Bill Belichick pacing another sideline in another team’s colors, sneering and snorting at another team’s press conferences after 24 years in New England.

Then again, so was a 2-6 start to this season.

And a sub.-500 record for Belichick over a three-and-a half-year span.

And a Belichick-coached team ever sitting last in the AFC, having committed the second-most penalties in the league with the NFL’s third-worst turnover margin.

Yet, here we are.

The Patriots are a bad football team. Their roster is starved for blue-chip talent and a quarterback of the future. Belichick hand-picked every person in his locker room, front office and coaching ranks. He is responsible for everything.

If the Pats continue charging toward a 4-13 or 5-12 finish, it only reasons the door could swing open for Belichick to leave this January. Few NFL coaches or GMs survive a four-year run with a 45% winning percentage, let alone when that person is one and the same. Robert Kraft cleaning house has crossed the minds of multiple folks working in football operations with more than half a season left.

Whether Kraft turns the knob, Belichick kicks the door down himself or they agree to a mutual parting of ways, it’s believed Belichick will not go gentle into that good night of retirement. Reports have long indicated Belichick is committed to, perhaps even hellbent on, breaking Don Shula’s record for most coaching wins all-time. He’s 17 wins away from leaping Shula.

Perhaps more to the point, Belichick is someone raised in a film room who’s spent 49 of his 71 years on Earth coaching NFL football. Life, as Belichick knows it, needs football as much as water or oxygen.

The question is: could Belichick leave for the Patriots’ next opponent?

The Commanders should offer a cozy landing spot, even if only for the two years Belichick may need to seize his record. Washington is under a new ownership group led by 76ers co-owner and managing partner Josh Harris. That group is flashing all the usual signs of new owner behavior.

First, they make a public effort to ingratiate themselves with fans. Next comes spending unholy gobs of money. Washington is scheduled to have the fourth-most cap space in the league this spring, after off-loading top pass rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat before Tuesday’s trade deadline.

Bill Belichick dodges on Patriots’ inactivity at NFL trade deadline

Once the offseason hits, it's another safe bet Harris and Co. will advance to step three: hiring their own people. Ron Rivera is seven games below .500 in his three-plus years as Washington's head coach. Third-year general manager Martin Mayhew doesn't have a standout draft class on his resume.

Belichick could fill both jobs with one signature and instantly restore the Commanders to relevancy. No other coach or GM can offer that. Belichick would represent the ultimate big splash, and new owners love nothing, nothing more than stealing headlines and soaking the competition. (See: the new-look Broncos signing Sean Payton.)

What about Belichick's contract?

Since the NFL Network reported that Belichick signed a new deal this spring, insiders from ESPN to Sports Illustrated have thrown water on the idea that it represents an ironclad commitment between coach and team.  NBC Sports Boston's Tom Curran reported the only known detail about the contract, saying it runs through 2024. If true, Belichick's future in that sense is no more guaranteed than any other losing head coach's, given NFL teams rarely, if ever, allow coaches to enter a contract year.

Bill O’Brien offers blunt assessment of disappointing Patriots offense

Even if Belichick's deal becomes an obstacle, financially or otherwise, the Patriots could always trade him. Washington just added two valuable draft picks at the deadline. An ownership group that dropped more than $6 billion to buy the team won't let money stand in the way.

As a Maryland native, Belichick would also return home. He could rehire old pal Josh McDaniels to run his offense and bring sons Steve and Brian to fill out his defensive staff. Belichick is well aware of Washington's storied history, having coached against the then Redskins for more than a decade when he was a Giants assistant in the 1980s.

Asked about that history Wednesday, Belichick spent a curious amount of his time discussing ownership.

"George Preston Marshall bought the team, moved it to Washington, had it a long time. Sold it to (Jack Kent) Cooke. Cooke won three Super Bowls with (Joe) Gibbs. (Daniel) Snyder bought it, and they’ve rebranded in the last couple years. It’s one of the older franchises in the league, I don’t know," he said.

Of course, the Commanders are among several teams that could entertain coaching changes this offseason, including one that's already pulled the trigger. They are: the Jets, Raiders, Browns, Chargers, Buccaneers and Bears.

Belichick isn't packing up for New York or Cleveland again. He's not following Brady's shadow in Tampa or Brady to Las Vegas, where his former top lieutenant got canned after 25 games. The Chargers' ownership is famously cheap and dysfunctional. Chicago could appeal, though the Bears' are only in Year 2 with their new head coach and GM.

That leaves only the Commanders. Stretch your imagination. Picture it again.

Can't you see it?

Wide receiver DeVante Parker (concussion) and left tackle Trent Brown (ankle/knee) were held out with new injuries. The Pats also hit the field without backup tight end Pharaoh Brown and offensive tackle Calvin Anderson. Linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley was severely limited with a hurt hamstring.

Defensive back Myles Bryant also has a new chest injury.

In Washington, the Commanders rested defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and sidelined wide receiver Curtis Samuel due to his toe injury.

Both teams’ complete injury reports are below.

PATRIOTS

Did not participate

WR DeVante Parker, Concussion

OT Trent Brown, Ankle/Knee

TE Pharaoh Brown,

OL Calvin Anderson, Illness

Limited participation

LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, Hamstring

DL Christian Barmore, Knee

LB Josh Uche, Ankle/Toe

DL Deatrich Wise Jr., Shoulder

CB Jonathan Jones, Knee

DB Myles Bryant, Chest

OL Vederian Lowe, Ankle

COMMANDERS

Did not participate

DT Jonathan Allen, Vet Rest

CB Kendall Fuller, Vet Rest

WR Curtis Samuel, Toe

C Ricky Stromberg, Knee

Limited participation

S Percy Butler, Calf

TE Logan Thomas, Heel

Brown played through ankle and knee injuries in last Sunday’s loss at Miami, where Parker took a blow to the head and did not return. Brown also missed the start of practice last week, but returned the following day and hasn’t missed a game this season.

Offensive tackle Calvin Anderson and tight end Pharaoh Brown were also absent Wednesday. Linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley jogged lightly on the field, but did not engage in any individual drills. He left in the second quarter of Sunday’s loss with a hamstring injury.

The Patriots will release their first injury report of the week Wednesday evening.

McDaniels and Ziegler left the Patriots for Las Vegas in Jan. 2022 and lasted just a season and a half together. The last time McDaniels was fired as a head coach in 2010, he spent one season working outside of New England, then returned for a second stint starting in the 2011 playoffs. He was later promoted back to his old post as offensive coordinator, where he remained for the next 10 years.

So could McDaniels return for a third stint?

Bill Belichick deflected when asked about McDaniels’ firing during his Wednesday morning press conference.

“Yeah, just heard about it this morning,” Belichick said. “Again, just trying to get ready for Washington.”

As for a possible reunion, Belichick reiterated: “Just getting ready for Washington.”

Under new coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bill O’Brien, the Patriots offense ranks second-worst in the league at 14.8 points per game. Last season, Belichick replaced McDaniels with the combination of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. Patricia left after his only year as a play-caller, having overseen the worst Patriots offense of the Belichick era, while Judge was reassigned from quarterbacks coach to assistant head coach with an emphasis on special teams.

The Patriots will kick off against the Commanders at 1 p.m. Sunday from Gillette Stadium.

On Wednesday, Bill Belichick took his first questions about the team’s inactivity at the deadline. Belichick deflected the first two questions, saying his focus was on preparing for Sunday’s game against Washington. On Tuesday, the Commanders (3-4) were among the most active teams at the deadline, trading defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat for picks in the second and third round of next year’s draft.

Pressed about any trade talks the Patriots (2-6) might have had Tuesday, Belichick repeatedly declined to offer specifics and called it “just another day.”

Below is a complete transcript of Belichick’s comments Wednesday related to the trade deadline:

Q: The trade deadline was yesterday. Was it a busy day for you guys?

Belichick: “Yeah, we’re getting ready for Washington.”

Q: Were you close on anything?

Belichick: “Spent time getting ready for Washington.”

Q: When you say you spent time getting ready for Washington yesterday, is that just there wasn’t much sort of percolated on the trade front for you guys?

Belichick: “Yeah, again, we talked about this the other day. The personnel department, the coaching department, we talked about that last week. It’s just another day.”

Q: So there really weren’t any decisions to make on your end?

Belichick: “If there was anything to talk about, we talked about it. If there wasn’t anything to talk about, then I worked on Washington, and the personnel people worked on personnel things.”

Q: “Bill, I’m really not trying to beat a dead horse here, but I just want to clarify you mentioned the personnel department handles the trade stuff and trade discussions maybe with other teams, but you are part of the personnel department here, why –“

Belichick: “Phil (Perry), I just said the same thing. We talked about this 50 times. If they have something that they think I need to know about, then we talk about it. If I have a personnel situation that I think they need to know about, I tell them about it, and then they look into it. It’s the same thing I’ve said the last 50 times we’ve talked about this. We work together when there’s something to work together on. If there’s not something to work together on, I coach, they do personnel.”

Q: “I was just trying to clarify just because you make it sound like two different things. Our understanding is you’re part of –“

Belichick: “Yes, if there’s something that we need to talk about, then we talk about it. And if there isn’t something to talk about, we don’t just sit there and stare at each other all day. We both have other stuff to do. Their department, the coaching apartment, there’s other things going on. So we don’t just sit there and stare at each other and see if the phone’s going to ring or there’s going to be something on the news or whatever. We have stuff to do.”

The man in that charge of that offense has no illusions about the state of his unit.

“Yeah, it hasn’t been what we want it to be. It’s been very inconsistent,” Pats offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said Tuesday. “There’s been glimpses of, ‘Hey, this, this is good. This is what it can be, this is the rhythm that we need to get into, these are plays that are well-executed, well coached, well designed.’ And then these are other things that aren’t as good.

“So it’s very, very inconsistent.”

The Patriots appeared to make some progress during their loss at Las Vegas in Week 6, then their upset of the Bills in Week 7. But they scored just 17 points last Sunday at Miami, thanks to one touchdown drive on a short field and another against a prevent defense in the fourth quarter when the Dolphins had a 14-point lead.

The Pats have struggled in every area for long stretches of the season. Through eight games, they rank 24th in passing by DVOA and 19th in rushing. According to Pro Football Focus, the Patriots are a below-average offense in passing, pass-blocking, run-blocking and receiving.

