For the first time since 2009, the New England Patriots won’t walk into the playoffs with a first-round bye.
New England knows how important the first-round bye is and that’s why its 27-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins was so significant. The Patriots have clinched the No. 3 seed while the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs hold the top spots in the AFC. The Patriots are set to face the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the playoffs and they’ll have to get through some tough road games in order to make it to the Super Bowl.
The path for ring No. 7 just got much more difficult and the Dolphins exposed New England in all facets of the game. Here are five takeaways from the gut-wrenching loss.
Tom Brady potentially lost his last regular season home game
The legendary 42-year-old quarterback has spent two decades as the signal-caller for New England. He’s delivered Super Bowl victories and has had arguably the most dominant run in professional sports history. Brady and the Patriots have spoiled Boston fans year in and year out, but it could all be coming to an end.
Rumors have floated over the past few months that Brady’s time in New England will be over after this season. It’s been a very trying season for Brady, and he’s struggling more than ever to produce offensively. The Dolphins came into the game as one of the worst overall teams and Brady couldn’t deliver against them in crucial moments.
Brady’s pick-six likely changed the outcome of the game and his inability to score in the redzone has been a glaring issue all season. Joining another team or retiring seem to be more likely options than sticking around in Foxborough after this season.
If this is Brady’s last regular season home game, it’ll be a tough one to swallow.
Bill Belichick made puzzling decision at end of first half
Bill Belichick’s decision to let the clock run out at the end of the first half says everything.
The Patriots had three timeouts and potentially 90 seconds to take the lead in a 10-10 game before the half expired. Belichick let the clock bleed and ran the ball with no sense of urgency. Instead of the Patriots utilizing this crucial moment (like they always do), they played conservative and it haunted them at the end of the game.
Belichick clearly saw the risk higher than the reward, and that’s all that can be said about this stagnant offensive unit. He spoke about it after the game and gave an answer that didn’t really explain much.
“We’d see what kind of field position we got, and then if we could advance the ball, then we’d take them,” Belichick said. “But, we didn’t want to give the ball back with their timeouts at the end of the half, either.”
Brady offered a very simple response to it.
“We weren’t executing great, so I can understand the decision.”
Stephon Gilmore had his worst game all season against DeVante Parker
Stephon Gilmore, the NFL’s best cornerback, played his worst game at the worst time.
Gilmore has been an absolute shutdown corner the entire season and the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year. His struggles came against DeVante Parker, who recorded eight catches for 137 yards on 11 targets. Parker and Ryan Fitzpatrick were on the same page from the beginning of the game and they willingly attacked Gilmore throughout.
Parker’s most important catch came on the final drive, where the Dolphins ultimately locked the game up.
Elandon Roberts’ touchdown was bittersweet
Typically, a linebacker scoring a 38-yard receiving touchdown is something to celebrate. In this case, it shows how desperate the Patriots were to get into the end zone against the Dolphins.
The play was designed perfectly and it was great for a clutch moment in the playoffs, but not a third quarter desperation attempt. Roberts had the second-most receiving yards on the day behind Phillip Dorsett, who had one catch for 50 yards. No player surpassed three receptions and Roberts and Dorsett were the only receivers to surpass 35 receiving yards.
Sony Michel and Rex Burkhead seemed to be the only players to show some life for the offense, and that’s a bad sign with teams like the Chiefs and Ravens ahead.
Offensive line continues to find cohesion
If there’s one good thing to take away, it’s the offensive line.
The Patriots have struggled to keep Brady protected all season, but they are finally healthy and working together. Isaiah Wynn is proving why he’s a first-round pick and the Patriots are getting some additional help from guys like Roberts. Brady was only sacked one time in the game and had a clean pocket throughout, but he still wasn’t able to deliver.
New England will need a clean offensive line heading into the playoffs to start the rush attack and keep Brady clean. They’ve made some promising plays over the past few weeks and will be an essential part of this team going forward.
