The Patriots improved to 5-3 on the season and 3-0 in the division with a 24-19 win over the Dolphins.
New England entered halftime down 13-3 after a sluggish, sloppy start in on-and-off rainy conditions. The offense’s slow start was understandable with several starters out, especially after **Hunter Henry** left early in the second quarter with a foot injury. The defense’s early execution was harder to excuse, allowing scores on 11- and 12-play drives in the second quarter after a strong opening. Special teams were also shaky at times, including explosive kick returns allowed in the first and third quarters.
It wasn’t the prettiest victory, particularly against a team in the midst of a major rebuild. But the Patriots stepped up in the second half, scoring touchdowns on three straight possessions, allowing just one touchdown, and intercepting **Malik Willis** on a pass that bounced off **DaQuan Jones**‘ helmet and into the waiting arms of **Kevin Byard III**.
Here’s who helped and hurt their stock in today’s road win.
Stock Up
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### Drake Maye
**Drake Maye** continues to stack impressive performances and play like the mature passer many hoped he’d become in year two with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Lack of separation and protection lapses plagued the offense early, but Maye did his part to avoid making a bad situation worse by protecting the football and avoiding negative plays when possible, including a 4th & 2 conversion where he made an unblocked rusher miss before connecting with **Efton Chism**.
**Ben Brown** swapping in at left guard for **Walter Rouse** in the third quarter helped stabilize the offense, which contributed to a dominant half for Maye and the passing game. The quarterback threw two touchdowns on downfield attempts, first on a post to Kyle Williams, then on an out-comeback that DeMario Douglas turned into an explosive score. He also punched in a rushing touchdown on a speed option where he used a fake pitch to create a rushing lane.
### Rhamondre Stevenson
As is often the case with **Rhamondre Stevenson**, he did more to impact the game than the box score alone would suggest. Stevenson averaged a solid 4.3 yards on a season-high 19 carries, but he maximized run lanes that were available and fought for every yard, and he scooped a low throw to convert on a third down.
Stevenson keeping the offense on schedule was crucial on a shaky day for the offense, and he was his usual reliable self in blitz pickup, but his most important contributions came on the offense’s final drive. After securing a Dolphins onside kick attempt, Stevenson touched the ball on three straight plays to ice the ball game, showing plus awareness on a second down carry to stay in bounds and force Miami to burn its final time out.
### Cory Durden
The Patriots defensive line had a standout performance, but no one shined as much as **Cory Durden**, who lived in the Dolphins’ backfield en route to a career day.
All four of Durden’s tackles went for a loss, notching two sacks and two run stuffs. Durden showed strong effort on both of his sacks to chase down Willis outside the pocket, timed the snap perfectly on his first stuff to blow up a run before it could get going, and discarded All-Pro center **Aaron Brewer** on his second. Durden also beat **Jonah Savaiinaea** for a quarterback hit.
Stock Down
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### Secondary
The Patriots’ defensive backs mostly tightened up as the game went on, but the group didn’t look very competitive at times in the first half.
**Christian Gonzalez** gave up two chunk plays to deep outs, including one during two-minute that set up a touchdown with Byard covering **Malik Washington** on a short out. **Carlton Davis III** had a solid game before leaving late, but he did give up two third down conversions in the second quarter, including one to a wide-open target. **Charles Woods** came in for Davis with 2:10 left in the game, and he was immediately burned on an out-and-up for a touchdown that gave Miami a chance to come back.
### Walter Rouse
Rouse played well in his first game starting for the Patriots last week, but he took a step back against the Dolphins. The left guard was benched after giving up quick pressure to twists on two third downs, including a first quarter sack to former Patriot **Joshua Uche** where he overcommitted to **Zach Sieler** and couldn’t recover in time.
### Andy Borregales
**Andy Borragles** made a potential touchdown-saving tackle on kickoff and made all three of his extra points, but he also hooked a 40-yard field goal wide right. It marked his third miss of the season, all of which have come on attempts of 40 yards or fewer.