Those are the ones that rip your heart out.
A week after their go-ahead drive ended on a failed fourth-down conversion against the Philadelphia Eagles, the New England Patriots decided to rinse and repeat. Down 24-17 with a minute to go against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night, the Patriots again embarked on a drive to extend the game.
Buy Patriots TicketsAnd once again, a fantastic fourth down play that was initially called a first down conversion on the field was overturned by video review, giving their opponent the ball and the ability to run the clock out to end the game.
Here are 5 big takeaways from the matchup.
1
The offensive line needs serious work
One of my big takeaways from last week was that while the Patriots’ offensive line didn’t have the best game, their new offensive scheme was able to mitigate any significant mistakes made by the young linemen.
After Sunday night’s game, I’ll admit that I was wrong to say that.
The offensive line was absolutely horrendous against the Dolphins. While, on paper, New England was arguably in better shape than last week – starting guards Cole Strange and Mike Onwenu returned from injury, and tackle Trent Brown was inactive with a concussion – the on-field results were downright dismal.
Strange and Onwenu played like linemen who had sorely missed practice reps, and the offensive line as a whole seemed to be missing blocking assignments left and right all game long.
The first major blunder came on a 3rd-and-1 toss to running back Rhamondre Stevenson near the beginning of the second half. New England was down 17-3, and the drive started near midfield, making it a big one for the Patriots to get back in the game. But on 3rd-and-1, Jevon Holland ran unblocked through New England’s line and stopped Stevenson for a four-yard loss, forcing the Patriots to punt the ball away.
Later in the game, New England quarterback Mac Jones was sacked for 10 yards on second down when right tackle Calvin Anderson seemingly just missed a block on Dolphins pass-rusher Austin Van Ginkel. That drive had begun with an interception by rookie first-round pick Christian Gonzalez, but the sack forced the Patriots into a long third down, and eventually a punt just a few plays later.
But the most egregious miss of all may have come on New England’s last offensive play of the evening. On a 4th-and-4 with a minute remaining, Strange didn’t block Miami pass-rusher Bradley Chubb, forcing Jones to get rid of the ball early to a receiver short of the first down marker.
Biggest play of the game and watch the freaking disaster in the middle of the line pic.twitter.com/wArFnLzdkw
— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) September 18, 2023
There is a chance that fixing the current standard of play may take more mental work than physical work and that this is just a one-week deviation from the norm. But if this standard of play continues throughout the season, New England’s offense won’t have a chance of getting anything done.
2
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me
In a similar fashion to last week’s game, the Patriots again made their lives more difficult on Sunday by committing self-inflicted mistakes that swung momentum in their opponent’s favor.
The first was by rookie receiver Demario “Pop” Douglas. After catching a pass on a slant route in Miami territory at the very end of the first quarter, Douglas cut back to try and gain more yardage. In doing so, he allowed Chubb to gain ground on him, and the defender was able to knock the ball out from behind.
#PATRIOTS FUMBLE and #DOLPHINS RECOVER pic.twitter.com/HFyyqwp2Ly
— Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhiferNFL) September 18, 2023
Later in the game, as New England was (again) driving downfield in Miami territory, Jones threw a jump ball down the right sideline for wide receiver DeVante Parker. Unfortunately, Parker was beaten to the jump by Dolphins corner Xavien Howard, who was able to snag Jones’ pass for an interception.
🎥 Xavien Howard with his first interception of the season, on a familiar face 👀 (@NFL) #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/AduUYk6wXE
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) September 18, 2023
Both of these turnovers occurred in Miami territory, and both came on drives where New England was building offensive momentum that they didn’t have previously.
Last week, one could have written off these mistakes as growing pains for a new offense under a new coordinator. But the Patriots have now lost the turnover battle in two consecutive matchups, and it has cost them dearly in regard to the final score. They have to be rectified soon if New England wants to control a game from ahead, rather than trying to come back from behind.
3
Secondary shortcomings and successes
Going into Sunday night’s game, the Patriots knew they would be thinner than usual at the cornerback position.
Longtime slot corner Jonathan Jones was inactive for the matchup – a semi-common occurrence within the last few years – and against Miami’s speedy pass-catching duo of receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Jones’ presence would be sorely missed.
And New England’s secondary depth would be tested even more throughout the matchup.
On the first drive of the second quarter, Jones’ replacement, second-year cornerback Marcus Jones (no relation), went down with a shoulder injury while trying to tackle Waddle and did not return to the game. That left fourth-year cornerback Myles Bryant in the slot corner position for the remainder of the game.
For many Patriots fans, Bryant has been an agonizing player to watch over the last few years. Some weeks he seems like the best slot corner in the league; other weeks he seems fit for the practice squad at best. This inconsistency was showcased throughout Sunday’s game.