Tying that all together is an offensive line that’s used 10 different combinations to start possessions this season, the result of several injuries and poor depth.

So did the NFL trade deadline.

Patriots fans got nothing but a bag of rocks.

The Great Pumpkin never materialized.

There was no all-in fire sale.

No deals. No nothing.

Same old, same old.

Rats! Bill held pat.

Robert remained MIA.

Or perhaps he stayed in MIA with his new wife, the esteemed Dr. Dana Blumberg. She is an actual doctor, having received a medical degree from St. Louis University.

Dr. Blumberg, 49, is a board-certified ophthalmologist and once taught ophthalmology at New York’s Columbia University. Presumably before it became a clearing house for Hamas sympathizers.

It might be time for Dr. Blumberg to give her husband a complete vision exam.

We’re not sure if Kraft can see that the Hoodie has no clothes.

Or that his team has done nothing but circle the rotary on Route 140 in Foxboro since Brady left in March 2020.

Or that losing is winning in 2023.

Or that Bill Belichick & Company’s time has passed.

We’ve covered some of this previously, but it must be noted again and again until the circumstances change just how far behind the Patriots have fallen in comparison to the competition.

The Dolphins might want to bronze Tua Tagovailoa. And not just because he’s one snap away from another season-curtailing injury.

You know by now Tua is 6-0 against Belichick.

More-so than any player not named Tom Brady, Tua has done more to keep Don Shula’s all-time wins record of 347 perennially out of reach for Belichick.

Brady giveth. And Brady curseth away.

It’s not just the six games.

Coach Mike McDaniel and Tua have demonstrated better than any other team that faces the Patriots on a regular basis just how much time has passed since Belichick Ball was a winnable proposition.

Belichick coached on a Giants team that won Super Bowl XXI with Phil Simms at QB. They won Super Bowl XXV with Jeff Hostetler taking snaps. Against Jim Kelly.

With that on the resume, it’s not hard to understand why Belichick continues to undervalue talented QBs.

Sunday at 9:30 a.m., you can watch a potential AFC championship preview from Germany as the Dolphins play the Chiefs in Germany. You will have an extra hour of sleep to prepare, as the clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday.

The Chiefs have won two Super Bowls since the Patriots won their last playoff game. This is where we remind you that Patrick Mahomes’ dad once played for the Red Sox. And Mahomes was taken with the 10th pick in the 2017 draft. The Patriots could win their next three games and still land the 10th pick in this QB-laden draft.

The Patriots wouldn’t give Brady two years guaranteed for $50 million after he won his sixth Super Bowl. The Chiefs gave Mahomes the biggest contract in NFL history. Andy Reid is no Gen Xer. He’s 65. But he hasn’t been afraid to adapt his game-plan to suit the NFL’s desire for action and push for skilled talent to replace skilled talent.

The Dolphins haven’t won a Super Bowl since Nixon was in the White House. They have the roster and talent now more than ever to succeed in the NFL.

The Dolphins could well snag home field in the AFC. Patriots fans know just how brutal games in January can be when you leave the snow and cold of New England for the bright sun, 88-degree temperatures and 91% humidity of Miami Gardens. Fans in Kansas City, Baltimore, Cincinnati, or Buffalo may learn that lesson soon.

We’re not sure if Kraft could see Stephen Ross (Stephen Freaking Ross!) celebrating in his owner’s box Sunday. We understand if Kraft couldn’t bear to watch. Ross was suspended by the NFL for 76 days last year after it was found his team tampered with Sean Payton and Brady.

If Kraft cannot visualize what’s happening, he may finally feel it in his wallet later this season when the stands in Foxboro are 40% empty – cutting in on concession sales – and next spring with the season ticket renewals fail to materialize.

It’s hard not to fault Belichick and Kraft for running the same playbook with a tight checkbook. Combined, they are 153 years old – 153 years ago, college football was in its second season. We didn’t have telephones, electric lights, or organized professional baseball.

Belichick is in his 49th season coaching in the NFL. Kraft bought the Patriots in 1994. That’s 78 years of collective experience coaching and owning in the NFL.

How dare you question them?

Patriots Twitter (X) tells us three of 191 NFL teams who started 2-6 made the playoffs, which means 188 have not.

The Patriots are 25-1 to make the playoffs, 120-1 to win the AFC East, 200-1 to win the AFC and, you might want to sit down for this one, 300-1 to win the Super Bowl. All those numbers come from DraftKings and have been translated from betting lingo to make it easier on the uninitiated.

The Patriots are 16th in a 16-team conference.

If they go any lower, they’ll be in the NFC.

The Patriots are no different than any great dynasty in its waning days.

Nothing works like it used to. The enemy is at the gates. (Or in the case of the Dolphins, swimming circles around you.)

The masses are restless. Past glories mask present misery.

The Kraft Family has replaced bread and circuses with free parking and a towering multi-million-dollar priapic lighthouse that can be interpreted in several ways.

Including as a giant middle-finger to the fan base.

Pretty soon, Kraft may see that same finger flashed a few thousand times in the stands at Gillette.

With or without an eye exam.

Bill Speros (@RealOBF and @Bill Speros on X) can be reached at bsperos1@gmail.com

The Patriots did not make any trades before the NFL’s trade deadline Tuesday at 4 p.m., locking them into their current roster for the remainder of the season.

At 2-6, the Patriots reportedly received several calls from other front offices and were expected to entertain selling. Their playoff hopes are virtually shot. Many key starters, including Matt Judon, Kendrick Bourne and Christian Gonzalez, are expected to miss most of, if not all of, the rest of the season.

The Pats took calls on veteran players in contract years, including pass rusher Josh Uche. The 25-year-old has missed the team’s last two games with an ankle injury, and has not reached terms with the team on an extension. Despite tallying just two sacks this season, Uche ranks among the most effective per-snap pass rushers in the NFL.

Two other edge rushers, Washington’s Montez Sweat and Chase Young, were dealt Tuesday for 2024 draft picks in the second and third round, respectively. It’s unknown what market the Patriots had for Uche.

“Josh is a great player,” Pats safeties coach Brian Belichick said Tuesday. “(He) obviously puts a lot of pressure on the offensive line with his quickness, explosiveness, strength and power, you know, whatever it is. But he gets off the ball very quickly. And I would say puts pressure on the offensive line when you’re lined up across from him. So it’s always good when he’s out there.”

According to Sports Illustrated, the Patriots also took calls on safety Kyle Dugger and offensive lineman Mike Onwenu. Like Uche, Dugger and Onwenu are 2020 draft picks amid contract years. Pats quarterback Mac Jones and running back Ezekiel Elliott reportedly did not generate any trade interest.

Looking ahead, the Patriots are currently scheduled to hold the third-most cap space in 2024. In addition to the aforementioned players in contract years, Bourne, starting left tackle Trent Brown, tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki and defensive back Jalen Mills are scheduled to hit free agency.

Mike McDaniel’s offense out-flanked and out-gunned Bill Belichick’s defense. The Dolphins dictated terms to the Pats offense at the line of scrimmage. All of this took place Sunday, but Miami laid the foundation for its sixth win in the last seven series meetings during the last few offseasons.

Over the last three years, the Dolphins successfully stockpiled talent in a way the Patriots have failed to for years. That talent gap manifested in a flexibility and crucial margin for error Sunday.

Despite missing four starting offensive linemen for most of the game, the Dolphins passed at will; short, intermediate or long, to the left, right or over the middle. Whatever they wanted. Tua Tagovailoa flipped a bad first-half interception, just like Mac Jones, yet knew he could still comfortably control the game in a double-digit win.

Why?

Because Tagovailoa knew his defense, stocked with Pro Bowlers and former first-round picks, would buy him time. Not that his offense needs it. The Dolphins scored the very next drive after Tagovailoa’s pick, when he launched a 42-yard bomb to Tyreek Hill, and eventually out-gained the Pats by almost a 2:1 ratio.

But for the Patriots offense, life is hard. Everything takes time and demands precision. Their talent leaves them no optionality, no margin for error.

The entire passing game consists of short to intermediate throws. They generate no explosive runs. They have no Plan B.

Against them, Miami’s defense had the luxury of shutting off one side of the field by parking new All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey on Jones’ left basically all day. By game’s end, Jones had completed as many passes in that direction to Ramsey as he did his teammates. His interception led directly to a 10-point deficit, a death knell for the Patriots.

Defensively, the Pats’ talent disadvantage left them at Miami’s mercy. Hill and Jaylen Waddle pull coverage toward them pre-and post-snap, motioning at the highest rates in the league. Defending the Dolphins means changing on the move, on their time and at their speed.

So, the Patriots majored in basic zone coverage. They hardly blitzed. They played basic, static defenses on early downs; the same formula most Miami opponents have followed.

And yet the stress of keeping up with the Dolphins’ speed ultimately broke them in the final minutes, when Waddle coasted to a 31-yard touchdown with no defender in sight. The score clinched Miami’s fourth win of 14 points or more this season alone. The talent-starved Patriots have four of those, too — in the last year and a half.

Leveling this division series, which has become as lopsided as most any in the AFC the last few years, will require matching Miami’s talent in the coming offseasons. That, of course, will take time.

For now, the Pats can address these problems as they play out a lost year without wondering why they lost again on Sunday:

Mac Jones

19-of-29 for 161 yards, 2 TDs, INT

Accurate throw percentage: 70.4%

Under pressure: 2-of-8 for 26 yards, 3 sacks

Against the blitz: 1-of-2, 2 yards

Behind the line: 6-of-6 for 20 yards

0-9 yards downfield: 10-of-13 for 77 yards, TD

10-19 yards downfield: 3-of-8 for 64 yards, TD, INT

20+ yards downfield: N/A

Notes: Blah.

Jones did little to power a winning effort Sunday, hitting just one tight-window throw and declining to rip a single deep pass for a second straight game. As always, he proved sharp underneath, which sustained the Patriots the week before against the Bills (when he was also appreciably more accurate). There were three major differences between those outings: Jones had more time (posting a 2.2 second snap-to-throw average versus Buffalo and 2.51 at Miami), more injured receivers and a big, bad interception before halftime.

Jones grossly overestimated his arm talent in that moment, skying a 19-yard, cross-field throw a half-beat too late against future Hall of Fame cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The interception represented at least a 6-point swing, possibly 10.

