Patriots, Dolphins Take Over Sunday Night Football

Two AFC East teams are set to square off Sunday night. The Patriots are coming off a close loss in their season opener to the Eagles. At the same time, the Dolphins are coming off a shootout win on the road versus the Chargers. 

Offenses:

Miami's dynamic offense, led by Tua Tagovailoa, flexed its muscles and put up 36 points in a narrow 2-point victory. Tagovailoa‘s connection with superstar WR Tyreek Hill was at an all-time high on Sunday. The dynamic duo connected for 11 receptions, 215 yards, and two touchdowns. Hill was an unstoppable force of nature, responsible for almost half of Tua's impressive 466 passing yards. Dolphins offensive linemen also had a great day on Sunday afternoon, as they didn't let up a sack for the entire game. It is a sight to behold for most Fins fans, as protecting Tua has been an issue since the young QB came into the league. The running game was much less successful than the passing game was, but when your Quarterback and Wide Receiver are playing the way Tua and Tyreek were, you don't care. Considering that not every game will be so easy for these two, the Dolphins run game must be consistent when the passing game falls short. 

New England's offense started the game slowly but found some rhythm in the second quarter. In the second half, however, the offense had issues and only mustered up two fourth-quarter field goals. Mac Jones played well, even with some injuries to his big men up front. Jones posted 316 yards, three touchdowns, and a pick to go with it. Wide Receiver Kendrick Bourne had a great week after being put in the dog house for most of 2022. Bourne hauled in 6 catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns. While not bad, the run game for the Pats could have played better, only managing 73 yards on the ground. While game number one was a mixed bag, for the most part the Bill O’Brien influence is evident. Various screen plays and quick passes were very reminiscent of what O’Brien would call in his early New England days. Screen plays and short passing can only get you so far, though. When Mac did throw the ball deep, he was reasonably effective in week 1. If this week’s game turns into a shoot-out like Miami's season opener was, this Pats offense will have to open it up and throw the ball deep.

Defenses: 

Under Bill Belichick, the Patriots defenses have been formidable. The unit was in the top ten in the NFL in almost every category a year ago. For the most part, that unit showed up to play last week against the Eagles. Despite losing the game, they held one of last year's top three offenses to just 251 yards of total offense and held Philadelphia to a 4 of 13 third down conversion rate. Belichick's unit also got three sacks and recovered what was a game-changing fumble at the time. Led by longtime veteran Line Backer Matthew Judon, this New England front seven must make things difficult for Tua this week. Getting pressure and making him flustered has led to turnovers in the past. If anyone, Bill Belichick is more than aware of this. It will be interesting to see how the Patriots plan to attack the Dolphins offense. One thing is for sure: if they plan on blitzing and relying on the infamous Patriots cover 0, expect Tyreek Hill and second-year speedster Jaylen Waddle to have a field day.

On the other hand, Miami's defense has a long way to go if they plan to assert themselves as one of the best. Facing Justin Herbert last week, they allowed nine third-down conversions on fifteen attempts. Numbers like that won't cut it against most of the premier teams in the league. In the offseason, Miami added superstar Cornerback Jalen Ramsey, hoping he would instill his tenacity and elite play-making into this defense. Unfortunately, Ramsey suffered a knee injury requiring surgery, keeping him out till at least December. That being said, it's up to other long-tenured players to assert themselves as a lead force for the unit. Jevon Holland, the third-year safety from Oregon, has been an impact player since he stepped into the league. He must continue playing well after his team-leading ten-tackle game last week. This Dolphins defense must find a way to force pressure on Mac Jones and force turnovers against one of the weaker units in the league. More importantly, however, they must stop the run. Stopping the run as Philadelphia did will lead to success vs. a team that has yet to find its identity in the passing game entirely. 

Prediction: Dolphins 27, Patriots 20

This game will be much closer than some May think after Miami's dominant win last week. While the Patriots will put up a fight, I don't think they have the tools to win the war as it stands right now. The Fin's offense will prove to be just too dynamic with its two big-time playmakers, Hill and Waddle. Containing one is hard enough. The combination of the two gives them something that many teams, including New England, still need an answer for.