Sorry for the late posting. Lost power for a while, and then your boy recorded a video, but forgot to plug in his microphone. It's been a day.
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The Patriots seemed to get some good news today, as Christian Gonzalez returned to the practice field for the first time since July 28th.
Would Gonzalez help the league's worst pass defense whenever he returns? Absolutely.
But not all that much, if the Patriots - players and coaches - don't clean up their act in a hurry.
Basically, the Patriots were a complete mess between the secondary and linebackers against the Dolphins with blown assignments, poor technique and flat-out busted coverages. If Tua Tagovailoa were better in this game, the Patriots probably would have given up 400 yards and another couple of touchdowns. And that's aside from the horrendous tackling — 14 missed tackles!
A look at some of those issues by breaking down 12 (12!) plays, mostly through video analysis:
The plays:
• The Waddle touchdown: Alex Austin doesn't get much of a jam and allows an out-breaking route when playing outside leverage. Meanwhile, Craig Woodson isn't wide enough and has his shoulders in the wrong direction and can't help in time.
• Easy Tyreek Hill deep out: Woodson is way too deep and gets turned around, meanwhile Carlton Davis should be playing underneath the route to encourage the RB checkdown over Hill.
• Achane touchdown: Robert Spillane is hung out to dry by the coaches with a terrible play call with no help in the middle of the field, and both safeties are way too wide.
• Tua throwaway: Hill is left wide open for a possible 65-yard touchdown in a coverage bust, likely from Davis, but Tua doesn't see him and throws it away.
• Hill bomb: Patriots are in Cover 3, but Austin commits a cardinal sin by allowing Hill to beat him deep. Meanwhile, Hawkins is doing nothing and is out of position, and Woodson is poorly positioned to try to help. But this is on Austin.
• Easy Waddle deep out: Same play as earlier, just to the other side of the field. Marcus Jones doesn't get enough depth to encourage the checkdown, and Woodson gives up way too much cushion.
• Easy third down out to Hill: Patriots play locked man, so when Hill does his motion at the snap, Jones has no chance to catch up. The Dolphins run this motion all the time. The Patriots don't have a better answer? They couldn't have Davis (on Malik Washington) switch with Jones?
• Pass to Washington gets called back by holding penalty: Patriots were fortunate because NO ONE covered Washington. I couldn't even tell you what defense the Patriots were in it was such a mess.
• Deep in cut to Waddle: Another play where I can't tell what defense the Patriots were in, but Jones and Spillane both run to the same player, leaving an easy throw to Waddle. Hill was actually WIDE OPEN down the middle for a possible 70-yard touchdown, but Tua didn't see him.
• Tua throws it away again: Waddle and Hill were both WIDE OPEN against poor coverage (Davis) and a blown assignment by a linebacker in the middle of the field. Yet, Tua throws it away.
• Tua overthrows Hill: Everyone saw this one. Waddle was also wide open because Hawkins was so deep.
• Achane's near TD: Marte Mapu comes up out of control and gets torched. Also, Spillane and Austin covered the same player.
That the Patriots have the worst passing defense in the league through two weeks has little to do with not having Gonzalez, although he would help, and he might assist in simplifying some of their coverage calls.
It has everything to do with the Patriots just being a mess. It's on the coaches to clean it up quickly.
Here are the positional ratings against the Dolphins:
DEFENSE
Defensive line (4 out of 5)
The Patriots, who only blitzed twice in this game, need to find a way to get more four-man pressure before the fourth quarter, but largely, this group was pretty good. They have been outstanding against the run through two games. And they got crucial pressure in the fourth quarter. ... The only minus plays for this group I had were the penalties (K'Lavon Chaisson 2, Harold Landry) and Khyiris Tonga getting shoved out of a gap. ... Everyone ended up making impactful plays, but I have to salute Anfernee Jennings, who had three great plays against the run in just 11 snaps. Not sure Keion White is going to get back in the lineup. ... I did not count two of Milton Williams' "sacks" because Tagovailoa had every opportunity to throw the ball away and it was more about coverage than pressure.
Linebackers (0 out of 5)
Just an awful game out of Robert Spillane and Christian Ellis as they combined for eight missed tackles (Marte Mapu had a huge one as well) and were constantly exposed in coverage.
Secondary (1.5 out of 5)
Carlton Davis was pretty good in coverage, and Marcus Jones had three impactful plays — including a huge open-field tackle on Devon Achane on 3rd and 12 to end the opening drive of the second half — but the rest was pretty putrid. ... Craig Woodson, Alex Austin, and Jaylin Hawkins really struggled in coverage. The coaches might have to make some changes for safety.
THREE UP
DT Milton Williams: Showed up big time to close out the game.
DT Christian Barmore: Same as Williams. Quietly had a very good game.
DE Anfernee Jennings: He's about to get more playing time. He's terrific against the run.
THREE DOWN
S Craig Woodson: Can't be easy seeing the Dolphins' speed in your second game as a rookie, but he was pretty lost.
LB Christian Ellis: Had a couple of good plays against the run, but he was awful again in coverage.
LB Robert Spillane: I've said it before, and I'll say it again - the coaches are asking too much of him, not putting him in a position to succeed.