AP PHOTO

MIAMI GARDENS, FLA- The Patriots marched into Hard Rock Stadium and pulled off a hard-earned 24-19 road victory over the Miami Dolphins, improving their record to 5-3 on the season while displaying tremendous resilience on a soggy Sunday afternoon in Miami. 

Here are seven points on the Patriots win over the Dolphins.

1. Drake Maye saves the day: Despite operating without key offensive weapons, Drake Maye put the team on his back with a stellar performance, accounting for three total touchdowns (two through the air and one rushing) to orchestrate a crucial second-half comeback. He completed 16-of-20 passes for 199 yards and two touchdown passes. His rushing touchdown on a speed option was a thing of beauty. Maye elevated the play of the entire offense.

2. Stevenson and the running game do their part: Rhamondre Stevenson anchored the ground game. He churned out 82 yards tough yards on 19 carries to move the chains, chew up clock, and help seal the win with a late first-down conversion and a recovered onside kick. He was also good in the passing game as both a blocker and as a receiver.

3. Tale of two halves: The game was a tale of two halves as New England sputtered completely in a scoreless first half—falling behind 13-3—before completely flipping the script after halftime with aggressive playcalling and disciplined execution on both sides of the ball. They outscored Miami 21-6 after the break. Clearly Mike Vrabel and his staff made some key adjustments to turn the game around.

4. Patchwork skill group makes big plays: Missing A.J Brown and Romeo Diubs forced the rest of the receiving corp to step up and they did. Whether it was DeMario Douglas taking a catch 48 yards to the house or Kyle Williams hauling in a 43 yard touchdown strike from Maye, the rest of the receiving group stepped up and contributed to a win.

5. Defense racks up 5 sacks and an interception: The Patriots’ front seven harassed Miami’s quarterback Malik Willis all afternoon, finishing with five total sacks—led by multi-sacks and pressures from defensive tackle Cory Durden (1.5 sacks) and Gabe Jacas (1.5 sacks) who both had big games. Kevin Byard sealed the game in essence with a pivotal late interception that led to Demario Douglas’ touchdown.

6. Officiating was awful: A series of erratic, questionable flags and inconsistent penalties disrupted the flow of the game for both teams, leaving players, coaches, and fans frustrated with the officials throughout the game. The fact that Mike Vrabel had to challenge Kyle Williams touchdown is absurd.

7. Culture carries the Patriots to a win: Facing a double-digit deficit on the road and mounting injuries, the Patriots leaned entirely on their culture. They displayed grit, mental toughness, and a resilient team effort to claw back and secure a gritty divisional win.