Two bounces, three duds from Patriots ugly loss to Dolphins

After four straight contests, the Patriots were outmatched Sunday afternoon.

New England didn’t stand a chance against division rival Miami at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins took a vise in the Week 12 game with their electrifying offense and never allowed the Patriots to get into it.

Here were New England’s best and worst from South Beach:

STUDIES
Unlikely scorers
New England’s two touchdowns were scored by players you wouldn’t expect. The Patriots first found the end zone on a fourth-and-15 early in the third quarter when Drake Maye found Austin Hooper on a 38-yard heave. Three possessions later, Christian Gonzalez scooped up a fumble and ran it 63 yards to pay dirt.

Patriots run defense
This wasn’t entirely deserved, as Miami didn’t seem too concerned about running the football given how successful it was through the air. Still, New England limited its division rival to 65 rushing yards with no touchdowns.

DUDS
The discipline of the patriots
You’ll rarely beat the opposition if you beat yourself, and the Patriots repeatedly shot themselves in the foot Sunday. New England was hit with 10 penalties for 75 yards, while Miami was hit with just three penalties for 18 yards. It was a glaring lack of control for the Patriots and another indictment of the struggling coaching staff.

New England’s pass defense
The visitors’ modified cooking method did not yield positive results. Tua Tagovailoa and company did whatever they wanted all afternoon through the air, torching the Patriots for four passing touchdowns. Three Miami pass catchers recorded five-plus receptions and the Jaylen Waddle-Jonnu Smith duo combined for 231 receiving yards.

Patriots offensive line
New England’s big boys up front were responsible for a good number of those penalties, including a handful of unforgivable pre-snap violations. But the line also did a terrible job of protecting Drake Maye and creating lanes for the running backs. Improving the O-line must be a priority for New England this offseason.