Well, I got half the score right. In my key matchup piece on PatsFans.com, I picked the Patriots to beat Miami 16-15. And for the briefest second with 1:08 left in the game, I was going to pat myself on the back.
But, alas, this was not to be. Ja’Lynn Polk’s heel came down out of bounds, and the game-winning touchdown was erased. So, let’s get right to the crux of the matter. The call was correct, as it was written according to the NFL standards.
You can argue all you want with how the league wordsmiths wrote this up. And you wouldn’t get an argument from me about what is and isn’t a catch. But in this case, Polk was out of bounds. This is different than a toe drag.
So, with that out of the way, the Patriots were one of the LEAST penalized teams in the league coming into today’s game. Today, the Patriots were penalized 12 times for 105 yards. That is unacceptable. They shot themselves in the foot with sloppy play. Many of those penalties were completely avoidable.
This officiating crew, however, was all-around bad. They made some nit-picky crap calls but let others go. It really favored neither team, but the league needs professional referees.
Some of the other observations from this afternoon’s loss include:
The Patriots Were Pass-Heavy: After the Dolphins went ahead 15-10, the team had to go into passing mode. But they only ran the ball 19 times, which goes against what they said last week about returning to their strength, which isn’t passing.
The offensive line’s pass protection is very bad. Jacoby Brissett was only sacked twice but was hit nine more times and was pressured on 47.1 percent of his dropbacks. That, too, is unacceptable. Perhaps, since the Patriots came out of this game relatively unscathed on the OL, they can finally begin getting some continuity along the unit.
But they passed 34 times and ran 19, nearly double. Brissett completed 18-34 for 160 yards (usually wearing a Dolphin as a new coat) with 0 TDs and 0 INTs. That averages out to 4.7 yards per pass play.
The Running Game Was Much More Productive. As we wrote above, they only ran the ball 19 times but ran for 151 yards and a touchdown, for an average of 7.9 yards per rush, a new team record. Why so few?
Rhamondre Stevenson ran 12 times for 89 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown, which was the Patriots’ only touchdown in the game. He averaged 7.4 yards per rushing attempt, so much for being in the doghouse for very long. Stevenson, most importantly, didn’t fumble. He took a nasty shot to his lower leg/shin area but came right back.
Antonio Gibson rushed six times for 52 yards, for an 8.7-yard average. They should have stuck with the running game more.
Brissett Hangs Tough But Is Inconsistent: Jacoby Brissett made some nice plays when things broke down, which they do too often. When he could extend things outside of containment, he made some nice plays, completing three passes for 51 yards.
But whether the play design is poor or he is just checking down, afraid to make a mistake, these passes to Stevenson in the backfield are not working. Miami, like their other opponents, are not afraid of the Patriots throwing deep over their heads and won’t take the cheese. Several times, there were several Dolphin defenders out there, with Stevenson alone.
It is baffling to see them passing so much when they played with the lead for most of the game, especially when it was working. Rewatching the All-22 film may provide some answers. But rewatching this game, which was painful the first time, will prove that sometimes, I am a glutton for punishment. I still think he’s not seeing the field well enough, but that’s a coach’s call.
Christian Gonzalez Continues Stellar Start: This was Gonzalez’s ninth game as a pro—just over half a season—but he’s playing like an established pro. Week after week, he takes on the best that opponents have. This week, he had Tyreek Hill, and he held his own.
Hill was targeted nine times and made six catches for 69 yards, not all of which were against Gonzalez. Gonzalez had a terrific diving interception in the first half and nearly had a second. Tyler Huntley threw for Hill in the endzone, and Gonzalez jumped the route and got his hands on the ball. But Hill made a great defensive play by poking the ball out of his hands.
Lost in the past four weeks of losing is that the Patriots have a gem here.
Marte Mapu Jumps Into Leadership Role: Mapu missed nearly all of training camp, the preseason, and the first four games. He was activated for today’s game and jumped in, and played 98.7 percent of the snaps on defense. That alone is impressive, considering this was his first action.
More impressive was the fact that DeMarcus Covington trusted him with the “Green Dot” communication device, which he calls the defenses. Belichick said that he had a high football I.Q., and we’ve heard the same things from Mayo and Covington. He made some terrific plays and others where he was caught out of position. But this was an excellent start for him.
Run Defense Got Tired and Gashed: One problem with a bad offense is that the defense goes on the field too often. That time of possession affects the defense, especially in the running game. And Miami did what struggling offenses do. They relied on their running game to open things up for the passing game.
Miami ran the ball 41 times for 193 yards and the game-winning score. They averaged a very good 4.7 yards per carry average. And that wore down the Patriots run defense. They absolutely gashed them on that touchdown drive.
Raheim Mostert had 19 carries for 80 yards. He had as many carries as the entire Patriots’ team. Jaylen Wright had 13 carries for 86 yards. Miami’s outside running game was impressive.
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It was good to see Kendrick Bourne back on the field and in action. As he gets his legs back under him, he should see a steady stream of increased reps.
Check out our team report card tomorrow.
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A former US Army Special Forces NCO and Officer, Steve has been following the Patriots since their days at Fenway Park. Steve has worked in the film industry and wrote as an Military Editor at SpecialOperations.com, 1945.com as a reporter for the Millbury Daily Voice, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, and the Grafton News. He's also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)
