Flavin Media

By: Declan Flavin | Follow me on Twitter / X @FlavinDeclan

The New England Patriots delivered a slightly less inconsistent performance against the Miami Dolphins while showing up when it mattered most. The offense put together a few long drives throughout the game. The defense was picked apart but sparked when it came to closing time. The special teams had early mishaps but made up for them later in the game. Going forward, the team will have to continue evolving its attack while addressing the defensive issues.

Offense: B-

The offense saw a slight uptick compared to last week’s performance. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels delivered a professional performance, exposing Miami’s defense with moderately deep passes early and screen passes when the defensive front got aggressive. While the passing game was inconsistent all of last week, the team performed well at the start and end in this one, with lapses in the middle. The run game was reliable for most of the contest, with running back Rhamondre Stevenson silencing previous doubts and impacting both areas of the offense. Quarterback Drake Maye earned the primary game ball for this win, restraining from ill-advised passes and capitalizing on opportunities when they presented themselves.

Defense: C+

The defense has to go back to the study room, as they ultimately grade out the same as last week. Interim defensive play caller Zak Kuhr wasn’t out of place with his calls, which is somewhat encouraging. However, the coverage was once again gashed for chunk yardage whenever the opponent needed it, despite a decent start to the game. The trenches once again look like the only positive part of the unit, coming up big with pressure on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and limiting runs. The game ball for this side goes to defensive tackle Milton Williams, who delivered a game-ending sack that prevented a devastating loss to an AFC opponent in decline.

Special Teams: C+

The special teams would have been graded much worse had kicker Andy Borregales not come through late and running back Antonio Gibson not delivered a rare kick return touchdown for the team. Special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer has to be less than pleased with the general mishaps, along with one more penalty compared to last week. The kicking game missing two extra points is abysmal, especially given the team’s long-labeled inconsistency in producing points. The punting game became an issue late as well, with contain and tackling problems leading to wide receiver Malik Washington’s return touchdown. Gibson earned the game ball for this unit, showing up in a massive moment after just a few offensive snaps and following a late Dolphins return touchdown.

Looking ahead, the focus is on a secondary that appears loose when watching the game. So far, against the two teams the Patriots have faced, opponents have been seamless once they know which plays to target. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez being injured doesn’t help, but this was a cornerback group that was expected to be solid regardless of the primary defender. Although there is noise surrounding linebacker Robert Spillane and the rest at his position, the sustainability of the defense will rise and fall with the outside defenders. It’s not an ideal outlook for depth, but Gonzalez’s return could likely lock the rest of the group into their preferred roles and stabilize the unit. This unit and the rest of the team will look to make corrections for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3 at Gillette Stadium.