Dolphins’ Loss to Patriots Tale of Two Halves

Dolphins’ Loss to Patriots Tale of Two Halves

The Miami Dolphins’ loss to the New England Patriots is best described as an eventful tale of two halves. At halftime, the Dolphins seemed primed for a major upset and what would have been their second consecutive win, as they held a commanding 13-3 lead. However, at the end of it all, Miami ultimately suffered a 24-19 loss as the wheels fell off across the final two frames.

Of course, the game didn’t end in the desired outcome for the Dolphins, but there are positives to glean from how they played to start this one. First, on the offensive side of the ball, their ability to convert in third-down situations really keyed their early success. They converted half of their 14 third downs overall, and quarterback Malik Willis kept the chains moving.

Moreover, the pass rush deserves praise for pressuring New England Patriots superstar Drake Maye. Miami pressured Maye on 57.1 percent of his dropbacks in the first half, sacking him three times. Chop Robinson recorded two of those sacks, and he’s registered at least one in three of his last four games.

Thanks largely to the Dolphins’ pass rush and consistent pressure, Maye, one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, was limited to just 53 passing yards in the first two quarters.

But unfortunately for the Dolphins, they weren’t able to parlay their excellent defensive first half against Maye into the most important two quarters of the game. Last year’s runner-up in the MVP voting looked more like his usual, dominant self with more time in the pocket. He finished the game with 199 yards and completed deep touchdown passes of 43 yards and 48 yards in the second half alone.

After falling apart in the second half, the Dolphins can only lick their wounds and prepare for the next game on their schedule. They’re slated to take on the 5-2 Detroit Lions on Sunday.