FOXBORO — The dam appeared to interrupt Sunday with 8:45 remaining.
Out of the dam flowed shock, disappointment, grief, frustration. All because of Raheem Mostert.
Leading 17-10, Mostert burst via the center of Bill Belichick’s protection and left waves of stadium silence in his wake on a 43-yard dash to the tip zone. The first defender to the touch him was a teammate who patted him on the again as he reached the Dolphins’ sideline.
Miami had seemingly damaged a Patriots crew that had achieved the next: a fourth-quarter interception of Tua Tagovailoa, holding Tyreek Hill to 40 innocent yards and a blocked discipline objective.
All the Pats wanted was a median displaying from their offense. Mac Jones and Co. couldn’t ship.
Again.
The Patriots scored two touchdowns, together with one on the drive instantly after Mostert’s dagger. Great.
They additionally coughed up two turnovers: an early fumble by rookie receiver Demario Douglas and a gross interception within the third quarter. They averaged 2.9 yards per keep it up designed runs in opposition to a protection that allowed greater than double that the week earlier than to the Chargers. And regardless of Miami lacking a 55-yard discipline objective within the last minutes, which gifted them one other shot at a fourth-quarter comeback, they failed.
Fourth-and-3. Ball at Miami’s 32-yard line.
The Patriots surrounded Jones with operating again Rhamondre Stevenson, tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki, receivers DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne. Jones rolled left and hit Gesicki, who seconds earlier than being slung down on the waist lateraled backwards to left guard Cole Strange.
It appeared like Strange had powered ahead for a primary down. Review determined in any other case. Ballgame.
Boos rained down at Gillette Stadium, as actual because the raindrops that had soaked their disappointing season opener versus the Eagles. Fans have been proper to boo. Think of all of the Patriots offense had wasted.
A spectacular effort from rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who efficiently shadowed Hill in crucial conditions. A Gonzalez interception within the fourth quarter that flipped the sport. And a superbly orchestrated blocked discipline objective by Brenden Schooler that staved off Miami earlier than Gonzalez purchased them extra time.
How for much longer can this proceed?
The return of beginning offensive linemen Mike Onwenu and Cole Strange wasn’t sufficient. Parker’s season debut, after lacking the opener with a knee damage, wasn’t, both. The teaching employees failed, too.
The Pats ditched their run-focused sport plan after three drives to play virtually completely via two tight finish personnel for the remainder of the sport. They had an 80% run inform on under-center performs the Dolphins seized on with a third-and-1 run stuff halfway via the third quarter. And on the finish of all of it, the Patriots averaged 4.1 yards per play.
The Patriots banked on higher self-discipline, superior teaching and execution in crucial to conditions to hold them in opposition to a extra proficient Dolphins crew. They guess incorrect.
Defensively, the Patriots dared Miami to play secure Sunday night time.
Take the checkdown. Take the brief throw. Take the bait. The Dolphins swallowed it entire, and took them for a experience early on.
Miami offense lined 81 yards en path to kicking a discipline objective on its opening drive, then 78 yards on its subsequent possession. The Dolphins capped that 11-play march with a landing run. Miami efficiently out-flanked the Patriots, who’ve prided themselves as a powerful edge-setting protection.
But finally, that technique paid off. The Dolphins scored simply 24 factors and handed them an opportunity to tie the sport late.
Despite that, the Patriots are 0-2 for the primary time since 2001. What turned that season round was a defining second in NFL historical past, a tectonic shift for the franchise and the league at giant. The biggest quarterback to ever play got here off the bench and took cost for the following 19 years.
Judging by the Patriots’ offensive efficiency via two weeks, they shouldn’t want one thing just like U-turn in 2023.
But they may.
Source: www.bostonherald.com