FOXBORO — Sometime late within the second quarter Sunday, or perhaps it was early within the third, Gillette Stadium settled right into a state of soccer stasis.
Two offenses had been enjoying to remain on-schedule as a substitute of putting deep. Two defenses had been enjoying to guard holes at cornerback as a substitute of pressuring. The rating was low and shut, and the gang quiet.
Then, the strongest winter power in New England — not a snowstorm, nor a nor’easter — blew via the stadium and shattered it.
Trailing 14-10, the Patriots protection whipped up season-changing interceptions across the begin of the fourth quarter. First, Kyle Dugger picked off Dolphins quarterback Teddy Bridgewater on third-and-long and weaved 39 yards to the top zone, shaking the stadium as he fell throughout the purpose line with 2:51 left within the third. Next, Jonathan Jones intercepted Bridgewater’s alternative, Skylar Thompson, alongside the proper sideline to kill one other Miami possession.
Moments later, with the wind at their again, Mac Jones and Co. marched on a game-clinching drive with 4:37 to play, amidst rising hope of enjoying deeper into the New Year.
The Patriots held off the Dolphins 23-21 and saved their playoff desires alive in a must-win recreation. The Pats (8-8) will clinch a Wild Card berth in the event that they beat Buffalo in subsequent weekend’s regular-season finale.
“We’re still alive,” mentioned Patriots captain David Andrews. “It was a tough game, (we) really fought hard. Hats off to them, they had a pretty good game plan coming in, did some things to challenge us. Defense, obviously Kyle (Dugger), I mean, huge play by Kyle. Then we were able to put that together at the end to go ahead. Overall, good team win.”
Sunday snapped a two-game shedding skid and a streak of 4 straight losses to Miami.
Patriots quarterback Mac Jones went 20-of-33 for 203 yards, with two touchdowns and nil picks, unbothered by the Dolphins’ blitz stress however slowed by his offense’s still-frequent breakdowns. Pats receiver Jakobi Meyers caught a 1-yard landing go with 4:37 remaining, which Miami lower it to the ultimate rating with simply over a minute left, however couldn’t observe with a profitable onside kick.
Defensively, a wounded Patriots secondary held Dolphins extensive receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the NFL’s most harmful duo, to 107 receiving yards. Along with veteran corners Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant, the Pats deployed practice-squad gamers Tae Hayes and Quandre Mosely, and teamed them with the league’s deepest security group inside a zone-heavy recreation plan. Against that plan, Bridgewater and Thompson went a mixed 24-of-40 for 265 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
“I know we’re going to fight. I know we’re going to continue to fight whatever the situation is, whatever the adversity is. I know we’re going to keep it pushing once it hits,” Dugger mentioned. “It was no surprise to me. It says a lot, I guess, about the resiliency here.”
The Patriots offense kicked off the New Year with a landing drive, protecting 67 yards and 10 performs with the assistance of a few defensive penalties. Mac Jones repeatedly beat Miami’s blitz, first with a 24-yard sideline throw to Tyquan Thornton that survived a assessment. Seven performs later, Jones discovered Thornton for a 7-yard landing go in opposition to one other blitz halfway via the primary quarter.
Thornton completed with a team-high 60 receiving yards.
After punting to begin play, the Dolphins appeared able to increase the ball away once more on their subsequent drive when Pats rookie particular teamer Brenden Schooler collided with punter Thomas Morstead on fourth-and-6. Miami seized its second likelihood, following operating again Raheem Mostert to a fourth-and-1 conversion and a mix of brief runs and passes all the way in which to the doorstep of the top zone. Hill quickly took care of the remainder, taking a backwards go within the left flat for a 2-yard speeding landing.
Thanks to an ensuing commerce of punts and missed Dolphins discipline purpose, the 7-7 held via halftime.
Miami scored the one offensive landing of the third quarter, a 2-yard, scramble-drill go dumped off to Mostert. Patriots kicker Nick Folk hit a 49-yarder on the subsequent possession, and a minute later, Dugger ran away with the lead.
Offensively, the Patriots completed with 249 whole yards. Meyers led the Patriots with six catches, whereas tight finish Hunter Henry caught 5 passes for 52 yards. Henry additionally recovered Miami’s onside kick, which adopted a 4-yard landing go to Dolphins tight finish Mike Gesicki at 1:11 remaining.
“I thought our guys just kept fighting,” Mac Jones mentioned. “We made some big plays in some big moments. That’s what the NFL is all about. Obviously, (the) defense did a great job of putting us in a good spot.”
Here had been the very best and worst Patriot performances from Sunday:
Best
S Kyle Dugger: His pick-six fully modified the course of Sunday’s recreation and clinched a fourth straight week with a Patriots defensive landing.
CB Jonathan Jones: One interception, two go breakups and 4 tackles. Jones was super.
WR Jakobi Meyers: After drawing double-teams early on, Meyers unlocked the offense late with a 25-yard catch that carried the Patriots into Miami territory and his 1-yard landing.
Worst
Pass safety: The Dolphins racked up three sacks and two different QB hits.
Source: www.bostonherald.com