Initial observations from Week 12 at Hard Rock Stadium.
The personnel had changed since October. The result remained the same in November.
The New England Patriots fell to the Miami Dolphins by a score of 34-15 Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium, where 24 points separated the AFC East sides by halftime.
Here’s a glance back on the 1 p.m. ET kickoff as head coach Jerod Mayo’s roster returns home with a 3-9 record.
Maye goes forward and backward with two turnovers
The last time the Patriots crossed paths with the Dolphins, Jacoby Brissett was under center at Gillette Stadium. The 15-10 loss marked the team captain’s final start before giving way to the No. 3 overall pick out of North Carolina. Drake Maye had been full speed ahead since then. He spent most of Sunday at a roadblock, completing 22-of-37 passes for 222 yards with one touchdown and two turnovers.
Breaking the huddle in “11” personnel, the opening drive ended with a third-and-3 false start on the blindside. The rookie quarterback endured additional penalty flags up front as the offense settled for a missed 45-yard field goal from kicker Joey Slye next time out. And the third chance with the football only went backward before the punt team was turned to in the shadow of the uprights. Another Bryce Baringer punt followed off a miscommunication. The offense had 83 total yards to show for the first half in Miami Gardens.
Out of intermission, Maye escaped former Walter Payton Man of the Year Calais Campbell to connect on a third-and-9 up the sideline. But he was soon halted by a strip-sack that linebacker Jordyn Brooks recovered en route to a 31-0 deficit. Then on fourth-and-15 in the fourth quarter, a shotgun snap saw the 22-year-old flee the pocket and take a deep shot that became his 10th touchdown toss of the fall. Veteran tight end Austin Hooper was waiting 38 yards downfield for it as the visitors got on the board through the Cover-2 gap. Off a cornerback blitz with 5:13 left to play, however, linebacker Tyrel Dodson corralled a backfoot, check-down interception to seal it.
Flags fly as O-line keeps its combination for third straight week
The starting five that was deployed against the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams got the call again.
For the third time since the calendar turned to November, a recent touchdown scorer in Vederian Lowe stood at left tackle with Michael Jordan at left guard, Ben Brown at center, Mike Onwenu at right guard and Demontrey Jacobs at right tackle. The continuity was met by four sacks despite often keeping tight ends and running backs in to help. Those takedowns arrived courtesy of Chop Robinson, Emmanuel Ogbah, Zach Sieler and Jalen Ramsey. The laundry had flown with four false starts and two holds against the starting bookends by intermission. It didn’t end there for the unit, either.
The Patriots opened interior lineman Cole Strange’s 21-day practice window leading up to the divisional meeting. The top pick in the organization’s 2022 draft class would remain on the non-football injury list for Sunday after being listed as limited and questionable. Sophomore guard Sidy Sow reported as an eligible six man and took over at right tackle late in the runaway.
Tagovailoa picks apart coverage for four touchdowns as Waddle amasses 144 yards
Tua Tagovailoa was on injured reserve the last time his side faced New England. But in his latest start against a team he had never lost to, the reigning Pro Bowler completed 29-of-40 passes for 317 yards with four touchdowns. The outing began with a punt before logging three first downs in as many throws on the way to a 7-0 lead that quickly swelled to 24-0 at the break.
Fellow Alabama product Jaylen Waddle had already hit the century mark by then. The wide receiver led the charge with eight catches on nine targets for 144 yards and a touchdown on the afternoon. Longs of 29, 24 and 23 were on display. So was a slant for 17, a post for 14 and a dive for 19 that survived defensive holding and a challenge. Perennial All-Pro teammate Tyreek Hill added five receptions on six targets for 48 yards. And a familiar face in Jonnu Smith disengaged from pass protection to find his third touchdown in a week’s span. The ex-Patriots tight end accounted for 87 receiving yards altogether.
After working the boundary for the Patriots last Sunday and becoming a late addition to the injury report with a hip issue, Christian Gonzalez broke up an early pass in the end zone and later scooped up a fumble by running back Jaylen Wright for a 63-yard touchdown. A 31-15 game was the result. The sophomore cornerback had intercepted the first two passes of his career through his first two matchups with Miami. He moved throughout a secondary short on any resistance, starting alongside Marcus Jones while Jonathan Jones, Kyle Dugger and Marte Mapu got the nod at safety in the big nickel.
A week removed from no sacks, Patriots manage two after halftime
Deatrich Wise Jr. went from questionable to inactive for the second consecutive week due to a foot injury. And without the captain, a defense that went without a sack last Sunday got two in the column on Miami’s starter.
Known for getting the ball out in the click of a stopwatch, Tagovailoa would be sacked by defensive tackle Christian Barmore in his second game back from July’s diagnosis with blood clots, sending the punt team on. Core special-teamer Brenden Schooler then got the second of his career in the Longhorn package. But it was too little, too late.
Keion White, Davon Godchaux and Daniel Ekuale started along the defensive line. Called for a neutral zone infraction on third-and-3, Anfernee Jennings joined them off the edge with Jahlani Tavai and Sione Takitaki off the ball. And more than a month removed from ceding 184 rushing yards to the running backs, Miami’s speedy committee did its damage in the flats with a pair of catch-and-jog touchdowns by De’Von Achane.
Douglas checks in atop New England’s wide receiver room
K.J. Osborn remained the lone healthy scratch for New England’s wide receivers 90 minutes before kickoff. From there, a non-starter in DeMario Douglas led the depth chart with five catches for 62 yards on seven looks, including a long of 27 from the slot after halftime.
It took until then for Kendrick Bourne to get involved. The position’s elder statesman finished with 30 yards on three receptions, including on back-to-back snaps and later through traffic for a fresh set of downs after a turnover on downs.
Kayshon Boutte, who had offensive pass interference both accepted and declined on Sunday, chipped in one catch while starting alongside him. And Javon Baker found himself in the starting lineup for the first time, as well, while fellow rookie Ja’Lynn Polk was turned to for a completion on the game’s opening third down.
Stevenson held to 13 rushing yards and two-point conversion
Rhamondre Stevenson averaged 7.4 yards per carry during the previous encounter with Miami’s defense. New England’s starting running back could not pick up where he left off.
Sunday saw the product of Cerritos College and the University of Oklahoma turn eight carries into 13 yards. Shouldering over former first-team All-Pro safety Jordan Poyer to move the chains in the first quarter was a bright spot for him on an afternoon that included a loss of six. He chipped in a two-point conversion.
Spelling No. 38 in the backfield, Antonio Gibson led the way 45 yards from scrimmage across just seven touches. The March signing turned a rush as well as a reception into pickups of 14 yards on his initial opportunities. Co-kickoff returner JaMycal Hasty added 15 yards on his lone handoff.