pharaoh Brown. He continues to rack up chunk yardage.
2:55: That was a clinical drive by Miami’s offense – and not a lot of push back from New England’s D. 24-10 Dolphins.
2:45: Ryland’s field goal makes it a 17-10 game.
2:44: Brutal. Wilkins sacks Jones and the Patriots can’t capitalize despite getting a prime start in Dolphins territory.
2:42: Raheem Mostert fumbles the first snap of the half. Anfernee Jennings recovered the ball. What a swing for New England.
2:41: Bentley ruled out for the rest of the game. Another brutal hit for the Patriots.
2:27: Halftime: Patriots trail the Dolphins, 17-7.
2:24: Miami ultimately goes for the field goal. They lead, 17-7, with 24 seconds left in the half. But Dolphins will get the ball to start the second.
2:15: Demario Douglas might have saved a pick-six there.
2:13: Jalen Ramsey sighting. Just a brutal interception there for Mac Jones. Needed more on that throw.
2:12: Atonio Mafi replacing Sidy Sow at right guard on this drive.
2:10: DeVante Parker sighting.
2:08: That was a physical, vintage run from Rhamondre Stevenson there.
2:07: Pop Douglas picks up a first down. 13-yard pickup off a slant route.
2:05: Doesn’t seem like Jonathan Jones is 100%.
2:00: And now Miami targets JC Jackson on a 1-yard pass for a touchdown. 14-7 Miami.
2:00: JC Jackson gets flagged for pass interference on Tyreek Hill in the end zone. Ooof.
1:55: Patriots announce that Bentley is questionable to return with a hamstring injury.
1:55: Myles Bryant is down for New England.
1:51: Dugger having a great half — he brings down Tua with a sack.
1:49: looks like Bentley might be banged up. He’s heading to the locker room.
1:48: Miami converts on another 4th down play.
1:46: Keion White with a great play to record a nine-yard loss for Miami.
1:43: A very shaky showing from New England’s offense out of the gate, beyond Jones’ TD to Bourne.
1:40: Zeke fumbles, but New England catches a break when the ball goes out of bounds. New England is also knocked for a penalty on the sequence.
1:32: Tua and Tyreek Hill connect on a 42-yard score. J.C. Jackson in coverage.
7-7 game.
1:27: Second straight game for New England where they turn an interception into six points. Winning formula.
1:24: Mac Jones hits Kendrick Bourne for a 24-yard touchdown. Great throw. Patriots make Miami pay for that interception.
7-0 Patriots.
1:22: Kyle Dugger picks off Tua. Dreadful throw from the Dolphins QB.
1:21: Nice run stop by Keion White — and then Christian Barmore drops Tua for a sack. He’s been a force over these last few weeks.
1:19: Looks like a few veterans are on the outside looking at regular snaps out of the gate for New England.
1:18: Patriots using a lot of pre-snap motion on offense, especially with Pop Douglas.
1:14: Pharaoh Brown reels in a catch … for under 20 yards? Unheard of!
1:10: Patriots defense ultimately forces a punt. Nice recovery after Miami converts on that 4th down.
1:08: Dolphins connect on a 4th and 1. Waddle reels it in for 17.
1:05: Patriots go 3-and-out.
1:03: Demario Douglas tackled for a 4-yard loss on the opening play.
1:00: Dolphins win the coin toss and defer.
12:27: Looks like Onwenu is staying put at RT. The correct call, given last week’s play from the O-line.
12:18: Patriots opting for the silver pants again.
12:10: Live look-in at warmups.
11:34: No Xavien Howard in the Dolphins’ secondary today:
11:32: Here are the Patriots inactives:
Uche and Lowe were ruled out ahead of Sunday, while Tyquan Thornton joins the inactive list after a quiet showing last week. JuJu Smith-Schuster is active, so we’ll see how both him and Demario Douglas share reps together. The rookie has been more impressive this season.
11:30: Greetings ahead of today’s matchup between two AFC East foes. Any predictions? Leave them in the comments.
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