Jones even had a chance to atone at the start of the third quarter, when Miami gifted the Patriots a fumble on first play from scrimmage. But standing at the Dolphins’ 14, Jones took a third-down sack after staring down Rhamondre Stevenson in the flat, while Demario Douglas found open space across the back of the end zone for a possible touchdown.

It’s a tough balance. Jones knows he often has little time behind a porous offensive line, so jumping at checkdowns to Stevenson makes sense. No NFL quarterback is envious of his current situation.

But failing to keep defenses honest downfield for multiple series, and now games, allows opponents to play downhill and squeeze routes underneath. It’s a tightrope walk every week for Jones and this offense. Jones crossed safely last week against the Bills.

He fell off Sunday.

Critical areas

• Turnovers: Patriots 2, Dolphins 2
• Explosive play rate: Patriots 5.9%, Dolphins 6.8%
• Success rate: Patriots 38%, Dolphins 43%
• Red-zone efficiency: Patriots 1-2, Dolphins 2-4
• Defensive pressure rate: Patriots 16.7%, Dolphins 31.2%

Offense

Game plan

• Personnel breakdown: 77% of snaps in 11 personnel, 23% snaps in 12 personnel.***
• Personnel production: 4.3 yards/play in 11 personnel, 5.6 yards/play in 12 personnel.
• First-down down play-calls: 67% pass (4.9 yards per play), 33% run (2.3 yards per play)
• Play-action rate: 25%

Player stats

• Broken tackles: RB Rhamondre Stevenson 3, RB Ezekiel Elliott 2
• Pressure allowed: LT Trent Brown 4 (3 QB hits, hurry), C David Andrews (sack), RG Mike Onwenu (sack), LG Cole Strange (hurry), RG Atonio Mafi (hurry), QB Mac Jones (sack), Team (hurry)
• Run stuffs allowed: TE Hunter Henry, TE Pharaoh Brown
• Penalties: Mafi (ineligible man downfield), WR Kendrick Bourne (holding), WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (unsportsmanlike conduct), LS Joe Cardona (false start on punt)
• Drops: None

Notes

• After trying to pound the Dolphins with heavy personnel in Week 2, the Patriots pivoted to a spread game plan that emphasized pre-snap motion.
• Bill O’Brien called for motion on more than 62% of his play-calls, including 35% with a receiver in motion at the snap. This represented huge departures for the Pats, who recently ranked near the bottom of the league in motion usage at the snap two weeks ago, but have since made it a staple of recent game plans.
• The results of O’Brien’s motion-heavy plan were meager —17 points and a 4.3 yards per play average with motion (same as their average on all plays) — but pre-snap activity did spark both touchdowns. More on that later.
• The Patriots’ chief problems in Miami were the same as always: an ill-timed Mac Jones turnover that handed the opponent points, and an inability to overcome minor adversity. The offense scored on one of its seven drives that included a negative play.
• How did that happen? The Dolphins controlled the line of scrimmage, allowing 0.7 rushing yards before contact and creating havoc with a stunts and other defensive line movement on passing downs that reached Jones on roughly one-third of his snaps basically without blitzing.
• Miami targeted left guard Cole Strange on a couple stunts and blitzed linebackers up the middle, while they dropped outside linebackers into coverage.

• Rookie guard Atonio Mafi, who rotated with starting right guard Sidy Sow, again proved to be a weak link. Left tackle Trent Brown also allowed a season-worst four pressures, hampered by ankle and knee injuries. Center David Andrews and right tackle Mike Onwenu each surrendered a sack.
• As they bullied the Pats up front, the Dolphins dominated first down, when they allowed 2.3 yards per carry and forced Jones to go 4-of-7 for 13 yards and an interception in the first half.
• Trailing 17-7 at halftime, the Patriots received a golden red-zone opportunity to score after the Dolphins lost a fumble on their opening play of the half. Instead of marching forward, the offense gained five yards on two RPOs and Jones took a 6-yard sack after holding the ball for 3.5 seconds.
• Down by 14 in the fourth quarter, the Patriots sustained their longest possession by rushing for 38 yards on a defense willing to wind clock, and hitting tight end Hunter Henry on two out-breaking routes that covered 24 yards.
• Henry and Mike Gesicki should have seen far more than six measly targets, considering Miami entered kickoff as a bottom-5 defense against tight ends by DVOA.
• Rhamondre Stevenson continues to look like a lesser version of himself, excluding one powerful second-quarter run where he broke two tackles.
• Finally, the motion. The Patriots scored their first touchdown by sending Demario Douglas left to right across the formation before a third-and-4 snap, which forced his defender, backup corner Justin Bethel, to follow. That told Jones that Miami was in man-to-man coverage.
• Once Douglas aligned outside of Kendrick Bourne, the Dolphins’ defensive rules dictated Bethel switch onto Bourne, now the nearest receiver to him, instead of chasing Douglas all the way across. This created a mismatch for Bourne, the Patriots’ best receiver.

• At the snap, Miami double-teamed Douglas, who drew the nearest safety closer to the line of scrimmage. Once Bourne cut in front of Bethel and ran into open space over the middle, Jones found him for an easy 24-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
• Without Douglas’ pre-snap motion, the Patriots don’t force that switch, and Jones may not have detected man-to-man.
• Later, motion sprung JuJu Smith-Schuster free for his lone highlight of the season, a 3-yard touchdown catch on fourth-and-goal. He whipped into the right flat at the snap and triggered a common pick-route combination.
• This is the essence of the Patriots offense: repeating basic plays that allow Jones to unload the ball quickly and attack space within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. O’Brien’s job week to week is essentially figuring out how he can package these same few dozen concepts in new ways to run them again.
• This is why motion is now so vital. The Patriots can’t create mismatches organically,  and motion is among the tools that helps them dress these concepts up and stresses defenses.
• In Miami, plays involving motion at the snap averaged 4.7 yards per play and a 53% success rate, up from the Patriots’ overall numbers of 4.3 yards rate of 38%. Through two weeks, the Pats have used more motion, created more mismatches and more defensive stress scored more points. Keep it going.

Defense

Game plan

• Personnel breakdown: 50% three-safety nickel package, 39% dime, 10% three-corner nickel, 1% base.****
• Coverage snaps breakdown: 74%% zone, 26% man
• Blitz rate: 16.7%
• Blitz efficacy: 8.9 yards allowed per dropback, 44% success rate allowed

Player stats

• Interceptions: S Kyle Dugger
• Pass deflections: CB J.C. Jackson 2, CB Jack Jones, CB Jonathan Jones, LB Jahlani Tavai
• Pressure: Dugger 2 (sack, hurry), Tavai 2 (2 hurries), DL Christian Barmore (sack), DL Keion White (hurry), OLB Anfernee Jennings (hurry)
• Run stuffs: S Jabrill Peppers, LB Mack Wilson, White
• Missed tackles: Peppers, Dugger, Jennings, White,
• Penalties: Jackson (pass interference), CB Jack Jones (neutral zone infraction), DL Davon Godchaux (holding)

Notes

• Stealing from the Eagles’ win over Miami the week before, the Patriots opened in a 3-4 front and lived out of Cover 2 and Cover 3. Their goal was to force Tua Tagovailoa to march patiently downfield, limit vertical routes and rally to short crossing routes.
• Early on, they succeeded, thanks to a Dolphins run game sapped of most of its power due to O-line injuries. Miami suffered a negative play on each of its first two drives (a Jabrill Peppers run-stuff and Christian Barmore sack), thanks to this O-line.
• Kyle Dugger ended Miami’s second drive with an interception on third-and-15. The Patriots showed a two-deep shell pre-snap, then morphed into Cover 3 Buzz, a single-high defense that dropped Peppers and Dugger over the middle at the line to gain, while fellow safety Jalen Mills covered the deep middle.

• Tagovailoa carelessly flung that ball for Hill down the right seam, where Dugger was waiting. From their scouting efforts, the Patriots knew Miami loves to target receivers in the space between the numbers and hashes.
• Pivoting, the Dolphins spent most of the next drive attacking the flats with play-action passes and perimeter runs. The Patriots defended most flat throws by having their edge defenders “peel” and run with running backs or receivers in that area so their defensive backs could stay deep.
• At midfield, another play-action pass caused cornerback J.C. Jackson to step up against Hill, who zoomed by him and rookie safety/linebacker Marte Mapu for a touchdown.
• The Patriots had called a version of Cover 4, a defense where both outside cornerbacks and both safeties are responsible for covering a deep fourth of the field. Hill’s speed served as another reminder he’s the most dangerous weapon in the league.
• Miami then stuck with its play-action and flat-focused formula on the next series, even overcoming a second-down Dugger sack. Facing third-and-14 at the Patriots’ 21, coach Mike McDaniel called consecutive screens, successfully predicting an incoming Patriots blitz in the high red zone and then again on fourth-and-1. The Patriots have a high blitz tendency in that area and down-and-distance.
• To cap the drive, Tagovailoa targeted Jackson three straight times inside the 10 and scored on a 1-yard toss to Cedrick Wilson Jr. Miami clearly saw value in targeting Jackson.
• On that touchdown, the Dolphins used the same pre-snap motion that led to a goal-line touchdown pass to Hill in Week 2, but flipped the route from the right side to the left and called for a slant for Wilson Jr. instead of an out. Another McDaniel win over Belichick.

• Little changed for either side over the middle quarters, when the Dolphins added a field goal before the half and another touchdown after marching 77 yards in nine plays. The Patriots did send a double-team at Hill in the red zone and on third down to help Jackson.
• Defensive play-caller Steve Belichick also backed off the blitz and went lighter on the final drive to best protect against the pass. The Pats gambled by deploying dime personnel (six defensive backs), hoping to slow Miami’s passing game and offer enough resistance against the run.
• Instead, the Dolphins accepted the dare to run and averaged almost six yards per carry on its last scoring drive on four hand-offs. Miami also drained 5:37 of the last eight and a half minutes, before Waddle exploited a communication breakdown in coverage on third-and-1 that knocked the Pats out with a 31-yard touchdown.

