The Patriots’ season isn’t over just yet. With their 23-21 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots currently hold the seventh and final seed in the AFC Playoff picture. They can clinch that spot with a win next week in Buffalo, or even if they lose if

People asking for scenarios - there’s a bunch. But here’s one…

-Jets lose today (at SEA), beat MIA next week
-Jaguars beat Titans next week
-Raiders lose one of next two (vs SF, vs KC)

— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) January 1, 2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">other games go their way.

In order to keep their season alive, the Patriots did some things we haven’t seen them do often – if at all – this year. At the same time, some familiar issues emerged throughout the game. Here’s a look at what stood out…

Going for a drive

Sustaining drives is something the Patriots have struggled with this year. Coming into Sunday, the Patriots ranked 30th in the NFL averaging 5.4 plays per drive, 27th in the NFL at 28.1 yards per drive, and 27th in average time of possession per drive at 2:35. Those issues seemed to become more pronounced late in games.

Given all of that, the Patriots getting the ball back with 9:43 to go in the fourth quarter of a 16-10 game didn’t seem like a major event. This wasn’t a typical 2022 Patriots drive though. They moved the ball 89 yards in 11 plays, taking 5:06 off the clock, as Mac Jones had fantastic control of the offense throughout. That drive was capped with a Jakobi Meyers touchdown that later proved to be the decided score in the game. It was the kind of march the team will need to make more often in order to get this offense back on track.

Even that touchdown was a trend-breaker for this Patriots offense. For the most part, they’ve looked disorganized on the goal line this year. This time though, Jones and Meyers recognized a certain look from the Miami defense and adjusted into a new design, getting Meyers 1-on-1 with a Dolphins linebacker.

“They ran a goal line defense, we shifted out. We had a couple of options on the play. Jakobi was obviously one of the options. Mac [Jones] took that when there were some other options on the play. I would say in practice it probably hasn’t gone to him too many times,” Bill Belichick explained after the game. “It’s a one-on-one play. If he likes the matchup, he can go out there, then that just trumps the other part of the play.”

Tyquan Thornton makes an impact

For most of this season, it’s seemed like the Patriots have been searching for an explosive, impact wide receiver. Despite that, rookie Tyquan Thornton has struggled to get on the field at times.

With DeVante Parker out on Sunday, Thornton played a significant role and capitalized on his opportunity. After a tough game highlighted by a deep ball drop last week, Thornton hauled in multiple downfield passes in this one. He finished with three catches for 60 yards and a score.

“He certainly has helped us. It’s good to have him,” Belichick noted after the game. “He’s an explosive player that can attack the vertical part of the defense. Fast with run-after-catch opportunities, things like that. But like any rookie, there’s always room for improvement. There’s things he needs to work on and can do better. But he certainly helps us. He’s a big target. Obviously the quarterbacks, Mac likes to throw to him. Big, fast guy. Quarterback-friendly.

“He’s made some big plays for us,” Belichick continued. “He opens up some other things because of his ability to stretch the field vertically. Hopefully we can hit on him some more going forward.”

That last part is key. If the Patriots want to win in Buffalo, they’re going to need to be able to hit chunk plays and score in bunches. Thornton is a player who can help them do that if he’s involved in the offensive game plan.

The Kendrick Bourne mystery continues

In his highest-volume game of the year last week, Kendrick Bourne had a breakout performance with six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Despite that production though, Bourne didn’t get a similar chance this week against Miami.

Against the Dolphins Bourne played 28 of the Patriots’ 56 offensive snaps, just one ahead of Nelson Agholor for the fewest on the team by a wide receiver. 17 of those snaps came in the second half. He was targeted just twice catching one pass for 16 yards, and had a designed carry late in the game go for two yards.

Bourne’s usage remains a mystery. Like Thornton, Bourne gives the Patriots a big play threat, and proved last year that he’s a guy defenses have to focus on. Yet with one week to go in the season, his role remains rotational.

A step back up front

Between injuries and roster turnover, the Patriots’ offensive line has been something the team has had to overcome at times this year. That being said, the previous three weeks featured some of the best play we’ve seen from the unit this year.

On Sunday, that progress seemed to take a step back. Jones was regularly under pressure early throughout the game. He was hit on seven of 36 drop backs with three sacks, and was pressured a handful of other times as well. On the ground they ran for 3.7 yards per carry, their fifth-lowest total of the season.

