If the game against the Jaguars was a burger (get it, fifty burger) then the game against the Dolphins was those few limp, soggy, skinny fries at the bottom of the brown paper bag. Ew.
The Patriots are renowned for heading to Miami and not doing great, and well, Sunday was no different.
This season has been an inconsistent one for many teams as well as the Patriots. I mentioned earlier in the week that I was concerned the Dolphins were generally out for vengeance following the spanking they took by Mike Vrabel’s Titans. And i’m not too sure if what we watched was vengeance, but it felt to me simply that the Patriots lost the game rather than the Dolphins won it, but that’s all semantics for this 24 to 33 result.
Now, the Patriots didn’t need to win, and the Dolphins future is the same if they did or didn’t, but still, as a Patriots fan you can’t watch that match up and not worry about the length of time the Patriots will be in the playoffs.
The Patriots run defense did not do its job, the defense itself did not look like the line we have been used to watching lately. There are many questions and few answers, but the loss of Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Dugger, as well as Myles Bryant did not help matters.
To compound the issue, the bright spark of Matt Judon we had at the beginning of the year seems to have really dimmed lately.
And not to kick ya whilst you’re down, but the awesomeness that is Christian Barmore suffered an injury and is uncertain for any further games in the near future.
I love me a good take away, food and football, but Devin McCourty needed to make that interception catch and in hindsight it could have really turned the game around, there’s no guarantee of course but still…
But you know what folks? It isn’t all doom and gloom. Brandon Bolden, Damien Harris, Jakob Johnson and Hunter Henry came to play. These guys have shown up and owned up this season and have been the light in some of our darker days, and I know I’m a tight end enthusiast but you know I’m only speaking the truth about that Los Angeles pick-up.
The second quarter gave us some fab blocking by Kendrick Bourne for the Bolden touchdown. Unfortunately, the next offensive play the Patriots undertook had a great block by Hunter with Mac airing it out to… Bourne and Meyers having a chat. Okay so I am exaggerating, and we have no idea who was at fault but that play, not great Bob.
Kendrick Bourne still flashed his infamous smile, and proved he was definitely worthy of his free agency signing as he gave Dolphins linebacker Phillips a piggy back down the field!
And so Patriots fans, that is the regular season fizzling out there, but, BUT, the Patriots are in the playoffs with their rookie quarterback, in a year that covid is still on the horizon.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not certain about how sure I was that they would get this far in the first real rebuilding season, so it all feels quite positive when you look at the bigger picture.
Either way, we are on to Buffalo! Go Pats!