Not even the return of Tom Brady could save the New England Patriots from a Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
But they did get their own version of “Return of the Mac” with quarterback Mac Jones lighting things up with 316 passing yards, three touchdowns and only one interception.
The offense looked competent, the defense was dominant, and some rookies showed real promise in their first ever NFL game. This week, the Patriots turn their focus to the Miami Dolphins and one of the more dynamic NFL offenses they’ll see all year.
Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle are too extremely fast receivers that should give the Patriots’ secondary trouble. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw for 466 yards last week in their victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
If the Patriots wish to come out with a Sunday Night Football victory on national tv and prove the critics wrong, they’ll need to have a few things go their way.
Here are three keys to the game against the Dolphins.