A toe was the deciding factor in the New England Patriots’ heartbreaking loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
It was a sloppy offensive game that came down to field position and defensive stops.
Unfortunately for the Patriots, the Dolphins got the most important defensive stop late in the fourth quarter when a touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk was called incomplete, negating a potential game-winning drive for New England.
Polk came down with the ball in his possession with one foot and a toe inbounds. Boos echoed throughout Gillette Stadium as the Patriots failed to turn the drive into points.
Ja'Lynn Polk catches the TD for the #Patriots, but it is called an incomplete. pic.twitter.com/SfZ8NgOps4
— New England Sports Fellow (@NESportsFellow) October 6, 2024
The defense gave the offense one last chance after forcing Miami’s offense three-and-out. Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett led the unit down to the red zone before the team ran out of time, bringing their overall record to 1-4 on the season.
There were plenty of opportunities for the Patriots to win the game, but penalties and bad play-calling ultimately cost the team when it mattered most.
Coming into the game, the Dolphins were considered one of the worst teams in football without Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback. If that truly is the case, what does that make the Patriots?
Losing to potential playoff-contending teams, like the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and maybe even the New York Jets can be explained away. However, it’s hard to explain losing to the Dolphins at home with Tyler Huntley as the starting quarterback.
The Patriots’ organization, not just the team, needs to take a long look in the mirror after this loss.
