The Patriots are back in the AFC East this week as they travel to Miami to take on the surging Dolphins, who have won two games in a row with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa back from a concussion that cost him multiple games. Miami's playoff hopes are still alive and the Patriots should expect they'll put everything they have into this one to stay in the postseason conversation.
Miami has always been a challenging place for any Patriots team and now Drake Maye gets his first taste of what it's like to play a November game in South Beach. It's another chance for the rookie quarterback to get some valuable experience and continue his growth against a divisional rival he can expect to see twice every season.
Here are the 10 players to watch as the Pats continue to look for win number four.
Drake Maye (QB)
Maye had his best game against the Rams, completing 75 percent of his passes for 282 yards, both career highs for the rookie. On the season, Maye has a 66.8% completion rate, 1,236 passing yards, nine TDs, six INTs in six starts. The turnovers stand out, as the Patriots have 10 giveaways since Maye took over to just two takeaways. The next steps for Maye are obvious. Cut down on the turnovers and finish in the red zone. Both areas have been critical issues over the last few weeks and remain areas where improvement could result directly in more wins. Against a high-scoring team like Miami, his ability to sustain drives and limit turnovers will be pivotal.
"It's being more successful in the red zone," said Maye this week. "I think we've been striving on that and focusing on that. I think maybe in red zone day this week, or just in general, just study it more and put some more effort into it."
Hunter Henry (TE)
Henry needs just 15 catches over the last six games to break his career high of 60 receptions. So far, the Patriots offensive MVP has 46 receptions for 491 yards and 1 TD, emerging as Maye's go-to pass catches in critical situations. Henry just seems to have that veteran knack for finding open space and making plays late in the down. Henry can play an important role in the Patriots red zone offense if it's to make the necessary improvements. Henry is the team's most reliable pass-catcher, offering a consistent option for Maye in key situations. Look for him to be involved heavily against Miami's secondary.
Kayshon Boutte (WR)
Coming off a second-straight game with four catches, Boutte now has 21 receptions for 283 yards with a touchdown. He continues to be an every-down receiver for the Patriots and has made impressive strides this season in his rise from the bubble to the team's top receiving option. But the team needs more from Boutte. His drop on the Rams game's first third down was a frustrating anomaly for the usually sure handed player. Boutte has been a nice story this season, but with Kendrick Bourne coming on he might have competition for the significant role he's carved out. If New England wants to challenge Miami deep, Boutte could be the X-factor.
Christian Gonzalez (CB)
Gonzalez has recorded both of his two career interceptions against the Dolphins and this could be an opportunity to add to his total. As always, Gonzalez is the key piece in New England's secondary and defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington must come up with a plan to use him to slow down the vaunted duo of Hill and Waddle. Gonzalez has one interception, six passes defended and 46 tackles on the season. His ability to contain big plays will be crucial for keeping the game competitive.
Christian Barmore (DT)
It was great to see Barmore return to the field against the Rams and play 20 snaps, even if he recorded just three tackles and one QB pressure. He should quickly improve as he gets into game shape, the talented defensive tackle missed nearly all of training camp with blood clots. Perhaps no other player is more important against Tua Tagovailoa, as Barmore's ability to get quick pressure is a key element to defending the quick-passing attack that negates most pass rush and blitzes. Expect Covington to make use of Barmore and Keion White to attack the interior of the Dolphins offensive line, looking for immediate disruption in Tua's face.
Tua Tagovailoa (QB):
Tua is 6-0 against the Patriots in his career despite a pedestrian seven touchdowns to four interceptions. Even without Tua in Week 5, the Patriots were unable to solve the Dolphins, losing 15-10. It was Miami's lone win without Tua and now, with him back under center, this appears to be a daunting game for the Patriots defense. Tua has a stellar 73.4% completion rate, a career-best, and 1,443 passing yards across 6 games. He's the ideal driver of the dangerous Miami offense and now, with three games under his belt since returning from concussion, things are starting to hum. Last week against the Raiders, Tua completed 77.8 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions. The 2024 Patriots defense will have to find a new and special performance if they're to be the one to hand Tua his first defeat from New England.
"You can see just the difference in that offense with Tua out there. Very good player for them," said Jerod Mayo this week.
Tyreek Hill (WR):
Hill has 523 receiving yards on 44 catches (11.9 yards per reception) with 3 touchdowns and looks rejuvenated since reuniting with Tagovailoa, grabbing two of those three touchdowns in the last two games. His ability to stretch defenses is crucial to the Dolphins' explosive offense and his motioning will be a key piece for the Patriots defense to decipher. In his career, Hill is 7-3 against the Patriots, including a loss in the 2018 AFC Championship while he was with the Chiefs. Jonathan Jones has been a capable matchup corner against Hill and should see plenty of him in coverage this weekend.
"Obviously, one word to describe [Hill and Waddle] is fast," said Mayo. "Those guys are blazers. We have some fast guys on defense, too, so this will probably be a little bit more of a matchup game, but those guys have fast players on the outside."
De'Von Achane (RB):
Achane has been a versatile weapon with 530 rushing yards (4.3 yards per carry) and 349 receiving yards, contributing six total touchdowns. His knack for breaking long plays adds unpredictability and will be of major concern to the Patriots defense which ranks 28th in rushing defense DVOA. With so much attention going to stopping the Dolphins precision passing offense, Achane can get lost in the shuffle sometimes and then make defenses pay for forgetting about him. The Pats can't allow him to get loose and especially can't let him rip off big game-changing runs.
"I will say the backs don't get enough love," said Mayo. "I think their running backs are very good, especially with the scheme that they run."
Calais Campbell (DT):
The veteran defensive tackle continues to play at a high level, anchoring the Dolphins defensive line with four sacks, seven QB hits, and nine tackles for loss. Campbell's huge presence can be a major problem for offensive lines, he'll certainly be a thorn in the side of the Patriots rushing attack. Miami rushing defense ranks just 26th in DVOA after allowing over 100 rushing yards in each of their first six games. But they have not allowed over 100 yards in their last four games, including a season-low of 60 rushing yards last week against the Raiders. Campbell is a key piece of a run defense that is coming on at the right time of the year.
"Defensively, it starts up front. It starts up front with the bigs, [Zach] Sieler and [Calais] Campbell," said Mayo. "Very active, very active up front. It's going to be a challenge, or an opportunity, for us to go out there and do a good job on those guys."
"Calais Campbell's still making plays, and they said he's one of the nicest dudes in the league, but he's still up there trying to take my head off, I'm sure," said Drake Maye earlier this week.
Jordyn Brooks (LB):
The former Seahawk has emerged as Miami's defensive leader with 85 total tackles, as Brooks is critical in stopping the run and making plays in open space. His versatility as a tackler and coverage linebacker is a valuable piece of Miami's defense as Brooks has played every single defensive snap (616) this season. Getting Brooks blocked on the second level is a huge key if the Patriots rushing offense is to start producing explosive runs.
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