• Judging how the Patriots handled that motion and concept on Miami’s opening drive, it appears Jack Jones was at least partially at fault when he followed Tyreek Hill completely across the formation instead of switching onto Waddle in the slot.
• On Miami’s opening drive, Myles Bryant followed Hill until he reached the slot, then covered Waddle. The Patriots’ outside corner on that side then, J.C. Jackson, covered Hill, just as Jonathan Jones did during the first possession. This allowed the Pats to maintain leverage against two of the fastest receivers in the league.

• Nice game for second-round rookie defensive lineman Keion White. He was the only defender to record a pressure and a run stuff.

Studs

S Kyle Dugger

An interception, one sack and a hurry. Even if Dugger was at fault on Miami’s knockout touchdown in the fourth quarter, he kept the Patriots within relative reach as much as anyone.

LB Jahlani Tavai

Tavai continues to wear as many hats as any player on Belichick’s defense. He tallied two hurries and a pass breakup.

Duds

CB J.C. Jackson

The Dolphins picked on Jackson like a little brother who went unpunished for a successful prank. With all that attention, he allowed two touchdowns and committed pass interference.

LT Trent Brown

He fought through ankle and knee injuries, which must be factored here. But four allowed is a bad day at the office for any offensive lineman.

Statistics for passing depth, broken tackles and missed tackles courtesy of Pro Football Focus.

*Explosive plays are defined as runs of 12-plus yards and passes of 20-plus yards.

**Success rate is an efficiency metric measuring how often an offense stays on schedule. A play is successful when it gains at least 40% of yards-to-go on first down, 60% of yards-to-go on second down and 100% of yards-to-go on third or fourth down.

***11 personnel = one running back, one tight end; 12 personnel = one running back, two tight ends.  

****Base defense = four defensive backs; nickel defense = five defensive backs; dime defense = six defensive backs.

Teams have called the Patriots about most of their impending unrestricted free agents, per a source. A source said last week it’s “definitely possible” that the Patriots make one trade. Anything more than that would be a surprise.

Uche has missed the Patriots’ last two games. He was listed on the injury report with knee and ankle ailments ahead of Week 7 and ankle and toe injuries ahead of Week 8.

Uche has ranked among the best pure pass rushers in the NFL based on PFF’s metrics over the last two seasons, but at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, he’s limited in the Patriots’ scheme to a third-down situational role since he would be an undersized edge setter on the end of the line of scrimmage. The Patriots typically prefer investing in bigger edge defenders who are more effective against the run.

When asked about the trade deadline last week, Uche told the Herald he was just focused on getting back to playing football. He said that he and his agent had talked to the Patriots about a contract extension but wouldn’t go into further detail.

“Yeah, I mean, we just got back from Miami late last night and so working through the game,” head coach Bill Belichick said Monday morning. “We’ll deal with that here over the whatever period of time there is. I don’t know.”

Sources polled around the NFL believe the Patriots could get a third- or fourth-round pick for Uche. The Patriots have among the most salary cap space in the NFL next offseason, so it’s unlikely that they would receive comp picks for outgoing free agents if they intend to spend that money.

The Patriots’ top upcoming free agents include tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki, left tackle Trent Brown, safety Jalen Mills and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, who tore his ACL in Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins, plus 2020 draft picks like Uche, safety Kyle Dugger and offensive lineman Mike Onwenu.

If the Patriots don’t feel like there’s a future with quarterback Mac Jones, who has now struggled in two straight seasons, then they also could try to shop the 2021 first-round pick. Sources varied on Jones’ trade value. One source believed there was none.

The Vikings believe they lost starting quarterback Kirk Cousins to an Achilles injury in Week 8. Prior to Cousins going down, two sources raised the hypothetical of Jones being traded to the Vikings.

The 49ers, who had reported interest in Jones before selecting Trey Lance third overall in 2021, have lost three straight games with Brock Purdy under center. The 49ers have Sam Darnold as a backup after trading Lance to the Cowboys this offseason.

Sources polled around the NFL believe Dugger, who could fetch up to a second-round pick, is the Patriots’ most valuable asset. Belichick said Monday morning that, “Yeah, of course, sure, absolutely” he would like to see Dugger stick around in New England. Belichick wouldn’t get into any contract conversations he’s had with Dugger or the safety’s representatives. The Patriots head coach acknowledged this summer that players like Dugger “end up getting a lot of money.”

Onwenu, who can play left guard, right guard and right tackle, could have potential trade value but one source said it’s unusual for an offensive lineman to be traded midseason.

The Patriots currently are slated to pick fifth overall with more than half of the season left to go. If they don’t believe they’ll be retaining some of their impending free agents and plan to spend in free agency and cancel out the formula that would net them compensatory draft picks, then it does make sense to add more draft capital at the deadline.

Actively selling players would have been more difficult if the Patriots had won Sunday’s game and improved their record to 3-5. At 2-6 with Bourne injured, Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones and Matthew Judon already on injured reserve, and with the Chiefs and Bills still on their schedule, it’s now looking extremely unlikely that the Patriots could get near playoff contention in a competitive AFC.

There is hope Bourne could recover in time for the start of training camp next summer, though not necessarily with the Patriots. He is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency this spring.

The 28-year-old got hurt on a sideline tackle after he caught a pass early in Sunday’s fourth quarter. Bourne is the Patriots’ leading receiver in all major categories, with 37 catches for 406 yards and four touchdowns. He’s also logged 73% of the team’s offensive snaps through eight games, highest among the receivers.

Bourne was enjoying a rebound season after making significant changes to his offseason routine and diet. He had already surpassed his season total for catches last year (35) and was tracking for career highs in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Patriots coach Bill Belichick praised Bourne’s production and consistently as recently as two weeks ago during a radio interview on WEEI.

“Yeah, KB’s done a good job for us all year, not just yesterday,” Belichick said after the Patriots’ loss at Las Vegas. “Getting open, with the ball in his hands, after the catch. He’s shown some good run skills and the ball security’s been much better this year.”

Bourne is also regarded as one of the most energetic players in the team’s locker room. He is one of several starters the Patriots have lost to injury this season, including Pro Bowl outside linebacker Matt Judon and rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Without him, the Pats’ receiver depth is down to DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Demario Douglas, Jalen Reagor, Tyquan Thornton and rookie Kayshon Boutte.

Parker suffered a head injury in Sunday’s game and did not return, while Smith-Schuster returned from a two-game absence to find himself fifth on the depth chart. He has 89 yards total on the season. Douglas, a sixth-round rookie, is now the Pats’ leading healthy receiver with 222 yards.

Reagor has just one catch in four game appearances. Thornton was a healthy scratch Sunday, and Boutte hasn’t taken any snaps since the season opener. They have eight and zero yards, respectively, on the season.

Bourne should soon on injured reserve, which will create an open roster spot.

One missed call came with 6:26 left in the third quarter on second-and-10 when Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker was hit helmet-to-helmet by Dolphins safety DeShonn Elliott, jarring the ball loose on an incompletion. Elliott made helmet-to-helmet contact with Parker again when they landed on the turf. Officials did not throw a flag on the play. Parker left the game and was quickly ruled out with a head injury.

The Patriots trailed 24-10 at the time and punted after an incompletion on third-and-10. A penalty would have put the Patriots in Dolphins territory with a new set of downs.

“I’d like to feel like our players are getting protected like anyone else’s,” Belichick said Monday morning on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.” “The tripping on Ezekiel Elliott. That’s another dangerous pay. Stuff like that. There shouldn’t be a place for that in football.”

Patriots captain Matthew Slater said after the game that he believed Elliott would get fined for the hit despite not being flagged on the play. Quarterback Mac Jones took responsibility after the game for putting Parker in the position to take that hit.

It appeared that Elliott was tripped when Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins kicked his legs up on a play early in the second quarter.

Just starting review, but wondering if this is the play Bill Belichick is referencing on the tripping of Ezekiel Elliott (2Q/14:31). https://t.co/1Vg9j4eTX6 pic.twitter.com/A7Z11mRVOt

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 30, 2023

Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster later laid out Dolphins safety Brandon Jones to break up an interception. A flag was thrown on the play, but officials wound up penalizing Smith-Schuster for unsportsmanlike conduct, not unnecessary roughness.

Whether it pokes at his roster management, in-game management, or a play-call doesn’t matter. Odds are Belichick will follow with some version of this answer: “We did what we thought was best for the football team.”

It’s a verbal binky for Belichick. Through this blanket response, he simultaneously tells the truth without revealing anything and often halts the line of questioning. Inevitably, we all move on.

Well, here’s a question: with the NFL’s trade deadline two days away, what is in the best interest of the 2-6 Patriots?

Selling, of course.

Forget a path to the playoffs. After going 1-of-9 on third down in Miami, these Patriots need directions just to move the chains. There is no sense in adding cargo onto a sinking ship.

It’s time to offload.

The Dolphins out-gained the Patriots by close to a 2:1 ratio Sunday and led for the final 36 minutes; numbers that spotlighted the massive talent gap between the Pats and legitimate AFC contenders. The Patriots are who we thought they were: a bad football team.

Belichick and the front office should deal veterans on expiring contracts who can fetch mid-round picks — like Josh Uche, Kendrick Bourne and/or Kyle Dugger. None of these players will return compensatory picks if they walk as free agents, assuming the Patriots spend this spring like any bad team with the second-most cap space in the NFL should. So, stockpile as much draft capital as possible now fore future selections or trades that require more assets than the front office currently has.

The time to trigger a rebuild is here. But will Belichick see this? Will he sell?

Fat chance.

Belichick is known to sacrifice anything at the altar of winning. He is both the GM and head coach, and while Belichick the GM has often failed Belichick the head coach when roster-building, one won’t abandon the other now. Belichick might also be coaching for his job, especially after Sunday’s defeat dropped him to 27-32 over the last three and a half years.

On Sunday morning, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer shed light on the reporting around Belichick’s offseason contract adjustment saying, “Effectively, my understanding is, this changes nothing.”

Breer’s reporting echoed earlier sentiments shared by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, an insider who has a long-standing, well-documented relationship with Belichick. Schefter expects Belichick and owner Robert Kraft to meet at the end of the season and decide if and how to move forward.

Kraft should first call a meeting on how to move at the trade deadline, and order Belichick to sell. He’s allegedly done it before.

Patriots’ latest loss shows recent offensive surge was just a fluke

According to ESPN, Kraft ordered Jimmy Garoppolo be traded days before the deadline in 2017. Kraft has repeatedly denied the report, calling it "fiction." But the circumstances surrounding and leading up to Garoppolo's trade to San Francisco support the reporting.

