After the defense got a fourth-down red-zone stop, the offense strung together a long scoring drive to extend their lead to 14-0. The biggest play of the drive came on a flea flicker to Efton Chism III, good for 35 yards. Stevenson picked up the touchdown as the Patriots went into a Wildcat formation with Stevenson taking the direct snap. It was an appropriate play call given the Dolphins were the ones who sprung the Wildcat on the Patriots back in 2008. This time the Patriots used it to give them a two-score lead with just under a minute to go in the first quarter.
Down 14-0, the Dolphins needed a response drive and rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers would lead them on it. Miami mixed a nice blend of runs and passes on their most sustained drive of the day. The drive lasted 10 plays and went 65 yards, and Miami faced just one 3rd-and-1 which they easily converted. Their touchdown play was well designed, as receiver Malik Washington slipped uncovered into the corner of the end zone where Ewers hit him off of play action.
Just when it looked like New England might run away with the game uncontested, the Dolphins offense showed they wouldn’t go quietly. New England led 14-7 with 10 minutes to go in the first half.
Miami would quickly get the ball back after Maye and the Patriots offense went three-and-out on their third possession, but a 56-yard punt by Bryce Baringer helped pin the Dolphins back at their own 11-yard line, with a solid stop by Brenden Schooler.
The Patriots defense would force a three-and-out of their own thanks to Corey Durden’s impressive run stop on 3rd-and-1. That gave the ball back to Maye and the offense, but they failed to pick up a first down. The Patriots stayed aggressive and went for it on 4th-and-1, but TreVeyon Henderson was stopped short and Miami took over at New England’s 39-yard line.
4. Patriots Defense Forces a Turnover
It looked like Miami was about to make things even more interesting after their fourth down stop when they took over in New England territory, but first came a holding penalty that backed them up, then Jaylen Wright fumbled and the Patriots took back over, now at Miami’s 37. Jack Gibbens forced the fumble and Elijah Ponder recovered it for the first turnover of the game.
The offense couldn’t get much going off the takeaway, with a Morgan Moses holding penalty and a Hunter Henry offensive pass interference penalty setting the back. It appeared they would settle for an Andy Borregales field goal, but the attempt was blocked.
Miami chased down the loose ball and recovered it at the Patriots 40-yard line with 1:31 left in the half and a chance to tie the game up with a touchdown. But they’d be forced to settle for a field goal, thanks to a big sack by Christian Barmore that helped the Patriots defense get the stop.
With their lead reduced to four points, Maye and the offense weren’t quite ready to go to halftime, even with less than 30 second remaining and no timeouts. First, Maye hit Kayshon Boutte along the sideline, then scrambled for 14 more yards. It was just enough for a field goal attempt and this time Borregales and the special teams delivered with a 59-yarder that made it 17-10 Patriots at the half. It was the longest field goal of Borregales’ career and the third longest field goal in Patriots history behind Joey Slye (63 yards, 2024) and Stephen Gostkowski (62 yards, 2017).
5. Pats Stop Miami and Pull Away
Miami jumped on the Patriots right out of the gate in the third quarter, picking up a 27-yard pass interference penalty on Carlton Davis on the very first play of the second half to immediately take them into Patriots territory. The Dolphins also converted a 3rd-and-17 thanks to a 20-yard tight end screen to Greg Dulcich that kept the drive moving.
But once again, the Patriots defense stepped up and got a takeaway when Ewers launched a pass into the end zone that was caught by Jaylinn Hawkins. That stopped Miami’s momentum out of the locker room and gave the ball back to Maye and the offense. For Hawkins, it was his team-leading fourth interception.
