The New England Patriots’ season got off to a horrendous start Sunday afternoon in Miami.
The Dolphins defeated the Patriots 33-20, shutting out the visitors in the second half and giving up just 31 yards of offense over the final two quarters.
There were many problems for the Patriots, and one was special teams. After receiving the opening kickoff, the Patriots were stopped on third down. The ensuing punt was blocked, and the Dolphins recovered the ball inside the 15-yard line. Miami running back Lamar Miller found the end zone shortly after to give his team an early 7-0 lead.
The offensive line also was an issue for New England. Tom Brady was pressured throughout the game, especially in the second half. Brady was sacked four times, and he lost a fumble late in the fourth quarter when Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake hit his arm on a fourth-down play. The offensive line’s poor play could have been a result of Logan Mankins’ absence. The former All-Pro left guard was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before Week 1.
New England had two turnovers, both in the second half. Brady threw an interception and lost the fumble, although it’s hard to blame the veteran quarterback because Miami players were in his face the entire game. The Dolphins committed three turnovers, two fumbles and an interception.
The real reason why the Patriots lost was their inability to stop the run. Knowshon Moreno dominated the Patriots’ defense for a game-high 134 rushing yards and a touchdown. Miami out-gained New England 191-89 on the ground, allowing the home team to win the time of possession battle.
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