Belichick called the 49ers last-minute and asked for a second-round pick, a price lower than what the Browns offered at the 2017 NFL Draft, which Belichick declined. Belichick didn't attempt to drum up a market for a highly valued asset. What type of GM does that?

Belichick, as reports later uncovered, also happened to be butting heads with Tom Brady. But Brady, fresh off his fifth Super Bowl ring and en route to another MVP award, won Kraft over, thereby forcing Garoppolo out and winning the right to leave on his own terms.

If Belichick intends to win Kraft over in the coming days, what case could he possibly make?

It's not a roster currently devoid of blue-chip talent. It's not a coaching edge his staff is instilling on Sundays (the Patriots committed four more penalties than Miami). It's not the quarterback.

Mac Jones' interception at the end of Sunday's first half came a Demario Douglas tackle away from becoming his fourth pick-six of the season. It caused at least a 6-point swing in what was then a 14-7 game the Patriots might have tied were it not for Jones' horrendous throw.

Bill Belichick comments on JuJu Smith-Schuster’s demotion in Patriots-Dolphins game

Through eight games, Jones is tracking for career worsts in passer rating, yards per attempt and interception rate. Of course, he's also been failed by one of the NFL's most porous offensive lines.

The Patriots' latest solution there has involved moving right guard Mike Onwenu to right tackle; a move offensive line coach Adrian Klemm told reporters he considered as early as this summer, and Belichick has been reluctant to make for years.

Out wide, Belichick's latest highly drafted wide receiver, Tyquan Thornton, was a healthy scratch Sunday. His big free-agent splash this offseason, JuJu Smith-Schuster, only took the field because DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne succumbed to injuries. Meanwhile, Jalen Reagor, newly signed off the practice squad, saw several snaps before Smith-Schuster took his first.

Lastly, Belichick's pride and joy, his defense, failed to beat Miami back at the end. It continues to suffer from communication issues in the secondary, as safeties Jabrill Peppers and defensive back Myles Bryant confessed post-game. Though Dugger snatched his first interception of the season, and might be turning a corner.

Could that boost his value in the eyes of interested contenders? Bourne's value is already clear, provided his MRI scheduled for Monday comes back clean. The same holds for Uche, one of the most impactful per-snap pass-rushers in the NFL, per multiple advanced metrics.

But in New England, Uche can't even see the field half the time. He hasn't played more than 38% of the team's snaps in a single season. He's a poor scheme fit, a sad excuse for an organization that drafted and developed a player with a premium skill set coveted around the league.

There cannot be any more excuses at 2-6. Whether Belichick decides on his own or Kraft forces him, it's time. Hang the sign on the door.

Fire sale.

Dolphins safety Brandon Jones was coming down with the ball when Smith-Schuster laid him out. The wideout was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play.

“I just saw the defensive player go for an interception,” Smith-Schuster said. “Just trying to make a play. He was coming down with the ball, just hit him in the chest to try to get the ball out.”

Smith-Schuster believed it was a clean hit but understood why Dolphins players came after him following the play.

“Of course they got upset,” he said. “I can see why. But it was a clean hit.”

Smith-Schuster was asked if he got clarity on whether it was the hit or something that transpired after the play that caused the penalty.

“I hit him and walked to the sideline,” Smith-Schuster said.

Dolphins players followed him to the sideline, which is when Patriots players got involved.

Defensive tackle Christian Barmore took exception with the way Dolphins players went after Smith-Schuster, and a long scrum between the two teams ensued.

“My guys came to protect our teammate all the time, doesn’t matter,” Barmore said. “Them guys came after my teammate crazy. They came to our sideline.”

“My guy going off the field, (a Dolphins player) came over to my sideline,” he continued. “That’s disrespectful, you know? Came to defend my teammate.”

Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, a starter over the first five weeks of the season, didn’t see action until wide receiver Kendrick Bourne left the game with a knee injury. Wide receiver DeVante Parker had already departed the game with a head injury.

A source told the Herald’s Andrew Callahan that Bourne will undergo an MRI on his knee Monday.

The demotion came after Smith-Schuster replaced wide receiver Jakobi Meyers in the Patriots’ offense this season as their prized free-agent signing, adding him on a three-year, $25.5 million contract.

Smith-Schuster has just 15 catches for 89 yards and a touchdown in six games.

“We played multiple people,” head coach Bill Belichick said. “Missed two weeks. But we played multiple people. So. whichever guy plays less, you’ll ask why that guy didn’t play more and so, we can’t play everybody.”

Smith-Schuster was out Weeks 6 and 7 with a concussion. Bourne, Parker and Douglas were the team’s top receivers before injuries affected the group. Jalen Reagor also played ahead of Smith-Schuster.

“It’s what the coaches — the decisions they made with the players,” Smith-Schuster said. “It is what it is. I’ve been in situations like this before. So, just when the opportunity comes, make the most of it.”

Smith-Schuster’s lone catch was a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mac Jones. That was Smith-Schuster’s first score in his Patriots career.

He said he knew it was a possibility that his snaps would be limited coming into the game.

The Patriots made wide receivers Tyquan Thornton and Kayshon Boutte inactive as healthy scratches in Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins. They’ll likely dress next week against the Commanders if Bourne and Parker can’t play.

Dolphins safety DeShonn Elliott was not flagged for his hit on Parker that caused the head injury, but Patriots captain Matthew Slater still believed he would get fined for the play. Elliott helmet collided with Parker’s helmet once on the hit and when they fell to the turf.

Jones blamed himself for Parker’s injury.

“Hate seeing that when you’re the quarterback,” Jones said. “It’s the worst feeling in the world. Can’t put someone in that position.”

After last week’s win over the Bills, we asked where that team came from. It was apparent where the team that lost 31-17 to the Dolphins was hiding. This was the same team that struggled over and over again through the first six weeks of the season.

The Patriots struggled to move the ball in Sunday’s loss in Hard Rock Stadium, gaining just 218 total yards on 51 plays, and so many of the issues that plagued them in blowout losses earlier in the season tormented them once more in Week 8.

“We just got behind the sticks early, turned the ball over obviously, weren’t good on third down,” tight end and offensive captain Hunter Henry said Sunday. “Just situational football wasn’t great today. We were able to capitalize on the first turnover, but the second turnover, we really needed to put points on there. We just weren’t able to execute. They were able to do some good things too. You gotta give them credit too. Their D-line is really good up front. They move in, make a lot of plays in the backfield that we need to be better on.”

The Patriots’ offense showed promise late in the first quarter after safety Kyle Dugger gave them the ball on the Dolphins’ 30-yard line after picking off quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Quarterback Mac Jones hit Kendrick Bourne on a 24-yard catch and run touchdown to cap off a three-play, 30-yard drive. But they managed just a field goal early in the second half after linebacker Anfernee Jennings recovered a muffed handoff between Tagovailoa and running back Raheem Mostert. The Patriots actually moved backward 1 yard before rookie Chad Ryland banged through a 38-yard field goal.

Jones was intercepted once, and it would have been a pick-six for cornerback Jalen Ramsey if rookie wide receiver Demario Douglas wasn’t able to force the All-Pro, returning from injury, out of bounds. Jones nearly threw two more picks on the Patriots’ final offensive drive.

“Like I always talk about, every week is different,” Jones said when asked why the Patriots couldn’t continue their offensive momentum from Week 7. “Gameplan changes. We just needed a little more production from me, from everybody. That’s where it starts. It starts with the quarterback. I can be cleaner on my reads and all of that stuff. You’ve got to be really sharp against a team with a really good offense, and I thought the defense fought really hard. It’s a really good football team we played.”

Head coach Bill Belichick was asked after the game if Jones would continue to be the Patriots’ starting quarterback.

“We all need to play better, yeah,” Belichick said. “We all need to coach and play better.”

The Patriots had the same offensive line combination that protected Jones well in Week 7. They let up three sacks and four more QB hits on Sunday. And rookie wide receiver Demario Douglas, an offensive sparkplug, continued to see an increased role but picked up just 25 yards on five catches. Wide receivers Kendrick Bourne (knee) and DeVante Parker (head) both left the game with injuries, and the team did not benefit from officiating.

But it’s clear that the Patriots cannot compete with a unit as high-powered as the Dolphins’ offense no matter how hard the defense fights. The Dolphins gained 390 yards on 73 plays while Tagovailoa tossed three touchdowns.

It was fair to pump the brakes on declaring that the Patriots were back after last week’s win. After Sunday’s loss, and based on the first six weeks of the season, it looks like merely an aberration.

The 2-6 Patriots couldn’t keep up with the speedy Dolphins in Week 8’s 31-17 intra-division loss. That came after an encouraging effort by the Patriots’ offense in their Week 7 win over the Bills.

“As a team, it just wasn’t good enough,” head coach Bill Belichick when asked about quarterback Mac Jones’ performance.

Things actually started relatively promising for the Patriots, who took an early lead off of an interception from safety Kyle Dugger off of Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, giving the offense a short field.

After a throwaway and a 6-yard run by running back Rhamondre Stevenson, Jones found Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne in the middle of the field for a 24-yard catch-and-run touchdown.

It took just a little over three minutes for the Dolphins to respond on a six-play, 75-yard drive that saw Tagvailoa find wide receiver Tyreek Hill zooming downfield with Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson and rookie safety Marte Mapu lagging behind in his tracks on a 42-yard deep touchdown.

The Patriots quickly went three-and-out, losing 11 yards in the process on their ensuing drive before the Dolphins scored again.

This time, the Dolphins plodded down the field on a 14-play, 53-yard drive that culminated with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to wide receiver Cedric Wilson. Jackson, who was penalized for a relatively soft defensive pass interference penalty on the drive, was in coverage on that play, as well.

Another promising Patriots offensive drive ended with a Jones interception on a target to Bourne that was jumped by All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, returning from injury in his Dolphins debut.

“I knew the coverage, I knew the everything,” Jones said after the game. “I just made a bad throw really late, didn’t really drive it. That’s what happens on that play. The guy either takes it, and it’s a touchdown, or the guy falls off, and that can happen. Can’t do that as a quarterback. Just throw it out of bounds or take the check-down and move on.”

The Dolphins responded with a field goal after an eight-play, 28-yard drive before the Patriots kneeled on the ball to end the half with 26 seconds left on the game clock.