What does that mean going forwards. Former Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia used to talk about the importance of continuity along the offensive line, and getting the same group of five players experience playing with each other. The Patriots have now rolled with the group of (left tackle to right tackle) Trent Brown, Cole Strange, David Andrews, Michael Onwenu, and Conor McDermott for five games in a row. Making a change at this point would probably be an overreaction, and the best call seems to be hoping for a bounce-back performance from the group in Week 18.

2nd down shots

For most of this season, the Patriots have been a conservative team when getting into 2nd & short situations. In minimal opportunities, those situations looked a little different against Miami.

In this game, the Patriots had 19 2nd downs. Of those 19, three were 2nd & 4 or shorter. On two of those downs, both early in the game, the Patriots took advantage of the unpredictable nature of the situation to throw deep. Both passes fell incomplete, but it was a new kind of aggressiveness from this offense. The third such instance came later in the game and resulted in a Mac Jones quarterback sneak, which may have been opened up by the Dolphins sitting back on the deep ball.

Was this a one-off, or a sign of things to come? That will be interesting to watch for next week against Buffalo.

You can’t stop the Patriots’ defense, you can only hope to contain them

O.K., it’s time we get to the Patriots’ defense. Because they certainly deserve their due.

For the fourth week in a row, the Patriots’ defense put points on the board. In this game, it was Kyle Dugger doing the honors with a 39-yard pick-six in the third quarter. Dugger has been playing incredibly high-level football as of late, and the one thing that really stands out about the third-year safety’s game is how his instincts are constantly putting him in the right place as the right time to make plays – which is what happened on the touchdown on Sunday.

After the game, Dugger broke down the play. “Just cover-two dropping as the middle player,” he said. “Got some odd drops, saw my threat was eliminated, so I was able to get my eyes back to the quarterback and get around to the backside vertical. Once I got my hands on the ball, I know I needed to score. It helped the team greatly. That was the goal.”

With that interception, Dugger now has three defensive touchdowns this year. That’s the most by a Patriots player since 1970. The Patriots also have at least four defensive touchdowns in the last four games, making them the first team to do that since the eventual Super Bowl champion 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their seven total defensive touchdowns lead the league and have set a new franchise record.

If the Patriots want to keep winning games, they very well may need their defense to keep scoring points. But the way the unit is playing right now, that may not be an issue.

Cornerback depth comes up big

What made the Patriots’ defensive effort even more impressive was the fact they were playing so shorthanded in the secondary. Jalen Mills, Marcus Jones, and Shaun Wade were inactive and Jack Jones was placed on IR before the game. That left the Patriots with Jonathan Jones (who was limited all week with a chest injury), Myles Bryant, and newly-signed Tae Hayes as the Patriots’ only active true cornerbacks. Hybrid cornerback/safety Quandre Mosley was also active, and usual safety Jabrill Peppers saw some time at boundary cornerback as well.

With that group, the Patriots held Tyreek Hill to four catches for 55 yards on seven targets, and Jaylen Waddle to three catches for 52 yards on five targets. Those two receivers are Miami’s best chain movers, and with their impact limited the Dolphins were just 4-of-14 on third downs.

Jones had a terrific

This Patriots INT was INCREDIBLE 😳

(via @Patriots) pic.twitter.com/Ph6MVbyyta

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 1, 2023?s=20&t=g6Y9VyMhEM2l5ZmeBtyFtA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toe-tap interception in this game, but the one guy who noticeably went above and beyond in this game was Bryant. He made a pair of key third down plays in the second half. On Miami’s first drive of the third quarter, he pushed a mid-air Trent Sherfield out of bounds before he could get his feet in on third down, forcing a Miami punt. Then, with about 10 minutes to go in the game on a 3rd & 8, he found himself one-on-one in the open field with Hill, one of the league’s most dangerous ball-carriers. Bryant was able to stop Hill at the point of contact, holding him up until help came to finish off the tackle. The Dolphins ended up punting on the next play, which led to that Patriots’ put-away drive mentioned above.

More special teams headaches

Once again, the Patriots’ special teams struggled in this game. It wasn’t just one phase of the kicking game either.

The play that will receive the most attention is a running into the kicker penalty on rookie Brenden Schooler on the Dolphins’ second drive. Miami had a 4th & 1 well within its own territory but was going to go for it, only to be derailed by a false start. However, that penalty gave the Dolphins back the 4th & 1, which they converted with the drive going on to result in a touchdown. It was a seven point penalty, and not the first time a running into the kicker call on a rookie has turned into points for a Patriots’ opponent this year.

