FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 12: Damien Harris #37 of the New England Patriots reacts after losing to the Miami Dolphins 17-16 at Gillette Stadium on September 12, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots needed to play a clean brand of football if they were going to walk away with a win against the fundamentally-sound Miami Dolphins.
Amazingly enough, the Patriots’ biggest mistake didn’t come at the hands of rookie quarterback Mac Jones, who fared extremely well in his NFL debut, completing 74.3% of his passes for 281 yards and a touchdown.