The Miami Dolphins begin the 2022 season at 1-0 after handling the New England Patriots 20-7 on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.
This was the fourth straight victory Miami has had over Bill Belichick and the Patriots, as they’ve now won eight of their last 10 home games against New England. Mike McDaniel recorded his first head coaching win and during the post-game locker room celebration, was dowsed with a Gatorade pour from a few 12 ouncers in lieu of the full cooler.
While the offense showed signs of potency, there’s still work to do on the offensive line as well as the running game as a whole. Thankfully, the defense was the prescription for Sunday’s clinic, as they proved that they’re more the unit from the second half of last season as opposed to the first half.
Miami won the turnover battle three to zero, and the tone was immediately set when cornerback Xavien Howard defended an end-zone-bound pass intended for former Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker, which fell into the waiting hands of star sophomore safety Jevon Holland.
Here are some other notes from Miami’s season-opening win.