Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel anticipates a dialed-in offense as Miami works in overdrive to flip the page and move on from a Week 1 disaster at Indianapolis.
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel sees a chance for New England (0-1) to get right with a win at Miami for the first time since 2019.
“It’s always a big challenge to play this team,” Vrabel said, recalling. “It’s going to be warm, it’s going to be wet, it’s going to be humid. Probably lightning.”
“The opportunity to go on the road and win a division game … that’s what our thought process is.”
McDaniel and the Dolphins are tiptoeing into hot water with segments of their own fan base following a 33-8 loss against the Colts. Miami had only 211 total yards and didn’t score until the fourth quarter.
Former Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard helped the Colts prepare for Miami and specifically said he told teammates “once we take away his first read, I feel like it’s panic mode” with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who lost a fumble and threw two interceptions.
“It’s more about the reasons as to why it happened,” Tagovailoa said of corrected turnovers. “You look at the timing. Was it right timing? A lot of them I should’ve progressed. It’s one of those, you trust your technique, your footwork.”
McDaniel disagreed with the idea teams have caught up with Miami’s offense, which has scored more than 20 points only once in the past five regular-season games. He said Wednesday after reviewing film of the blowout at Indianapolis “quarterback play was less than desired.”
“I also know he’s very much like most quarterbacks where you are putting a lot of work into something and your first time doing it for four quarters in months, you are not at your best,” McDaniel said. “I don’t want to make the same mistakes twice. He and everyone else has to get better.”
There isn’t a lot of runway for the Dolphins to find their rhythm. After Sunday’s home opener they are headed to Buffalo on a short turnaround next Thursday.
New England lost 34-15 at Miami last season and the status of top cornerback Christian Gonzalez (hamstring) won’t be known until closer to gametime. Gonzalez sat out the opener and would be a welcome addition facing Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and potentially tight end Darren Waller. Waller was inactive for Week 1 but is closer to being ready to play after ending his one-year retirement in 2024.
Winning on the road is a lesson Vrabel is trying to impart on the fly with youth at multiple key positions, namely quarterback (Drake Maye is 23) and left tackle (Will Campbell is 21), spots held by New England’s last two first-round draft picks.
“You have to travel with the attitude that we need everybody,” Vrabel said before detailing what the Patriots will need to bring home a win. “Playing great defense. Being able to control the game and create some turnovers. There’s certain things you have to do on the road, that’s what you have to do to win on the road in your division.”
Unable to move the ball on the ground, the Patriots called 50 pass plays last week. Maye was sacked four times and threw an interception. But he said the Patriots have the pieces to make quick fixes to the issues that crippled the offense in Week 1.
“Get off on a better start,” Maye said. “Find a way to start faster. I think that’s a team theme. … Down in the red zone, whether it’s decision-making on my part or accuracy or just general, we’ve got to score touchdowns down in the red zone.”
New England got the ball to rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson 11 times — six receptions and five carries — in an effort to loosen the Raiders’ defense. Maye had a career-high 287 passing yards but the Patriots came away with field goals on two of three trips in the red zone and struggled on third down (4 of 14).
“If we don’t get in our own way, I feel like we’ll be fine,” Maye said.
Patriots linebacker Harold Landry III (foot), right tackle Morgan Moses (foot) and defensive end Keion White (illness) missed practice Wednesday along with Gonzalez.
Maye’s leading receiver last week, Kayshon Boutte (shoulder), was limited on Wednesday as were Christian Elliss (shoulder) and Marte Mapu (neck).
Miami players who missed practiced Wednesday were cornerbacks Ethan Bonner (hamstring) and Storm Duck (ankle), defensive tackle Benito Jones (oblique), offensive tackle Austin Jackson (toe), tight end Darren Waller (hip) and running back Jaylen Wright (knee). Safety Ashtyn Davis (knee) and receiver Jaylen Waddle (shoulder) were limited.
