The Patriots head to Miami on Sunday looking to answer last week’s Thursday Night Football loss with a divisional win, and the matchup comes with a familiar test: New England has already handled the AFC East twice this season, beating the Bills 29-26 and the Jets 26-19.
This time, though, the Patriots are heading south with a thin margin for error on offense. A.J.
Brown has been ruled out, while Romeo Doubs and Mack Hollins remain on injured reserve. That leaves New England short on proven options and puts even more pressure on the players still standing.
One name to watch is Chism, who has emerged as the receiver most worth tracking with so many targets unavailable. His reliable hands and growing connection with quarterback Drake Maye make him the most obvious candidate to help fill the void.
Up front, Christian Barmore could be in position for a bigger impact. His role has shrunk this season, with his snap share sitting a little above 40% and even trailing backup defensive lineman Cory Durden. Still, Barmore has produced three sacks already, and Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said Friday the goal is to get more out of him in the pass rush.
"Just trying to find ways to have him affect the quarterback - try to make that his primary role," Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said Friday when asked about Barmore's reduced role. "We try to play everybody, try to play as many guys as we can and find roles for everybody."
That could matter even more with Dolphins starting left guard Kadyn Proctor ruled out.
On the other side of the ball, Miami’s ground game has been carrying more of the load than its passing attack. De'Von Achane is on injured reserve, but Ollie Gordon II has picked up the slack, rushing for more than 80 yards in each of his last two games. The Dolphins rank third-fewest in passing yards per game but seventh in rushing yards per game, which puts a spotlight on Patriots linebacker Elliss and his ability to help control the middle of the field.
"Just trying to get better each week," Vrabel said on Wednesday when asked about Raridon. "We try to focus on Miami and not sit here and have a mid-season report after seven games. So, we've got to go on the road in the division."
Raridon has been one of the quieter success stories for New England this season. The third-round rookie has been forced into a major role and has responded with more than 50 receiving yards in two of his last three games. With the Patriots down to just four active receivers, the tight end group could see a bigger workload again on Sunday.
The same goes for Corey Kiner, who has seen his role grow while TreVeyon Henderson has dealt with injury. Henderson last had more rush attempts than Kiner against the Bills on Oct. 4, and now he has been ruled out with an ankle injury. Vrabel said last week that the team had been building in opportunities for Henderson, but Kiner may be the one asked to carry more of the load against Miami.
"We had some things for him, packages or personnel groupings," Vrabel said last Thursday when asked about Henderson's usage. "TreVeyon will help us, but I wanted to see where we were with Corey getting a couple carries too."
With so many moving parts, the Patriots’ path in Miami runs through the players who can absorb extra snaps and turn them into production.
In Other News...
Patriots Suddenly Have A Tight End Problem They Can't Ignore
The Patriots tight end room suddenly looks a lot thinner after Hunter Henry went down with a foot injury in the Dolphins game and was ruled out after trying to shake it off. For a team already trying to piece together answers on offense, losing one of its most reliable pass-catching options has a way of exposing just how fragile the depth chart really is.
With the November 10 trade deadline approaching, New England may have to decide whether this is a short-term hiccup or a problem worth solving externally. One name that naturally fits the conversation is Dallas Goedert, a proven veteran who could help stabilize the position if the Patriots choose to be aggressive, but for now the bigger question is whether the front office believes the current roster can hold up long enough to avoid making that kind of move. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Kicking Situation Just Got More Uncomfortable For Andy Borregales
Andy Borregales latest miss came at a time when every kick feels a little heavier. In the second quarter against the Dolphins, the Patriots rookie sent a 40-yard field goal attempt wide, adding another uneasy moment to a season that has already featured more than a few for the young kicker. Through eight games, Borregales has hit 10 of 13 attempts, a mark that leaves the Patriots with a kicking operation that has been productive enough to survive, but not steady enough to feel settled.
Mike Vrabel still voiced confidence in Borregales afterward, which matters because the Patriots are trying to manage several moving parts at once, including injury updates and possible returns elsewhere on the roster. Even so, the kicking spot remains one of the more uncomfortable questions around the team right now, and the next stretch of games will go a long way toward showing whether Borregales can quiet the noise or keep inviting it. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Survive Officiating Mess Against Miami, But NFL Still Owes Answers
The Patriots left Miami with a win, but the conversation afterward was about the officiating as much as the result. A touchdown by Kyle Williams was first ruled incomplete before Mike Vrabel won the challenge, and the sequence only added to the sense that this game was handled unevenly from the start. The league had already made a last-minute switch in the officiating assignment, a rare wrinkle that raised eyebrows before kickoff.
What has kept the issue alive is the lack of a real explanation from the NFL. The crew change was reportedly tied to poor work in another game, yet the league has not clearly addressed why that swap was made or why several of the calls in this matchup became so contentious. For New England, the points still counted and the victory still stands, but the questions around how the game was managed are not going away soon. [Read more 🡒]