A Dolphins fumble to begin the second half on a muffed handoff from Tagovailoa to running back Raheem Mostert that was scooped up by linebacker Anfernee Jennings gave the Patriots life. Jones and Co. lost a yard before rookie kicker Chad Ryland knocked through a field goal to cut the Dolphins’ lead to 17-10.

The Dolphins, with little resistance from a Patriots defense that lost linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley to a hamstring injury, went 77 yards on nine plays before Mostert walked into the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run to make the score 24-10.

The Patriots and Dolphins then exchanged four consecutive punts before Jones ended the scoring drought with a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had entered the game after Bourne was ruled out with a knee injury and DeVante Parker was out with a head ailment. The score, which came after a 13-play, 81-yard drive that saw Jones spread the ball around to tight end Hunter Henry, wide receiver Demario Douglas and Stevenson, cut the Dolphins’ lead to 24-17.

The dagger came with 2:43 left in the game when Tagovailoa found a wide-open Jaylen Waddle in the middle of the field for an easy 31-yard catch-and-run touchdown. The Dolphins sent Hill in motion, and both Jack Jones and Jonathan Jones followed him in coverage, leaving Waddle standing in the middle of the field without a defender in the vicinity.

BEST

S Kyle Dugger: Dugger was everywhere for the Patriots, intercepting a pass, recording a sack and leading the team with seven tackles.

WR Kendrick Bourne: Before leaving the game with a knee injury, Bourne caught three passes on four targets for 36 yards with a touchdown.

DT Christian Barmore: Barmore has had a strong three-week stretch. The 2021 second-round pick registered five tackles and a sack.

WORST

CB J.C. Jackson: The veteran cornerback allowed two touchdowns in Sunday’s loss. He was charged with defensive pass interference, but it was a pretty ticky-tack flag.

S Marte Mapu: The rookie defender trailed far behind Hill on the Dolphins’ 42-yard touchdown connection. He saw his playing time decrease after the play.

QB Mac Jones: It wasn’t an awful performance from Jones, but the bar is pretty low for the young quarterback this season. He was 19-of-29 for 161 yards with two touchdowns, an interception and two more near-picks. Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa was 30-of-45 for 324 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne suffered a knee injury on the first play of the fourth quarter. He spent time in the Patriots’ blue pop-up medical tent before departing for the locker room. He was quickly ruled out after leaving the sideline.

Bourne has been the Patriots’ top receiver this season with 37 catches for 406 yards with four touchdowns. He caught three passes on four targets for 36 yards with a touchdown before departing Sunday’s game.

Wide receiver DeVante Parker had already been ruled out with a head ailment.

The injuries leaves the Patriots with Demario Douglas, Jalen Reagor and JuJu Smith-Schuster at wide receiver. Rookie Kayshon Boutte and 2022 second-round pick Tyquan Thornton were healthy scratches Sunday.

Parker actually took two shots to the head from Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott on the play — once on initial contact and again when Elliott landed on Parker. Parker dropped quarterback Mac Jones’ pass upon contact.

No clue how you don’t rule violent contact to the head/neck of a defenseless receiver here. Kind of a textbook case. pic.twitter.com/S14fz76ghC

— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) October 29, 2023

Elliott was not penalized for unnecessary roughness on the hit. The Patriots acquired Parker in a trade with the Dolphins last offseason.

Parker’s injury still leaves the Patriots with Kendrick Bourne, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Demario Douglas and Jalen Reagor at wide receiver. Reagor is expected to take on the bulk of Parker’s snaps at “X” wide receiver.

The injury occurred in the second quarter. Bentley first departed into the Patriots’ blue pop-up medical tent before leaving the sideline for the locker room.

Patriots linebackers Jahlani Tavai and Mack Wilson took over for Bentley in the middle of the defense.

Bentley led the Patriots with 49 tackles heading into Week 8. He had six tackles against the Dolphins before leaving the game. He also has a sack, three tackles for loss, five QB hits and a pass breakup this season.

The young wide receiver is among the Patriots’ inactives with the Patriots dressing Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jalen Reagor instead. Rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte will also be a healthy scratch.

Here’s the Patriots’ full list of inactives:

OT Calvin Anderson
OT Vederian Lowe
OLB Josh Uche
WR Kayshon Boutte
WR Tyquan Thornton
QB Will Grier (3rd QB)

Anderson (illness), Lowe (ankle) and Uche (ankle/toe) didn’t make the trip to Miami.

Bailey Zappe will back up starting quarterback Mac Jones with Grier serving as the team’s emergency third QB.

Defensive tackle Christian Barmore (knee), offensive tackle Trent Brown (ankle/knee), cornerback Jonathan Jones (knee), cornerback Shaun Wade (shoulder), defensive end Keion White (concussion) and defensive end Deatrich Wise (shoulder) were listed questionable but will play against the Dolphins.

McDermott, who signed back to the Patriots’ practice squad on Oct. 17, was elevated from the practice squad onto the gameday roster Saturday.

Additional offensive tackle depth was necessary with Calvin Anderson (illness) and Vederian Lowe (ankle) already ruled inactive. Left tackle Trent Brown (ankle/knee) is also questionable but expected to play. Mike Onwenu started at right tackle last week. Rookie Sidy Sow started at right guard last Sunday but also has experience at tackle.

The expected available offensive linemen for Sunday’s game are Brown, left guard Cole Strange, center David Andrews, Sow, Onwenu, McDermott and rookies Atonio Mafi and Jake Andrews.

The Patriots also have offensive linemen Riley Reiff and Tyrone Wheatley Jr. on injured reserve.

Outside linebacker Josh Uche (ankle/toe), a trade deadline candidate, was also ruled out Saturday. League sources have projected that he could net a third- or fourth-round pick in a trade. One team source did not question the validity of Uche’s injury three days out from the trade deadline.

Outside linebacker Josh Uche (ankle/toe) and offensive lineman Vederian Lowe (ankle) were both downgraded from questionable to out before the Patriots traveled to South Florida.

Uche and Lowe join Calvin Anderson on the early inactive list.

Uche, who’s in a contract year, also missed last week’s game due to injury. He’s been a popular trade candidate ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. Sources believe he could net the Patriots a late Day 2 or early Day 3 pick in the draft.

One team source did not doubt the validity of Uche’s injury.

Defensive tackle Christian Barmore (knee), offensive tackle Trent Brown (ankle/knee), cornerback Jonathan Jones (knee), cornerback Shaun Wade (shoulder), defensive end Keion White (concussion) and defensive end Deatrich Wise (shoulder) were also listed as questionable but seemingly made the trip to Miami.

He grabs a helmet, shoulder pads, cleats, the same faded jersey, and a couple other pieces of equipment common to every NFL player.

But last week, in order to properly prepare for Buffalo, he needed more.

Reagor requested four sweatbands from the team’s equipment staff, two for each forearm. He slid one under each elbow, then tugged the leftovers above each wrist. Because in those practices, he would no longer be Jalen Reagor.

He was the second-most targeted receiver in the league, a three-time Pro Bowler and armband enthusiast: Bills star Stefon Diggs. The coaching staff tasked Reagor with simulating Diggs on the scout-team offense, his home for most of the season as a practice-squad player (the Patriots signed Reagor to their active roster Thursday). Each week, the Patriots’ scout-team offense practices against their starting defense, running plays the coaches expect to see from their next opponent.

Prior to last weekend, Diggs had made a habit of torturing the Patriots. He averaged seven catches for 95 yards and a touchdown in their last six regular-season games. Theoretically, the closer Reagor could act, look and play like Diggs, the better the Patriots could defend him on game day.

And that’s exactly what they did, holding Diggs to season lows in catches (six) and receiving yards (58).

As for Reagor’s practice performance, teammates universally glowed days later. He crushed it.

“He’s helped us tremendously,” said Patriots cornerback/safety Myles Bryant. “I mean, you look at the receivers we’ve gone against so far this season, I don’t think there’s been a week where we can kind of relax. And every week he’s gone out there and gotten us better.”

The proof is in the numbers.

The Patriots defense ranks best in the league against opposing No. 1 receivers by DVOA. They’ve allowed 44.5 yards per game to that group, which includes the AFC’s leading receiver (Miami’s Tyreek Hill), the NFC leader (A.J. Brown), future Hall of Famer Davante Adams, and rising stars CeeDee Lamb, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. Combined, these No. 1 receivers have 20 Pro Bowl honors, but just four touchdowns versus the Patriots this year.

Since signing to the team’s practice squad in August, Reagor has helped simulate most of those receivers. To the 24-year-old, no detail is insignificant to his preparation; not Diggs’ arm bands and mouthpiece nor Adams’ mannerisms at the line of scrimmage.

On Adams, Reagor said: “He never runs his routes full-speed. If you notice, he runs the release at in-between (speed), then goes full. So, you just study that and then implement that into your game.”

Reagor admitted he’d study players like Diggs and Adams anyway. He devours wide receiver highlights at home, in the facility, anywhere he can. A first-round pick from the 2020 draft class, many believed Reagor would one day join the ranks of the league’s elite.

Instead, the the 24-year-old got traded after two disappointing seasons in Philadelphia, and failed to make a significant impact last year with the Vikings, who cut him this summer. He’s enjoyed a rapid rise in New England, thanks partly to an underperforming group around him. Only one Patriots wideout owns more than 200 yards this season.

There’s a case Reagor may be the most naturally gifted receiver in their meeting room.

“When you talk about talent, (Reagor) can do everything,” said Pats safety Jalen Mills. “He can run short routes, he can run intermediate routes, he can run the deep ball because he’s fast. He’s got a strong enough build to go across the middle.”

“You see it out there on the practice field,” said Patriots safety Adrian Phillips. “He is legit.”

As a prospect, the 5-foot-11 Reagor clocked a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash and tested as one of the most explosive players in his entire draft class. He ranks among the Patriots’ strongest receivers, something he should soon be able to showcase on Sundays with the starting offense. Though Reagor said he intends to continue contributing on scout team.

Patriots’ Kendrick Bourne opens up about last season’s struggles

"Scout team is fun for me," he said. "I can also work on my craft, but those types of receivers have a lot of freedom in the offenses. So being on scout team is just having fun."

Ahead of Sunday's showdown at Miami, Reagor declined to divulge much about simulating Hill. There was one unavoidable fact, however: extra running.

