FOXBORO, Mass. — The Patriots blew their likelihood for a late-in-the-game comeback victory over the Miami Dolphins Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium. However as a result of these are the 2024 Patriots, and since these are the 2024 Dolphins, the Pats have been gifted a second likelihood for a late comeback victory. And so they blew that one, too.
Ultimate rating: Dolphins 15, Patriots 10.
We’ll get to the main points of these two drives in a second. However first, let’s go to Patriots coach Jerod Mayo’s postgame information convention.
“To not sound like a damaged file …,” Mayo stated, and we’ll pause right here for a second to make a few observations about information conferences, whether or not in sports activities, politics or leisure. Akin to when someone says, “I like so-and-so personally …” (Reality: Which means they really hate so-and-so.) Or after they say, “To not make any excuses …” (Reality: The probabilities are one hundred pc that excuses will shortly comply with.) And this: “To not sound like a damaged file …” (Reality: You might be about to listen to a damaged file.)
GO DEEPER
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And so when Mayo stated “To not sound like a damaged file” following Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins, he adopted with: “It’s about execution, particularly in crucial conditions.”
However it’s not a lot the shortage of execution (particularly in crucial conditions!) that explains why the Patriots are 1-4. That’s only a perfumed-up means of claiming your staff is awful. What’s actually ailing the Patriots — and sorry to be a damaged file right here — is that they proceed to be a careless, undisciplined mess, which isn’t essentially the identical as being garden-variety awful. And let’s be actual: It’s the coach’s job to see to it that his gamers don’t do clumsy, undisciplined issues.
We are able to speak about why it needs to be rookie Drake Maye, and never veteran Jacoby Brissett, doing the quarterbacking. We are able to speak in regards to the lack of receiving star energy. We are able to speak about a tattered, assembled-from-spare-parts offensive line. However this time it was greater than all that. A lot extra.
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Jacoby Brissett, Patriots offense stay traditionally unhealthy in robust loss to Dolphins
Let’s begin with that second-to-last drive. The Patriots managed to maneuver the ball from the New England 30 to the Miami 12, after which again to the 17 after a false begin name in opposition to Hunter Henry. That’s when Brissett made an incomplete try to Henry on fourth-and-15, ending the drive with 59 seconds remaining. That’s the Cliff’s Notes model of what occurred. Look a little bit nearer and also you’ll see a second New England penalty, and a complete of 12 on the day. Look even nearer and also you’ll see a New England landing till it was not a New England landing, this after a assessment decided that Ja’Lynn Polk didn’t have each toes inbounds when he caught a 12-yard cross from Brissett.
That is deep-in-the-weeds movie stuff, however Polk’s catch, whereas fairly to observe, ran opposite to NFL guidelines in that the receiver did have a heel out of bounds. And in accordance with the NFL rule e-book, “If any a part of the foot hits out of bounds in the course of the regular steady movement of taking a step (heel-toe or toe-heel), then the foot is out of bounds.”
It regarded just like the Patriots had a go-ahead TD late within the 4th, however the play was reviewed, and the decision was reversed. Ideas? pic.twitter.com/6O7Om8NnRE
— FOX Sports activities: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 6, 2024
Polk, talking with reporters after the sport, was requested if he believes he had each toes in bounds.
“Yeah,” he stated. “It’s clear to see, it’s clear to see I acquired two toes in. However we ain’t in that state of affairs if I’m doing my job all through the entire recreation.”
Polk is a 22-year-old rookie. He’ll study. And it’s commendable he took some basic accountability. However at this second — or as of the shut of enterprise on Sunday — he hasn’t been coached up on what’s and what’s not a landing.
For what it’s value, Mayo stated, “It was shut. However it was the proper name for my part, however I’ll have to return and watch the movie. I noticed the replay reside. Only a robust name.”
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As for New England’s second likelihood for a late-in-the-game comeback victory, the Dolphins did the Pats a stable by conveniently going three-and-out on their final possession. Jake Bailey punted the ball 46 yards and Marcus Jones returned it 15 yards to the New England 43.
Brissett related with Kendrick Bourne for 21 yards to present the Patriots a primary down on the Miami 36.
Brissett spiked the ball to cease the clock with 12 seconds remaining.
KAYSHON ➡️
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/G7p1OMxmld
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 6, 2024
That is the place and when the Patriots would both go for the tip zone or a fast, step-out-of-bounds completion.
As an alternative, Brissett thew over the center to Henry for 25 yards close to the Miami 11 earlier than … 3 … 2 … 1 … Please drive safely in your means house and don’t overlook to lock your seat belts.
These are simply the final two drives of the sport. We don’t have house to delve into the 12-men-on-the-field name on fourth-and-1 that worn out a Miami punt and gave the Dolphins a primary down. On it went like that for the Patriots, leaving Mayo to say after the sport, “I anticipated to take my lumps similar to numerous different first-year head coaches. Look, I’m fantastic with that. As soon as once more, it’s in regards to the guys in that locker room, and we’ve to be higher. We, together with me.”
Now, please, we’re not speaking about unexpectedly organized information conferences to announce a training change. Nor are we suggesting there’s “mutiny” within the locker room, as was prompt by an in-house soccer author final week on the staff’s in-house podcast. Once more: The Patriots simply aren’t superb. However on this present day, on this recreation in opposition to the Dolphins, they weren’t ready, both.
And that’s on the coach.
(Picture of Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, proper, assembly with Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel after Sunday’s recreation: Adam Starvation / Getty Pictures)
