The [New England Patriots](https://nesn.com/new-england-patriots) came away with a Week 8 win against the Miami Dolphins, but it didn't feel like they played great football.
The Dolphins, a team that isn’t as bad as its record indicates at 1-6, actually played pretty decent football in this game.
When we also factor in the weather situation in Miami, there were many potential problems at play.
While the Patriots came away with a win, and there were some reasons why they might not have played great, it did lead to some questions about the wide receiver position once again. A.J. Brown was out, and Drake Maye completed just 16 of 20 passes.
Again, the weather was certainly a factor, but to see Maye only attempt 20 passes is a somewhat telling sign of how much trust there is in this receiving corps at the moment. In order to change that, the Patriots would have to make a trade before the deadline.
One interesting fit would be Josh Downs. Downs, with the Indianapolis Colts, is expected to be available. Interestingly enough, he was also teammates with Drake Maye in college, which has led some to believe that there could be a possible connection there.
“The Patriots have a Drake Maye connection and a thin receiver room. Downs and Maye overlapped at North Carolina in 2022, when Downs caught 94 passes for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns, and Sports Illustrated’s Mike Kadlick listed New England among the best fits for Downs.
“The need is real. Romeo Doubs is on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, Mack Hollins is out with a calf injury and A.J. Brown has nine catches for 101 yards since coming back from his ankle sprain, which is why we argued his injury should alter the Patriots’ expectations. At 4-3, New England is still deciding whether to buy, which is the only thing keeping it out of the top spot,” Neal Coolon of Athlon [wrote](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ranking-most-likely-trade-destinations-120000693.html).
Downs has had a decent season, but I wouldn't say it's been as promising as some of his prior years.
He has 30 catches for 330 yards, good for 11 yards per catch. However, he scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 8 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, despite only catching four passes for 23 yards.
In his defense, the Colts' offense is one of the worst in football, so it wouldn't be crazy to see him return to what he was in 2023 and 2024 when he was a consistent 750-plus-yard receiver.
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