Patriots erase 10-point hole to defeat Miami 24-19

Drake Maye threw two touchdown passes and rushed for a score as the New England Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins 24-19 on Sunday in Miami Gardens.

The Patriots trailed by 10 points at halftime but outscored Miami 21-0 in the second half. Maye completed 16 of 20 passes for 199 yards despite missing key offensive weapons. Wide receiver A.J. Brown, receiver Mack Hollins, and running back TreVeyon Henderson were all sidelined due to injury or illness.

New England took the lead early in the fourth quarter when DeMario Douglas caught a 48-yard touchdown pass. The play gave the Patriots a 17-13 advantage with under 10 minutes remaining. The Dolphins mounted a late comeback, capped by a 35-yard touchdown pass from Malik Willis to rookie Kevin Coleman Jr. with two minutes left. Miami then failed to convert a two-point conversion, allowing Rhamondre Stevenson to recover the onside kick.

Willis completed 21 of 32 passes for 211 yards and threw one interception. He was sacked five times. The Dolphins, who improved to 1-6 after winning their first game of the season the previous week, held the ball for an 11-play drive in the final two minutes. Malik Washington scored a 1-yard touchdown to give Miami a 13-3 lead at the half, but the team could not maintain the momentum.

Coach Mike Vrabel praised Maye's performance, noting that a great quarterback finds ways to win without excuses. Vrabel also challenged a pass interference call on Kyle Williams, which was overturned to a touchdown after review. Williams' 43-yard score pulled the Patriots within three points in the third quarter.

Ollie Gordon was removed from the game after drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for speaking to a defender. Willis said he told Gordon that he was wrong in the moment because he cares about the game. Zane Gonzalez kicked two field goals for Miami, including a 52-yard attempt that hit the upright. The Patriots will host Green Bay next Sunday, while the Dolphins host Detroit.