As one of the NFL's fastest players, Hill ranks among the league's leaders in pre-snap motion and deep routes.

"Before and during the play, you do everything he does. It's a bunch of stuff, it's crazy," Reagor said. "And I can see why they throw him the ball a lot."

A deep threat himself, Reagor said the last two months in New England have helped round out his game. In college at TCU, he ran the same handful of routes playing within a simple scheme that prioritized tempo and deep passing. But now, he's comfortable tracing every branch of the NFL route tree.

Reagor also believes he's grown personally, having endured all the pain and criticism that accompanies failing to meet first-round expectations in a market like Philadelphia. He's left social media behind, and divorced his self-worth from the opinions of strangers. He's found purpose in practice, and the reps that elevated him and a defense dominating the best in the game.

"It might be a blessing in disguise. Maybe I needed to be in a place like this, where hard work is the sole purpose. Who knows?" Reagor said. "I'm just optimistic because at the end of the day, it can't get worse."

Pats' trade candidates facing finale?

Is this goodbye?

Whether the Patriots win or lose in Miami, several key players will face the possibility they've played their final game in New England.

The Pats will be a sub-.500 team when the NFL's trade deadline arrives Tuesday at 4 p.m.. The front office has received several calls about their impending free agents, a source told the Herald's Doug Kyed. One front-office source expects at least one trade to be "definitely possible."

Among the Patriots' top trade candidates are wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, pass rusher Josh Uche, safety Kyle Dugger and offensive lineman Mike Onwenu. All of them are on expiring contracts. Veteran tight end Hunter Henry and starting left tackle Trent Brown have also been rumored to  be potential trade targets, though their standings on the depth chart and in the locker room should keep them in Foxboro.

This week, Uche, who is currently dealing with a foot injury, addressed the possibility of an extension and trade with the Patriots.

"My agent's been in communication with the team. I've had some communications. I'm not gonna really disclose with whom or what it was about," he told the Herald. "So I just know I want to play football, I would love to be in New England, and at the end of the day it comes down to me doing everything I can.

"And that starts with playing football, so that's where my priority is right now."

Meanwhile, Dugger insisted he knew little about any trade rumors.

What’s the likelihood Patriots make a deal at next week’s NFL trade deadline?

"Honestly I haven't heard too much about that," he said. "I just keep trying to focus on the field."

As for communication with his agents, Dugger added: "If something happens, obviously I have to know about it, but (my agents) just let me focus on playing football, trying to get better and be better."

Onwenu is taking a similar mindset ahead of the deadline. His value could rise around the league if he continues to play at right tackle, a position that pays higher than right guard.

"No, I haven't thought about it," he said of a possible trade. "I mean, whatever happens, happens. I can't control it."

Last week, Bourne admitted the trade deadline will weigh on his mind. This is the second straight season the Patriots have taken calls from outside front offices about his availability.

“Definitely will be on my mind, but just being ready for whatever man,” Bourne said. “I want to be here, I would love to be here. But if there are other plans, then it is what it is.”

Dugger disappointed in his play

Through seven games, one of the Patriots' five best players is playing anything like it.

Safety Kyle Dugger has more pressures as a pass rusher than pass breakups in coverage. He's yet to force a turnover. He's whiffing on more than 10% of his tackle attempts and tracking for one of the worst Pro Football Focus grades of his career.

"Personally, I don't feel like I've played even close to my best ball," he said. "So I'm just trying to build and get into that. Fundamentally, things like that, just get myself playing better ball ... get the simple things back in alignment."

What does Dugger believe he's lacking?

"Just missed opportunities when I watch the film," he said. "It might not be something that's super obvious to anybody outside, but just things that I know personally, you know, I should have done better you know, go offense, things I didn't take advantage of whatever reason."

Dugger said playing more free safety in Devin McCourty's absence hasn't contributed to his struggles. The Patriots suffered from communication issues in their secondary during a recent three-game losing streak against Dallas, New Orleans and Las Vegas.

"No, I'm not gonna let that — that's something that I think the defense needs somebody needs to do, and I feel like I have to do that," he said. "I don't think that's an excuses. I just have to be better fundamentally."

Quote of the Week

"I’m not a big space guy." — Patriots center David Andrews explaining why he's never seen Star Wars.

The Patriots made key personnel changes that led the offense and defense to perform considerably better than they had played through the first six weeks of the season.

They played a rookie wide receiver more, made a key change on their offensive line and activated a defensive playmaker before the game.

Head coach Bill Belichick must now continue to ride with what worked Sunday against the Dolphins.

So, these four players must continue to play key roles in Week 8:

WR Demario Douglas

It’s not unreasonable to compare Douglas to some of the players who came before him in the long lineage of Patriots slot receivers.

Douglas isn’t Troy Brown, Wes Welker, Danny Amendola or Julian Edelman yet, but he’s also a rookie and has already shown some of the same skills at beating man coverage and making plays after the catch using his quickness that they brought to the Patriots’ offense during the dynasty era.

It’s too bad that the Patriots invested so much money in wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency before selecting Douglas in the draft, because the rookie has been considerably better out of the slot so far this season. He received his most playing time Sunday with Smith-Schuster out.

It’s unclear what will happen with Smith-Schuster if Douglas keeps earning starting snaps in the slot. The veteran can also play the “Z” role in the offense, but Kendrick Bourne plays that spot and is the Patriots’ most consistent wide receiver. DeVante Parker and Jalen Reagor were competing for snaps in the “X” role last week, and the team still has Tyquan Thornton and Kayshon Boutte on their 53-man roster.

Smith-Schuster was inactive after being listed on the injury report with a concussion last week. We’ll see if he can get back on the active roster in Week 8.

RT Mike Onwenu

The offensive line played its best game of the season in Week 7’s win, and it’s really no big surprise that it came with Onwenu at right tackle.

Onwenu is a better right guard, but he’s also the best right tackle option the Patriots have on their roster. They’ve rifled through Riley Reiff, Conor McDermott, Sidy Sow, Calvin Anderson and Vederian Lowe since training camp broke in July. Then they finally made the move to start Onwenu at right tackle Sunday, and it paid off in a big way.

The Patriots could elevate McDermott from the practice squad and move Onwenu back to right guard. But it worked with Trent Brown at left tackle, Cole Strange at left guard, David Andrews at center and rookie Sidy Sow at right guard. The Patriots are better off not messing with what worked.

CB Jonathan Jones

The Patriots took what was probably a smart approach at cornerback with Jack Jones returning off of injured reserve and Jonathan Jones still nursing a knee injury suffered in Week 7.

J.C. Jackson served as one outside cornerback, and Myles Bryant played the slot while Jack Jones and Jonathan Jones split snaps the other outside cornerback position.

If Jackson and both Jonses are healthy, then they create the team’s best cornerback combination with Christian Gonzalez expected to be out for the season. Jackson and Jack Jones can play outside, and Jones can return to the slot, where he spent the majority of the early portion of his career.

The Patriots would be better off with Gonzalez on the active roster, but Jackson, Jack Jones and Jonathan Jones can be a very good cornerback combination.

DT Christian Barmore

The 2021 second-round pick out of Alabama has made a major impact in consecutive weeks. He registered five defensive stops Week 6 against the Raiders and then generated four pressures, including one sack, against the Bills while still producing two defensive stops.

“B-More’s had a really good year,” Belichick said Wednesday. “He’s been healthy. He had a good offseason. I’d say this is the hardest that he’s trained or was able to train. Some of that’s been a little bit rehab-related. He’s had a good offseason, good training and he’s playing well. I think those things usually go together.”

Barmore is on pace to set a career high in defensive snaps. The 24-year-old ranks 12th out of 54 qualified defensive tackles in PFF’s pass-rush grade, 22nd in pressures and 12th in pass-rush win rate.

Last weekend’s upset of the Bills won’t be enough for the Patriots (2-5) to reverse course on their season, but beating Miami could start an impressive U-turn. The Pats are slated as 9-point underdogs in South Florida, where they’ve struggled historically. The Patriots are 2-8 in their last 10 visits, and haven’t beaten the Dolphins on the road in the post-Brady era.

Expect them to follow a formula similar to what they executed against Buffalo: quick passing, more run-pass-options, defensive schemes to get instant pressure and an eye on the field position battle.

Here’s how Sunday should go down in Miami:

When the Patriots run

Suddenly, the Pats are among the steadiest rushing teams in the NFL.

They rank ninth in success rate over the last three weeks, indicating an ability to stay on-schedule and move the chains. Moving right guard Mike Onwenu to right tackle factored into some of their success, though something must be said for overall continuity.

The Patriots are no longer juggling injuries along their O-line, which has cleared wider and wider holes for running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott. Left tackle Trent Brown is also playing some of the best football of his career. Despite that, look for the Pats to pound the right side of Miami’s defense, where the Dolphins are allowing a league-high 31.3% of carries in that direction to go for first downs, per Sports Info. Solutions.

Mac Jones discloses ‘word of the week’ for Patriots after big win over Bills

The Patriots are also likely to dust off their plan from the teams' last meeting in Week 2, when they featured heavy personnel groupings on their first few drives. While they failed to knock Miami off the ball that night, and then fell into an early hole, the Dolphins are allowing 4.4 yards per carry against two-tight end personnel, ninth-worst in the NFL.

When the Patriots pass

Despite all their talent, Miami ranks among the worst passing defenses in the NFL by most metrics. Good news, right?

Not entirely. According to the opponent-and-situation-adjusted metric DOVA, the Dolphins are a top-5 unit at defending the middle of the field, aka Mac Jones' sweet spot. Jones played his best game of the season last week by attacking between the numbers and inside of 20 yards downfield. He didn't attempt a single deep pass.

After going 0-of-5 on those throws versus Miami last month, expect the Patriots to target Stevenson and tight ends Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki and Pharaoh Brown in the short to intermediate areas. Miami ranks as a bottom-5 pass defense versus running backs and tight ends. The Dolphins also hinted at a possible return for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey during the week, which could discourage outside throws.

And don't forget about rookie receiver Demario Douglas. He averaged more than 14 yards per touch last weekend, the first game of his career when he was allowed to play more than half the team's offensive snaps. Douglas is coming on strong.

