MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Sunday’s matchup between Tua Tagovailoa’s Miami Dolphins and Drake Maye’s New England Patriots could possibly be the primary of many.
Tagovailoa signed a long-term cope with the Dolphins this offseason, and based mostly on how Maye has performed in seven video games, Tagovailoa expects he could possibly be going towards the No. 3 decide on this yr’s draft for a very long time.
“I respect his sport quite a bit,” Tagovailoa mentioned. “He’s a rookie, so there’s going to be bumps inside his journey, however you see a variety of flashes of issues that he can do, not simply contained in the pocket, exterior of the pocket as effectively. I’ve acquired a variety of respect for him and searching ahead to competing towards him.”
Maye will first want to assist the Patriots get previous their division rivals — a matchup that has these days been one-sided within the Dolphins’ favor. Tagovailoa is 6-0 in his profession towards the Patriots. And Miami coach Mike McDaniel is 4-1 towards New England.
“It means nothing for this week,” McDaniel mentioned Wednesday.
“I believe the most important setup within the Nationwide Soccer League is reward or overindulgence into stats of former groups,” he added. “It’s the Miami Dolphins versus the New England Patriots on Sunday.”
This yr’s Dolphins (4-6) have received two straight and are nonetheless hoping to make a playoff run, whereas the Patriots (3-8) have made clear it is a rebuilding yr.
The Dolphins beat the host Patriots 15-10 in Week 5 with out Tagovailoa, who was on injured reserve with a concussion. The Patriots additionally hadn’t turned to Maye but, as a substitute going with veteran Jacoby Brissett.
On Sunday, Miami has an opportunity to brush New England in consecutive seasons for the primary time since 1999-2000.
“I don’t know if I can put a finger to it,” tight finish Hunter Henry mentioned of his workforce’s struggles towards Miami. “I believe it’s simply clearly we acquired to go down there and execute, play our model of soccer — not turning the ball over, enjoying from forward, taking the combat to them a bit bit.”
Maye is coming off considered one of his higher statistical performances in final week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
He accomplished 30 of 40 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns but additionally fumbled after he was sacked deep in New England territory, resulting in a Rams TD.
“I believe the large factor about soccer is that I believe soccer is simple and persons are difficult,” Maye mentioned. “I believe the perfect factor to do on the finish of the day is simplify it, and attempt to make it easy and be on the identical web page. I believe we’re studying that and feeling our manner via that.”
The Dolphins can be getting ready for his scrambling skill.
Maye is averaging 9.3 yards per rush with 260 yards on 258 makes an attempt. The best single-season speeding common for an NFL quarterback is 8.5 by Atlanta’s Michael Vick in 2006 (123 makes an attempt for 1,039 yards).
“The factor with all these new crop of younger quarterbacks,” Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver mentioned, “is that when performs break down, they’ve the power to create prolonged performs. … This isn’t me saying he’s Josh Allen, however you’ve type of acquired to strategy him like Josh Allen a bit bit the place you’re attempting to funnel him sure instructions and attempt to comprise his rush skill as a lot as you’ll be able to.”
Purple-zone woes
The Patriots rank twenty ninth within the league in red-zone effectivity, changing touchdowns on solely 15 of 32 possibilities (46.9%) contained in the 20-yard line.
Though they went 2 of 5 in final week’s loss to the Rams, Maye was inspired.
“I believe it’s simply on ourselves, whether or not it’s go the additional effort, or perhaps some little issues right here or there,” Maye mentioned. “I believe we moved the ball effectively. These guys put some good movie on tape. On the finish of the sport we had an opportunity there, and I put that on myself to go make a play down the stretch.”
Personnel adjustments
McDaniel mentioned lots of the Dolphins’ lineup adjustments this season got here right down to him making robust selections which might be greatest for the workforce.
Tight finish Durham Smythe, Miami’s third-leading receiver final yr, has seen a big lower in his snaps as offseason signing Jonnu Smith emerged. Working again Raheem Mostert has misplaced some carries over the previous few weeks after essential fumbles in two latest video games.
And linebacker David Lengthy Jr. started the season as a captain earlier than shedding his beginning job to Anthony Walker Jr. a couple of weeks in the past. Lengthy appeared to regress in cross protection this season and solely performed on particular groups in Weeks 9 and 10 earlier than being waived on Nov. 13.
“I believe it’s vital that individuals perceive you’re entitled to nothing on this world,” McDaniel mentioned. “Taking part in time is solved by gamers on the sphere, and the perfect gamers need to play, and that’s my job to observe via with that.”
He added that lineup adjustments are fluid and never all the time a couple of participant’s shortcomings.
“I don’t imagine in quote-unquote ‘to ship a message’ on the expense of somebody’s profession,” he mentioned.
Offense by the numbers
The Dolphins have had 18 scoring drives of 10-plus performs and 5 scoring drives of 14-plus performs this season — an evolution from final season, when Miami had 21 scoring drives of 10 performs or extra and simply three of 14 performs or extra.
Miami has scored 11 touchdowns in 15 journeys to the crimson zone since Week 8. The Dolphins are seventh within the league in goal-to-go effectivity, scoring 9 touchdowns in 10 tries since Week 8.
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AP Sports activities Author Kyle Hightower in Foxborough, Massachusetts, contributed to this report.
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