The Bane of New England
Mac Jones and the Patriots fell to the Dolphins 33-24, continuing New England’s struggles in Miami.
Patriots-Dolphins Game Overview
Tropes emerge to explain the oddities of professional sports. The Miami Dolphins are known to defeat Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots towards the end of the season. In December of 2018, the Dolphins beat the Patriots on a game-winning trick play that would ultimately cost the Patriots home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, known as the “Miami Miracle." In 2021-22, a late-season loss against the Dolphins in Miami might decide the Patriots' hopes of a Super Bowl run. To give Miami credit, they came out at the start of the game with effective run-pass-option plays that Tua Tagovailoa executed to perfection and would hold throughout the end of the game. Patriots’ fans can point to shoddy refereeing as the culprit for the defeat, but the team could have—and should have—played better team defense, along with consistent offense. If the Patriots have any hopes that this is their year, Mac Jones must come out of the gate firing, throw the ball consistently downfield, and the defense has to make stops when it matters.
Mac Attack
Mac Jones had a terrific rookie season. Outside of New England, many point to Jones as a “check-down passer” because he tosses the ball to any of the Patriots Running Backs as his first read. For those following Jones’ development, he rarely throws intermediate to deep passes, but only with a guaranteed outcome of success. Aside from a human mistake or two, Jones has thrown the ball deep only when he needs to. “Checkdown passers” don’t have nearly 4,000 yards and throw 22 touchdowns. All in all, Jones had a rookie season that defied expectations, but he won’t win Offensive Rookie of the Year thanks to Ja’Marr Chase’s outlandish performances. This has been a successful season for the Patriots with a rookie Quarterback under center.
Getting the Most out of the Receivers
Kendrick Bourne has been the best free-agent Wide Receiver signing from the offseason. Bourne is a productive outside threat when on the field. He finished with 55 receptions and 800 yards with five touchdowns in 2021-22. Bourne can be a difference-maker for the Patriots down the playoff stretch. Jakobi Meyers is a reliable option in the slot and can be a safety net for Mac Jones. One of N’Keal Harry, Nelson Agholor, or even practice squad receiver Kristian Wilkerson must step up in the playoffs, or the Patriots' offense will solely be their run game.
Continued Running Back Proficiency
Speaking of their run offense, the Patriots' two-headed attack of Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris is a top-five Running Back committee in the NFL. For those who are familiar with the Patriots Running Back committee, there is not a feature back in the offense but will utilize whomever they believe will perform on a week-to-week basis. Brandon Bolden has played a terrific third-down back role, in addition to his contributions on special teams. He was flagged for unnecessary roughness, unrightfully early in the game, on a fake punt that would lead to a Miami score. The NFL refereeing product must improve during the playoffs, or people will not be happy with the NFL.
Win the Trenches
The Patriots' run defense must improve, especially after Running Back Duke Johnson ran for 117 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown. The fact Patriots' defensive linemen couldn’t stop a weak Miami offensive line at the point of attack is cause for concern. The pass defense will be fine with J.C. Jackson and co-working hard to disrupt opposing pass catchers, but the Patriots will not go far if their run defense continues to be a weakness.
Patriots-Bills Wild Card Overview
On to Buffalo. The Patriots must play to their potential during Wild Card weekend or risk a sad flight back to Foxborough. New England's success will depend on throwing the ball early in the game and limiting Josh Allen’s unique skill set. Any other way and the Bills will control the game. It’s going to be a wild ride in Buffalo, and this is the game of the season. These two teams don’t like each other, but one will be the victor in a dogfight. It’s sure to be a competitive game, which along with a victory, is what Patriots fans want to see at 8:15 PM ET on Saturday.
Reference Page
Images Courtesy of GettyImages
Statistics Courtesy of Pro Football Reference and NFL.com