The New England Patriots seemed to be on the verge of taking the lead with roughly three minutes left in the fourth quarter — until running back Damien Harris, who had been so reliable throughout the game, lost the ball on the 9-yard line.
As good as he had played to that point, his fumble ruined New England’s hopes of winning. Had he held on, they would’ve had a shot at scoring a touchdown or kicking a field goal while trailing just one point. Instead, the Dolphins got possession and chewed away the clock, with the Patriots defense unable to give the offense another drive. Miami won, 17-16.
“It’s just a tough play,” Harris said after the game during a press conference. “Obviously, I have to do a better job holding onto the ball in a critical situation like that, but it’s a long season. I’m not going to let this mistake define me, so I’m just ready to move forward.”
Harris finished the game with 23 carries and 100 yards. It was an otherwise stellar performance for the running back, who was effective and efficient, even when the Dolphins defense knew the Patriots wanted to run the ball to help support quarterback Mac Jones in the rookie’s NFL debut. But Harris took no solace in the 22 carries that came before his 23rd, a game-deciding fumble.
“What’s important to me is the fact that we didn’t win the game, first and foremost. The play that happened — I’m ready to move on,” Harris said. “It’s a tough play. It’s a part of the game, but I hold myself accountable. I’m going to continue to do that.”
New England typically keeps their running backs on a short leash after a fumble, but Harris is likely to have a major role in Week 2 when the Patriots play the Jets in New York. New England will need more of what Harris did in those first 22 carries if they want to beat their division rival.
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