While there were not botched snaps this week, the Patriots’ punt game wasn’t much better. Michael Palardy got the call again with Jake Bailey still on IR. Palardy had two touchbacks on five punts, with none downed inside the 20. That led to a net average of just 31.8 yards.

Between all of that, the average starting field position skewed heavily in the Dolphins’ favor in this game. Miami’s average starting spot was the 29.6 yard line. Meanwhile the Patriots – outside of two late drives (one after Miami went for it needing a 4th down conversion deep in their own end and then an onside kick) – averaged starting at just the 20.9 yard line.

End of an era?

No matter what happens with the Patriots next week, Sunday’s game was the final one of this season at Gillette Stadium. Even if they do make the playoffs they can’t get higher than the seventh seed, which would mean road games throughout the postseason.

That’s a fact that may be especially significant to long-time Patriots captains Devin McCourty, 35, and Matthew Slater, 37. Both have has retirement rumors surround them in recent years, and both are set to become free agents this spring. After the game, both spoke about the chances that this was their final time playing at Gillette Stadium.

“I took a moment, spent some time with my family on the field,” McCourty said. “It’s been a great run. To come out here, if this was the last one, I think to be able to leave Gillette with a win, very similar to how my first-ever game was a win. I’ve had a lot of fun. These guys have been awesome to go out here and compete with. You never know how football goes. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it before the game, and just now. Give a high five to the Minutemen, something I’ve done over and over and over again after wins. Just kind of think about that, let that settle in, just trying to make sure I stay in the moment, enjoy. But definitely gave it a few seconds today.”

“You know, as much as I try to block it out and focus on doing my job, it certainly dawned on me today that this very well could be my last game here,” Slater reflected. “I don’t know what my future holds. I haven’t spent a ton of time thinking about it, I’ve been trying to stay in the moment. I certainly took time to appreciate being in this stadium and running out of that tunnel today. Saw a couple of signs that were thanking D-Mac [Devin McCourty] and myself. I don’t know what either of us have in store but I think when you get to this stage of it, you try to take in every moment and savor it. I think some of the players and coaches knowing that I’m not sure of what my future have expressed gratitude and that meant a lot to me, and just told me they loved me and it just means so much, it really does.”

Belichick spoke about the duo as well, at length. “Devin has done about everything a player could do for this program. Say the same thing about Matt Slater in the kicking game,” he said. “I mean, I don’t know if there’s ever been or ever going to be a player than Matt Slater as an overall special teams player and the leadership he brought to the team, along with Devin. Devin came in as a corner, went to the Pro Bowl, moved to safety, led the defense from the safety position from his second year on. His off-the-the field leadership, on-the-field leadership is superior, as good as anybody I’ve ever coached at that position. He does everything right. He’s done everything right since he’s been here. He knows the line calls. He knows the defense inside and out, so he has total respect from everybody because of his preparation and his unselfish play. Same thing for Slater. I don’t know if he was here either, same question, but probably. What those two guys have done, what they mean to this organization, what they mean to me personally, what they’ve done here, it’s pretty impressive, pretty elite.”

“So, you know, I’m sure Devin would have liked to have had one more interception on the ledger today but he gave us, again you just don’t see a lot of great plays that he makes, communication or adjustments he makes,” he continued. “When we have to change coverages, make coverage adjustments, it always runs through him. The front runs through a lot of times [Ja’Whaun] Bentley, down safeties. But all coverage adjustments run through him. It’s like truly having a coach on the field, having somebody that can see a problem, fix it, or at least take us out of a problem because of whatever, they sub late, the formation, whatever it happens to be. He’s got great judgment and great decision making. His decisions are quick, they’re decisive, and they’re almost always right. Any decision is a bad decision if you’re hesitant and everybody doesn’t get it. Making sure that we’re all on the same page, that’s always number one. Yeah, he’s a special one.”

Rooting interests

As mentioned above, the Patriots can still get into the playoffs even if they lose to Buffalo next week. While there are a couple of ways that can happen, the most likely scenario begins as early as Sunday night.

For the Patriots to still get in with a loss. Three things need to happen. To start, the Steelers need to lose one of their two remaining games. Those are their Week 17 Sunday Night Football matchup against the Ravens, and their regular season finale at home against the Browns next week. In addition to those Steelers results, the Patriots would need the Jets (who are already eliminated) to beat the Dolphins and the Jaguars to beat the Titans next week.

So get on your best black and purple, let out a deep ‘DUUU-VAL,’ and *gulp* get ready to chant ‘J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets!,’ because those are the teams Patriots need to pull for if they want to see their team in the postseason.

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].