The New England Patriots are in the win column after they defeated the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, 33-27.
It marked New England’s first win in Miami since 2019.
Like in Week 1, the Patriots still had issues to iron out. But unlike in Week 1, they were able to overcome them and emerge victorious.
Here’s a roundup of reaction from Sunday’s win.
Karen Guregian, MassLive
“The much-maligned offensive line, meanwhile, did a much better job run blocking, especially up the gut with Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson and TreVeyon Henderson gaining good chunks of yards between the tackles. There are still a few too many false starts, but collectively, this was a good effort by the group, winning the trench war against a good Dolphins front.
That allowed for a far more balanced attack than last week, with Maye making half as many attempts with a 29/23 run-pass split. The offense operated much better with an effective run game."
ESPN
“Antonio Gibson’s 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter came immediately after the Patriots surrendered a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown. It was a stunning turn of events, as the Dolphins had taken a 27-23 lead and Hard Rock Stadium was shaking. Then, Gibson fielded a line-drive kickoff up the right sideline and took off on a leg-churning sprint that left the Dolphins in his wake. The defense held on late to seal the win.”
Chad Graff and Bob Harkins, The Athletic
“The Patriots need Christian Gonzalez back. The team’s All-Pro cornerback hasn’t practiced since July 28 because of a hamstring injury, and his absence was felt Sunday.
“Backup cornerback Alex Austin has been filling in for Gonzalez, and while he’s a fine backup, he was exposed in this one against the Dolphins’ wide receiver duo of (Tyreek) Hill and (Jaylen) Waddle. He was in coverage for a touchdown pass to Waddle and allowed a 47-yard completion to Hill.”
Christopher Price, The Boston Globe
“In the wake of the loss to the Raiders, it represented a sizable step forward for the second-year quarterback. Part of that was a greater sense of balance in the game plan. (Josh) McDaniels, who lamented the imbalance in the run-pass splits against the Raiders, worked to get the ground game more involved against the Dolphins, and it paid off. A week after the Patriots ran the ball just three times in the second half against Las Vegas, they rolled up 29 carries and averaged 4.2 yards against Miami.
“(Drake) Maye reaped the benefits. With the game in his hands, he made plays with his arm and legs. In situations where the pocket broke down, he managed the situation, and made the smart, sensible decision.”
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald
“Whether the seeds the Patriots planted Sunday ultimately grow into hope fans can hold will take months, if not years, to learn. Injuries, bad luck or bad play could shut their water off, perhaps as soon as next weekend against Pittsburgh. And it will take a lot more water, and a lot more winning, to develop the championship program (Mike) Vrabel wants to build.”
CBS Sports
“Two games into Mike Vrabel’s tenure as coach, the Patriots still don’t have a sterling defense or anything close to it, with Miami averaging almost 7 yards per play against their secondary. They stepped up late, though. More importantly, Drake Maye took a big leap as the signal-caller after an uneven Week 1. He accounted for three scores, including one on the ground, with Rhamondre Stevenson starring as a receiver.”
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