MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - The Patriots finally squished the streak.
For the first time since Tom Brady was starting at quarterback way back in 2019, the Patriots beat the Dolphins in Miami.
The Dolphins were driving late while trailing 33-27 until Patriots high-priced free-agent defensive tackle Milton Williams sacked quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on fourth down to seal the victory.
"I felt like we were willing to get into a street fight," head coach Mike Vrabel said after the up-and-down game, which saw the lead change hands four times. "We had a little lull, and we didn't pack it up and quit."
Drake Maye, in perhaps his best pro start, kneeled to run out the clock for a Patriots win after the turnover on downs.
The Patriots said this week they wanted to get out to a hotter start. That, they did in Vrabel's first win as Patriots head coach.
"We were preaching all week start fast," Maye said. "We did that, and we knew they could respond, and they responded well."
Maye led his team on a 10-play, 68-yard scoring drive to begin the game. The offensive series culminated with an 8-yard touchdown pass on a bootleg rollout to wide receiver Mack Hollins, who found himself wide open running an out route to his right from a flex position. Rookie kicker Andres Borregales missed his extra-point attempt.
After the Patriots' defense forced the Dolphins into a three-and-out, the Patriots took over at their 30-yard line. They went on another impressive drive, spanning 70 yards on 11 plays before Maye connected with wide receiver Kayshon Boutte for a 16-yard touchdown. Boutte hauled in the pass one-handed over former Patriots cornerback Jack Jones while falling backwards in the end zone for an incredible play. Borregales missed again on the extra point, giving the Patriots a 12-0 lead.
The Patriots' defense, led by Vrabel and inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr with coordinator Terrell Williams out on a health-related leave, was a sieve on the Dolphins' second drive. The Dolphins went 83 yards on eight plays. Cornerback Alex Austin, filling in for injured starter Christian Gonzalez, allowed an 18-yard touchdown catch to Jaylen Waddle. A made extra point cut the Patriots' lead to 12-7.
The Patriots leaned on Borregales again on their third drive, trusting him to kick a 28-yard field goal, which he hit to extend the lead to 15-7. The Patriots held onto the ball for 15 plays, picking up 71 yards on the drive, but penalties pushed them back 10 yards, and the offense stalled in the red zone.
The Dolphins needed just one minute and 23 seconds to drive 77 yards on six plays. Speedy running back De'Von Achane beat linebacker Robert Spillane for a touchdown on a 29-yard catch and run. Tagovailoa also hit wide receiver Tyreek Hill for a big play on the drive with Carlton Davis III in coverage. After getting flagged for a false start on a two-point attempt, the Dolphins settled for an extra point to cut the Patriots' lead to 15-14.
The Patriots allowed the Dolphins to take a 17-15 lead on the opening series out of the half. The Patriots had the Dolphins stalled before Austin surrendered a 47-yard reception to wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Safety Craig Woodson was also around the ball on the underthrow from Tagovailoa. Kicker Riley Patterson hit a 40-yard field goal to take the lead.
Maye put the team on his shoulders to take a 23-20 lead. Evading pressure from Dolphins edge defender Jaelan Phillips allowed by right tackle Morgan Moses, Maye delivered a 55-yard pass to Stevenson to get near the red zone. It was the longest completion of Maye's two-year career. The young QB capped off the drive with a 6-yard scramble for a touchdown. Stevenson rushed for a two-point conversion to extend the lead to three points.
Vrabel's defense forced a punt for just the second time all game, but the Patriots' offense couldn't do anything to put the game away. They managed just 6 yards on six plays with 10 yards lost to penalties and 13 lost to a bad snap from center Garrett Bradbury. To make matters worse, the Patriots allowed Malik Washington to score on a 74-yard punt return with multiple missed tackles to give the Dolphins a 27-23 lead.
The lead didn't last long. Antonio Gibson ripped off a 90-yard return for a touchdown on the ensuing kickoff. Borregales hit the extra point to give the Patriots a 30-27 lead.
Patriots linebacker Marte Mapu intercepted Tagovailoa on the Dolphins' next drive, setting up a Patriots field goal to extend their lead to 33-27.
QB Drake Maye: This was the best game of Maye's young career. He was an extremely efficient 19-of-23 for 230 yards with two touchdowns and rushed eight times for 33 yards with a touchdown.
WR Kayshon Boutte: The third-year pro made one of the most impressive catches of the season, hauling in a touchdown with one arm. It was a nicely placed pass from Maye but an even better catch from a wide receiver who has garnered his quarterback's trust.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson: The veteran running back looked significantly improved from Week 1, when he gained just 2.1 yards per carry. Stevenson rushed 11 times for 54 yards and caught five passes for 88 yards.
K Andres Borregales: The Patriots could eventually have a tough decision to make on Borregales, who missed two extra points and was penalized for kicking short of the landing zone on a kickoff. The University of Miami product should have been comfortable kicking at Hard Rock Stadium, his home college field. He did hit two field goals and one extra point after the two misses.
CB Alex Austin: The Patriots missed Gonzalez in this one. Austin allowed an 18-yard touchdown to Waddle and a 47-yard deep reception to Hill. Austin is a decent backup cornerback, but he couldn't keep up with Waddle's speed. He misjudged the ball in the air on Hill's long catch.
RB TreVeyon Henderson: The rookie running back is an explosive player, but he struggled in pass protection Sunday, allowing two sacks. He was also flagged for holding twice in pass protection and on a third-quarter kick return. The second-round pick did rush three times for 10 yards and caught two passes for 30 yards.