Drake Maye Rallies Short-Handed Patriots Past Dolphins

Drake Maye faked the pitch to Rhamondre Stevenson, kept it and ran in from 2 yards out for the go-ahead score late in the third quarter. Playing without A.J. Brown, Mack Hollins and TreVeyon Henderson, Maye threw two touchdowns and ran for another as the New England Patriots beat the Miami Dolphins 24-19 on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.

New England is now 5-3 after erasing a 10-point halftime deficit, per the AP. Miami falls to 1-6, one week after picking up its first win.

A 21-0 Second Half Swing

Miami led 13-3 at the break after Malik Willis drove 70 yards in the final two minutes and Malik Washington caught a 1-yard touchdown. Then the Patriots took over.

Maye lofted a 43-yard touchdown to Kyle Williams that was first ruled incomplete. Mike Vrabel fired the red flag, and replay showed Williams crossed the goal line before the ball came loose. "I was a lot more certain than the officials were the first time they called it," Vrabel said. Maye's 2-yard keeper made it 17-13, and DeMario Douglas weaved through the secondary for a 48-yard touchdown early in the fourth.

Maye finished 16 of 20 for 199 yards. That go-ahead run gave him his fifth straight game with at least three total touchdowns. "(If) you want to be a great quarterback in the National Football League, there's not a whole lot of excuses," Vrabel said.

Miami Made It Close

The Dolphins did not go quietly. Willis hit rookie Kevin Coleman Jr. for a 35-yard touchdown with two minutes left, but the two-point try failed, and Stevenson recovered the onside kick. Willis finished 21 of 32 for 211 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, and he was sacked five times.

Stevenson carried the load on the ground with 19 carries for 82 yards. The Patriots did lose tight end Hunter Henry to a foot injury in the second quarter, and linebacker Gabe Jacas left in the third with a knee injury.

Next Up and the Smacktok Lean

The Patriots host Green Bay on Sunday, Nov 8 at 1:25 PM PT. Miami hosts Detroit that morning at 10 AM PT.

Maye has three or more total touchdowns in five straight games, and he did it this week without his top receiver. My Smacktok lean is higher on Maye's total touchdowns against the Packers, with Brown's and Henry's status worth checking during the week.