MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The New England Patriots looked like they would roll through the Miami Dolphins after the first half of their season opener. The second half was an entirely different story, however.
The Patriots put forth one of their worst performances of the Bill Belichick era, showing a complete inability to move the ball on offense and to stop the run on the other side of the ball. Quarterback Tom Brady completed just six passes in the second half, and his offensive line allowed pressure on nearly every down in the Patriots’ 33-20 loss.
Check out which player shined for the Patriots on Sunday and which facets need major work before Week 2:
Julian Edelman
Let’s start with the positive. The wide receiver was the only constant among Patriots offensive skill-position players, and he picked up right where he left off last season, catching six passes for 95 yards.
Edelman couldn’t get going in the second half, however, along with the rest of the Patriots’ offense. He didn’t catch another pass the rest of the game.
Offensive Line
Trading guard Logan Mankins doesn’t look like a great move after Week 1. Jordan Devey, Marcus Cannon and the rest of the Patriots’ offensive line seriously struggled, allowing four sacks to the Dolphins’ defensive line. Even mainstays like Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer were badly beaten.
After falling behind in the second half, the Patriots stopped running the ball — an area where they had success early in the game.
Run Defense
Knowshon Moreno ran through the Patriots’ defense yet again, picking up 134 yards on 24 carries. The reconfigured defensive line was pushed around, and Jerod Mayo and Jamie Collins had trouble filling gaps in the middle. Belichick’s decision to take out Rob Ninkovich in nickel was perplexing, though Dont’a Hightower appeared to play well in his place.
The Patriots had a terrible time tackling, and after making big plays in the first half, they were completely held out in the third and fourth quarters.
Perhaps this unit, and entire team, needs to jell more, but Sunday’s season opener was ugly. It will be interesting to see how the Patriots respond to the loss next week.