On the very first play after Jones’ injury, Bryant was penalized for a neutral zone infraction. Then, on Miami’s next drive, he had a critical pass breakup against Waddle on 3rd-and-7 that led to a Dolphins 3-and-out.
Then, a few drives later, he failed to wrap up on a tackle behind the line of scrimmage leading to a substantial Miami gain. And then, on the very next play, Bryant came hurtling downfield to stop the Dolphin ballcarrier for a loss.
Indeed, the star of New England’s secondary on Sunday night was once again rookie Christian Gonzalez. The first-round pick began the game replicating his play from last week (a common theme throughout this matchup), playing soft, off-ball coverage while taking away the deep threat. But similarly to his play against the Eagles, the young corner tightened up his coverage throughout the matchup.
This was particularly evident midway through the 4th quarter when he was guarding Hill on a Miami deep ball.
Christian Gonzalez may be Bill Belichick’s best draft pick ever.
Still can’t believe he fell to the Patriots. pic.twitter.com/QTaAesot07
— Jordan Moore (@iJordanMoore) September 18, 2023
New England’s secondary has been tasked with taking on two top offenses to begin this season, and so far they have done well to contain them. Getting the Joneses back on the field will be the next step in truly locking down the opposition.
4
Special teams, an area of pride once more
When special teams coordinator Joe Judge moved to help the offensive unit last season, New England’s third phase struggled mightily without his oversight.
Under coordinator Cam Achord, the Patriots touted an uncharacteristically sloppy special teams unit, one that let up not one, but two kick return touchdowns to Nyheim Hines and the Buffalo Bills in the same game last season.
But with Bill O’Brien coming in to take over the offensive unit in the offseason, Judge was able to once again work with the special teams unit. And on Sunday night, that work resulted in a play unlike one any had ever seen before.
With 3:35 left in the 2nd quarter, Miami lined up to kick a field goal and further increase their 17-3 lead. But something was unusual about New England’s defensive formation. Rusher Brendan Schooler wasn’t lined up in front of the Dolphins’ field goal unit. Rather, he began the play standing near the sidelines before running in motion along the line of scrimmage right before the ball was snapped.
Then, he timed the play up.
Brenden Schooler out of NOWHERE!!!
WHAT A PLAY.
— Pats Buzz (@PatsBuzz) September 18, 2023
While the blocked kick didn’t set the stage for a New England offensive rally, it provided a clear reminder to fans and media alike how dangerous and surprising this team can be with the right coaching and fundamentals. NBC announcer Chris Collinsworth remarked that he had never seen any play like it on the TV broadcast.
The beauty of the play is Schooler’s ability to gain momentum and reach top speed before crossing the line of scrimmage – something that is much more difficult to do when lining up in the more traditional edge rusher position.
For a moment, the play brought back memories from years past, memories of the Patriots finding new tactics to give themselves an advantage against their opponent. One particular instance was the 2014 AFC Divisional Round matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in which they lined up ineligible receivers off the line of scrimmage to confuse defenders. This tactic worked so well that Ravens coach John Harbaugh later petitioned the NFL to make it illegal.
But in 2023, this kind of play serves less as the standard and more as a reminder of what now feels like a distant past. And until New England can clean up their fundamentals in the other phases of the game, the distant past will stay that way.
5
"Clear and obvious" needs to be more clear and obvious
New England’s final play of the game came on a 4th and 4 pass with a minute remaining in the 4th quarter. Mac Jones threw from his back foot to tight end Mike Gesicki, who, after being wrapped up short of the first down, lateraled the ball backward to offensive guard Cole Strange who, in turn, rumbled forward in an attempt to gain the first down and extend the drive.
And upon first glance, Strange did indeed gain enough yardage to give the Patriots a fresh set of downs deep in Miami territory. But he was tackled right at the line to gain, and so the referees took another look.
COLE STRANGE IS AN ATHLETE pic.twitter.com/QD8CkLXKBB
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 18, 2023
Upon further review, the referees determined that Strange was down before the ball crossed the first-down marker, thus ending New England’s drive and, effectively, the game. But there was no camera angle, at least not one shown on the live NBC broadcast, that clearly and obviously determined Strange to be short of the line to gain.
Even non-Patriots fans were disappointed at this outcome.
I can’t believe the NFL called this back. No Fun League. #MIAvsNE pic.twitter.com/tr2vP1uH2U
— Austin (@AustinPlanet) September 18, 2023
The “clear and obvious” standard for replay review overturning calls on the field has long been a debated topic among NFL fans and officials. This play is one of a long, long list that shows why referees need to follow that standard more rigidly than they do right now.
It was just a shame that New England’s last play had to fall victim to it.
