Maye throws two scores, rushes for a third in Patriots comeback over Dolphins
New England overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Miami 24-19 despite missing key skill position players.
By Yasmin Nasser ·
The New England Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins 24-19 on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium, overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit to secure their fifth win of the season.
Quarterback Drake Maye completed 16 of 20 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a scoring play, marking his fifth consecutive game with at least three total touchdowns.
The Patriots played without star wide receiver A.J. Brown, who is dealing with a knee and ankle issue, wide receiver Mack Hollins, who has a calf injury, and running back TreVeyon Henderson, who was sidelined by illness.
Coach Mike Vrabel praised Maye's performance in the absence of those playmakers. “(If) you want to be a great quarterback in the National Football League, there's not a whole lot of excuses,” Vrabel said. “You go out there and find ways to win for your football team. That’s who he is and that’s what he wants to continue to be.”
Miami led 13-3 at the half after Malik Willis completed an 11-play, 70-yard drive. Wide receiver Malik Washington finished the drive with a 1-yard reception. Washington had briefly left the game after taking a hard hit from Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss, who was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
The Patriots outscored the Dolphins 21-0 in the second half. DeMario Douglas caught a 48-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, extending New England's lead. Rhamondre Stevenson carried the ball 19 times for 82 yards, while Douglas had three receptions for 76 yards.
With 59 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Maye faked a handoff to Stevenson and ran in for a 2-yard touchdown. That score put New England up 17-13. Maye stated, “We knew that once we settle in and get some drives together, we had a chance of getting some points on the board.”
The game featured a controversial ruling near the end of the second half. A 43-yard pass from Maye to Kyle Williams was initially ruled an incompletion. Vrabel challenged the call, and officials reviewed the play to determine that Williams crossed the goal line before losing possession. “I was a lot more certain than the officials were the first time they called it,” Vrabel said after the overturn.
Willis finished the game with 211 passing yards on 21 of 32 attempts. He threw two touchdowns and one interception while being sacked five times. With two minutes remaining, Willis connected with rookie Kevin Coleman Jr. on a 35-yard touchdown pass. Miami missed a 43-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter and failed to convert on a two-point conversion after the touchdown.
Patriots tight end Hunter Henry left the game in the second quarter with a foot injury and did not return. Linebacker Gabe Jacas exited in the third quarter with a knee issue. Dolphins edge rusher Malik Herring left in the second quarter with a leg injury but returned in the third.
