The New England Patriots finally broke their South Beach curse, defeating the Miami Dolphins 33-27 at Hard Rock Stadium for their first win in Miami since 2019. It wasn’t pretty, but the Patriots responded to every mistake with a big play of their own, closing out a hard-fought divisional victory.
Top two takeaways from Patriots’ 33-27 win over Dolphins:
Drake Maye and Rhamondre Stevenson carry the offense
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye played one of his sharpest games yet, completing 19 of 23 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing 10 times for 31 yards and a score. He stayed patient against Miami’s coverage, taking what was available and keeping the offense on schedule.
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson was the star of the day, proving he’s still the lead back with 11 carries for 54 yards and five receptions for 88 yards. Together, they kept Miami’s defense guessing and allowed the Patriots to stay balanced and efficient.
Patriots’ defense and special teams seal the win
New England’s defense had its share of missed tackles and coverage busts early, but when it mattered most, the pass rush took over.
Milton Williams delivered the game-sealing sack on Tua Tagovailoa, while Christian Barmore, Harold Landry III, and K’Lavon Chaisson all played key roles in collapsing the pocket late. Special teams also had a massive swing in momentum — after the Dolphins’ Malik Washington returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown, Antonio Gibson immediately answered with a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown to keep New England ahead.
Up next for New England: Sunday, September 21 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers(1:00 p.m. ET on CBS)
