BSJ Game Report: Dolphins 17, Patriots 16 - Mac Jones era off to promising but disappointing start

FOXBOROUGH — Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ 17-16 loss to the Dolphins in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

HEADLINES

Damien Harris fumbles in red zone late: The Patriots appeared like they were going to triumph at home in Mac Jones' debut after Jonathan Jones' interception of Tua Tagovailoa set up the Patriots at the 50-yard line, trailing by a point with 8:07 to play. They methodically moved just 41 yards in nine plays before Damien Harris allowed the ball to be punched out by Xavien Howard at the Miami 9-yard line with 3:31 left. It should have taken the clock under three minutes and more, for at least the game-leading field goal. Instead, the Patriots turned the ball over and would never see it again. 

"Yeah, it's not good enough," Bill Belichick said. "Got to take care of the ball better. Ball security, penalties, too many little missed things, situational football. Just all of it."

Mac Jones great in debut, gets battered: It started off very slowly — he fumbled by throwing the ball backwards under pressure on his first-ever NFL dropback (hey, Brett Favre threw a pick-six) — but by the end of the game, Mac Jones was almost in complete command by making a ton of big throws and keeping the Patriots moving. He finished 29 of 39 for 281 yards and a touchdown to Nelson Agholor, and posting a 102.6 rating. 

But this game took a toll as Jones took a lot of huge hits as the pass protection was less-than-stellar after Trent Brown (calf) left the game early. This was a perfect third-down pass to James White.

"I thought he did a really nice job. I thought he did a really nice job," said Dolphins coach Brian Flores. "Got the ball out, was able to kind of move their offense, pick up first downs, drive them down field. Yeah, I thought he did a very nice job."

Defense bends, breaks at bad times: If you ignored the first drives of each half, the Patriots' defense was lights out — 34 plays, 104 yards (3.06 average), 3 points, interception. The problem was, the Patriots allowed the Dolphins to easily run and throw through them on the other two drives with 155 yards on 19 plays (8.2 average) that produced 14 points. And when the Patriots needed to stop the Dolphins after Harris' fumble, they couldn't do it. Devante Parker and Jaylen Waddle each averaged at least 15.3 yards per catch, and Myles Gaskin had 14 touches for 76 yards.

TURNING POINT

Harris' fumble, obviously. Just like in Buffalo last year, you just felt like the Patriots were about to win the game and rip the heart out of the Dolphins. But they fumbled it away again.

SECOND GUESS

The Patriots needed to dial up more chunk plays. Damien Harris' 35-yard run was the biggest play, but they only had four completions over 20 yards, and nothing over 26 yards. The more plays and smaller chunks you make, the more pressure it puts on the offense to be perfect — and the Patriots were not ready to be perfect. The Patriots should have called — and Mac Jones should have taken them (he passed on some) — more chunk plays in the fourth quarter. At times, it felt like the Cam Newton offense. You should not need three, 14-play drives that totaled a whopping nine total points.

THREE UP

QB Mac Jones: Thought he got better with every snap as that MacBook Pro just accumulates dates. He made some really terrific throws under a ton of pressure. 

WR Nelson Agholor: He was MIA for a large part of camp and the preseason, but he showed up with five catches, 74 yards and a score.

S Adrian Phillips: He made some huge plays down the stretch to get the Dolphins off the field, including starting the pressure that led to Tagovailoa's interception.

THREE DOWN

RB Damien Harris: Sorry, man. Love ya like a brother, but you can't fumble in that spot. Just can't.

Offensive line: Maybe Trent Brown is the MVP of this team, because he went out and the Patriots' line was largely a sieve, allowing nine official QB hits, which is usually more indicative of a real number of 15. Some of it was Jones hanging in to make a play, but he was getting pummeled. 

"My body feels good, but it wasn't good enough, and we've got to just come back tomorrow and get ready to work. Like the shots I took, some of them were my fault," Jones said. "I need to get the ball out quicker, and that's part of football. You have to expect to get hit. Our offensive line played good, and they're going to get better, and we're going to work together because it takes all of us. They're a great group of guys, but I think we can definitely improve on our communication, and that's what we're going to do."

Personnel choices: Sony Michel would have been nice to have around to keep both backs' legs fresh late, which may have contributed to the fumble — and now Rhamondre Stevenson is in the witness protection program after his fumble. Who's the other RB now, Brandon Bolden? Why does Deatrich Wise play so much? Why are Josh Uche and Dont'a Hightower watching the final Dolphins series and leaving Chase Winovich and Ja'Whaun Bentley to stop the run? 

INJURIES

Trent Brown (right calf): Left and did not return. 

TOP PLAYS

THREE TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

If you're asking yourself, 'Why did the Patriots look so un-Patriot-like' with all the penalties (8 for 74 yards) and fumbles ... this is what you invite when you have to dramatically turn over your roster with newcomers who aren't used to playing like Patriots. Some of it has to do with Week 1 after two weeks off, but there is much the new players have to learn, and that means the team has to learn them as well.

"I think being the quarterback, I need to do a better job, demanding better in practice," Mac Jones said. "Sometimes I just let things slide, myself included. That's not good enough. So I'm going to try and be more vocal, and I am a vocal person, but it's kind of a new situation, and I can be better. But it starts with me. The defense, I try and hype them up and stuff, and they played great. We've got to do better on offense. So we'll do that.

Can someone please explain to me why Deatrich Wise plays as much as he does — what's wrong with Henry Anderson?! Get this, Wise is officially not on the stat sheet. Not even an assisted tackle.

Yeah, that sucked, but it's Week 1 and the Patriots will get much better. They looked like a lot of other teams — like they hadn't played real football in two weeks. But they need to get better quickly. This was a game they should have won, no question.