These divisional rivals had two very different starts to their seasons. After being doubted all week, the New England Patriots edged out a win against the Arizona Cardinals after controlling most of the game. Two fumbles led to 14 points on the board for the Cardinals, otherwise the final score could’ve been by a wider margin.
The Miami Dolphins, on the other hand, lost to the Seattle Seahawks 12-10 in a game they could have won. Miami took the lead with just over four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but an injured Russell Wilson led his team to victory by completing a touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin with just 31 seconds remaining.
But week one is behind us now, and week two is right around the corner.
Week Two New England Patriots Preview: vs Miami Dolphins
Offensive Line Outlook
With both units facing adversity in the form of injuries, it will be interesting to see if New England’s offensive line can hold off a dangerous Miami pass rush. Ndamukong Suh led the way for Miami last week, tallying one sack and combining for four tackles throughout the game. Mario Williams, whose status is currently unknown after leaving Sunday’s game with a concussion, also sacked Russell Wilson and contributed two tackles of his own.
If Williams is out for Sunday’s game, Miami’s defensive line will feature Andre Branch, Suh, a Jordan Phillips/Jason Jones combination to replace Earl Mitchell (who was placed on injured reserve with a calf injury) and Chris Jones (from left to right, respectively).
Cameron Fleming, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Ted Karras, and Marcus Cannon are the projected starters if Nate Solder and Jonathan Cooper cannot suit up for the Patriots. Shaq Mason could split time at left tackle with Fleming again this week, but is still limited by a hand injury. The same starting five held their own against the Cardinals defense last week. Many thought they didn’t stand a chance, yet they played very well. They only allowed two sacks and five hits on Jimmy Garoppolo.
Expectations
Expect the same type of performance from the Patriots offensive line this week. Although the Dolphins pass rush is dangerous, New England successfully took on a top-five defense and held their own last Sunday. The Dolphins will also be without Earl Mitchell and Mario Williams, which definitely affects how and when Miami will blitz. In order for Miami’s blitzes to be effective, they have to disguise them as much as possible in order to get the Patriots offensive line out of position. As obvious as that may sound, New England was hardly beaten in individual match ups last week. Garoppolo showed patience and discipline and made smart plays when the team needed him the most.
Extra Points
Third Down Efficiency
Last Sunday, New England was able to convert on 10 of 16 third downs. Miami wasn’t so lucky. Their 2-14 conversion rate is something that will have to improve if they want a chance at winning this week.
Clock Management
Miami will also want to keep the Patriots offense off the field for as long as possible, much like the Patriots were able to do in Arizona last week. Part of succeeding at this is converting on third down, but is the combination of Arian Foster and Jay Ajayi going to be enough to beat Bill Belichick at his own game? Against the Cardinals, the Patriots had two 6+ minute drives in the second half that resulted in field goals and didn’t give Arizona much of a chance to respond.
Ball Security
Ball security will surely be important for New England this week. The Patriots fumbled three times last week, with two being recovered by Arizona. Both recoveries led to touchdowns for the Cardinals, and Bill Belichick couldn’t have been happy about that. Turnovers are a big part of any game, but are even more important against divisional rivals who are hungry to not start the season 0-2.
Last Word
The mood in New England has changed since beating the Cardinals. The possibility of a 4-0 or 3-1 start is very real now. Miami doesn’t play well in Gillette Stadium, having lost 13 times in 14 tries since the stadium opened in 2002. With an injured Dolphins defensive line and the possibility of a Rob Gronkowski return, the Patriots have high hopes for this game.