Callahan: The Patriots can’t take Demario Douglas off the field anymore

When the Dolphins run

Lost amid all the hype for Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle is the fact Miami fields one of the most dangerous rushing attacks in the entire league. That is, until last week.

Against Philadelphia, the Dolphins finished with 45 rushing yards and a yards per carry average below four. The Eagles' defensive line dominated a banged-up Miami offensive line, which will again be without its starting left tackle and starting left guard on Sunday. The Pats will need defensive tackles Christian Barmore and Davon Godchaux to dominate like they did against Buffalo and control the middle, where Raheem Mostert ripped off a 43-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter of the last meeting.

The danger, as always, is in the Dolphins' long speed.

But the real battleground Sunday might be on the edge, where Miami repeatedly ran outside zone and toss plays to get their speedy backs in space in Week 2. Aside from Jahlani Tavai losing one battle that allowed for an 8-yard touchdown in the second quarter, the Patriots largely held their ground. That bought them time against Miami, which called 45% of its runs behind either tackle, and scored once in the second half.

When the Dolphins pass

This is all about timing.

In Week 2, Tagovailoa nullified the Pats' pass rush (a season-low 15.2% pressure rate with Matt Judon) by unloading the ball in a faster average time (2.08 seconds) than any quarterback posted that week. Miami still operates one of the league's fastest passing games designed to get Hill and Waddle into space. Even with a limited receiving corps (Hill has a hip injury), the Dolphins' offense is designed to create yards after the catch for whoever is playing receiver.

To prevent this, will the Patriots blitz? They sent extra rushers at Josh Allen on almost 40% of his dropbacks last Sunday, despite the fact he entered with a passer rating against the blitz north of 110. Tagovailoa's numbers are also strong versus the blitz, and in Week 2 he went 4-of-6 for 43 yards against Patriots blitzes, including three first-down conversions.

One way or another, the Patriots must either reach Tagovailoa within two-plus seconds or force him to hold the ball for longer than he wants.

Game pick

Miami 20, Patriots 16

Coming out of training camp, the favorites, based on pecking order in practice reps were wide receivers DeVante Parker and JuJu Smith-Schuster, and tight end Hunter Henry. Seven weeks into the season, a fourth candidate has not only emerged, he’s nearly doubling the Patriots’ next top pass catchers in receiving yards.

Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne leads the Patriots with 34 catches, 370 yards and three touchdowns. The Patriots’ next-top target, Henry, has 20 catches for 210 yards and two touchdowns. Parker has just 14 catches for 144 yards, and Smith-Schuster hasn’t even cracked the century mark in receiving yards with 14 catches for 86 yards.

Henry has been consistent as one of the Patriots’ top offensive players, but Parker saw practice squad elevation Jalen Reagor eat into his snaps in Week 7. Smith-Schuster might have lost his starting slot job to Demario Douglas last week, as well. Meanwhile, Bourne is fifth on team in offensive snaps. He was off of the field for just four snaps in each of the last two games, in which he has 16 catches for 152 yards with a touchdown.

He’s also been the NFL’s 11th-best wide receiver, per ESPN analytics, which uses “player-tracking data from NFL Next Gen Stats to evaluate every route a pass catcher runs and scores his performance in three phases of the game, from 0 to 99.”

He ranks fourth in yards after catch, 36th in getting open and 40th in catching, based on those metrics.

So, what’s been going so right?

“Just practicing well, executing well with the team,” Bourne said. “Just focusing each and every day to make the plays work. Just practice as an overall group has been going good.”

This is the player Patriots fans were expecting to see in 2022 as Bourne came off of a career year in his first season in New England, catching 55 passes for 800 yards with five touchdowns in 2021 with Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator. But Bourne saw his snap count decrease in 2022 under Matt Patricia, and he disappointed with just 35 catches for 434 yards with one touchdown.

“I just was kind of not bought in last year, just going through a lot of personal things and mental battles,” Bourne said. “And last year helped me a lot for this year, though. So when I look back at it, I’m thankful for it. It was some things I regret, but ultimately, it was God’s journey for me to become who I am right now. And so ultimately, it was worth it. But I definitely don’t want to go through it again.”

When asked if last year’s coaching staff had to do with Bourne not buying in, he said he was just not “personally, mentally” bought in.

He was focusing more on himself than football as he “turned his life around for God.” But in the long run, it made him a better player this season.

“I just lived with discipline, not partying, not doing things I used to do,” Bourne said about last season. “And just taking care of my body and not putting alcohol in my body so much, just other things, (not) hanging out women and doing all the — staying up all night. The whole nine lifestyle I kind of changed around.

“And it was it was hard for me personally, and just was focusing on myself and football was hard to focus on. So two things at once in doing that ultimately made me a better football player.”

But learning to focus on himself meant not doing the little things in the facility throughout the week last season. And he regretted how he was “approaching every day.”

“Not taking care of my body, going home too early and things like that,” Bourne said. “Not getting treatment and getting in the tubs and the sauna. Just the little things after practice. You know, I would go to practice, I had good days but my body was aching. And now you know, (my) body still aches. Just doing it the right way. Now, my body feels a lot better. It can endure more.”

Bourne has found balance and adjusted to his new lifestyle, and with that has emerged a better football player.

He was able to bulk up to 205 pounds over the offseason, and despite the rigors of practice and game snaps, he’s been able to keep that weight on. He’s been working with Patriots dietician Ted Harper.

“I’m on a consistent nutrition routine,” Bourne said. “Ted has me — I don’t eat strictly but I eat better than I used to. Last year that was my struggle too was my nutrition, eating unhealthy and so this year has been much better.”

Bourne is on pace for career highs this season as quarterback Mac Jones’ top target.

The Pats listed eight players as questionable, including left tackle Trent Brown (ankle/knee), pass rusher Josh Uche and defensive lineman Keion White (concussion). Uche and White both missed last weekend’s win over the Bills.

In Miami, the Dolphins removed wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle from their injury report.

Both teams’ complete reports are below.

PATRIOTS

Out

OL Calvin Anderson, Illness

Questionable

DL Christian Barmore, Knee

OT Trent Brown, Ankle/Knee

LB Josh Uche, Ankle/Toe

DL Deatrich Wise Jr., Shoulder

DL Keion White, Concussion

CB Jonathan Jones, Knee

OL Vederian Lowe, Ankle

CB Shaun Wade, Shoulder

DOLPHINS

Questionable

CB Cam Smith, Foot

RB Raheem Mostert, Ankle

S Jevon Holland, Concussion

RB Alec Ingold, Foot

WR River Cracraft, Shoulder

CB Xavien Howard, Groin

CB Nik Needham, Achilles

CB Jalen Ramsey, Knee

C Connor Williams, Groin

“(I’ll) just start by sending our – from the team, players have talked about this, captains yesterday, too – sending our thoughts and prayers to the people in Maine. It’s obviously a tragic situation,” Belichick said. “They’re great fans of ours, great friends up there and Maine is a great place. I feel bad for the pain and situation that they’re going through.

Bill Belichick opens with a statement sending thoughts and prayers to the people in Maine after the mass shooting. He mentions the #Patriots fans up there, and his personal connections to the area.

“We’re thinking about you down here with the #Patriots.” pic.twitter.com/Hh7ZH0V7qU

— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) October 27, 2023

“You know, Lewiston and Bowden, (I have) a lot of connections and a lot of my friends went there. I know the area pretty well, it’s very sad and difficult. So, we’re thinking about you down here at the Patriots.”

A murder warrant is currently out for the arrest of Robert Card, a 40-year-old resident of Bowdoin, Maine. Law enforcement opened a massive search for Card on Wednesday evening that continued into Friday. The shooting marked the worst mass killing in Maine state history.

Asked how conversations about the shooting began inside the team facility, whether Belichick initiated them or players did, Belichick declined to offer specifics.

“I don’t know, both. It could be any community. We all know that,” he said. “The fact that it’s our fans, our area, i’s kind of like the Connecticut situation a few years back. Not the same, but it’s just sad, tragic. And sounds like it’s not over yet.”

SEE HERALD’S FULL COVERAGE OF MAINE MASSACRE…

The Patriots are currently preparing for a road game Sunday at Miami. Their next home kickoff is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 5, against Washington.

The Patriots have received calls on many of their impending unrestricted free agents, a source said. The Patriots’ top UFAs next offseason are left tackle Trent Brown, tight end Hunter Henry, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and members of the 2020 NFL Draft class: safety Kyle Dugger, offensive lineman Mike Onwenu and edge defender Josh Uche.

Sources polled last week believe the Patriots could get a Day 2 draft pick in exchange for Dugger or Uche.

As for the likelihood of a deal, one source said “one trade is definitely possible” but it would be a surprise if there was more than that.

Head coach Bill Belichick wasn’t interested in diving deep into the Oct. 31 trade deadline during Friday morning’s news conference.

“Yeah, we’re just focused on Miami right now,” Belichick said. “(Director of player personnel) Matt (Groh) and his staff, if there’s something to talk about, I’m sure we’ll talk about it.”

Belichick was asked if he was checking in with Groh regularly.

“Matt’s office is 30 feet away,” he said. “If we need to see each other, we’ll see each other. If something comes up about anything, yeah.”

Belichick wouldn’t say that the Patriots would only consider trading a player in the final year of his deal.

“Yeah, there’s a lot of factors involved with players’ contracts,” Belichick said. “Everyone’s different, so I don’t think there’s any specific rule.”

Belichick didn’t single out any players but did say they’ve talked to some of their impending free agents about extensions.

“Yeah, we’ve talked to a number of players,” he said. “The one’s that we’ve reached an agreement with, we’ve reached an agreement with. The ones we haven’t, we haven’t.”

Wide receiver DeVante Parker and linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley have been signed to extensions.

The Patriots are set to have the most cap space in the NFL next offseason, meaning they’ll likely be heavily involved in free agency. Many times, if the Patriots lose a player in free agency, they’ll receive a compensatory draft pick in exchange. But compensatory picks are determined by a formula dependent on how many players a team gains and loses in free agency. So, if the Patriots are planning to sign more free agents than they’ll lose, then they likely wouldn’t receive comp picks for the players they lose. That could influence them to trade a player now to get something in return.

“Well yeah, it has some relevance,” Belichick said of the comp pick formula ahead of the deadline.

The Patriots would have to swing a trade by Halloween at 4 p.m. ET.