Worth the Watch: Yay or Nay? Week Eighteen, Patriots vs. Dolphins

The New England Patriots finished the 2021 NFL season with a record of 10-7, following disappointing performance in their Week Eighteen loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Quarterback Mac Jones completed 20 of his 30 passes for 261 yards with one touchdown and interception returned for a touchdown. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was 15-for-22 for 109 yards with one touchdown. Duke Johnson rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries as the Pats fell to Miami, 33-24 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

With the loss, the Patriots fell short of capturing the AFC East title, and now sit as the sixth seed in the AFC’s postseason positioning.

Prior to this Week Eighteen matchup, Patriot Maven highlighted three players on offense and three players on defense on which the fan base might have wanted to keep watch.

Let’s examine whether this six-pack of Patriots was ‘worth the watch’ on Sunday:

Nelson Agholor - Nay

In his first on-field action since suffering a concussion in Week Fifteen, receiver Nelson Agholor led all Pats’ wideouts, taking 55 offensive snaps on Sunday. While it would be unfair to say that Agholor played poorly, he has yet to create the separation required of a receiver whose greatest assets are speed and ability to get open over the top. Agholor finished Sunday’s matchup with only one reception for 23 yards.

Rhamondre Stevenson - Incomplete

Stevenson saw limited action on Sunday, taking only nine offensive snaps. The Patriots rookie running back left the game early in the first half after suffering a head injury. After being evaluated, he eventually returned to the lineup. Stevenson did not reach the end zone on Sunday, finishing the day with four carries for 34 yards. However, he did look impressive with the ball in his hands, averaging 8.5 yards per carry against Miami.

Hunter Henry - Yay

There were not many bright spots for the Patriots in Week Eighteen. However, Henry was one of them. The 27-year-old continues to showcase his route running ability, which he does as well (if not better) than any tight end in the league. Henry was once again an effective target out of play-action, both in short-yardage situations, and the occasional big gain. Henry finished Sunday’s matchup with five catches and 86 yards, his longest reception going for 35 yards.

Davon Godchaux - Nay

While the Patriots defensive line significantly struggled on Sunday, particularly in the run game. The Pats allowed 195 total rushing yards to Miami’s ground game. They also failed to get the timely stops necessary to remain in contention for the win. Though Godchaux did not necessarily perform at a subpar level, he did not do enough to warrant a ‘yay’ on Sunday. The 27-year-old logged seven total tackles, three of which, were of the solo variety, in Week Eighteen.

Adrian Phillips – More Yay, Than Nay

Despite some issues when assisting in run defense, Phillips performed reasonably well on Sunday. The versatile defensive back often drew Dolphins’ tight end Mike Gesicki in man coverage, holding him to two catches for 22 yards. In total, Phillips allowed four catches for 43 yards, earning ten solo tackles and one pass break up.

Jalen Mills – Nay

Mills’ solid day in coverage will unfairly be overshadowed by a controversial pass interference call midway through the third quarter. On 3rd-and-7 from the New England 25-yard line, Tagovailoa attempted to find receiver Mack Hollins in the end zone where Mills was flagged for a borderline (at best) PI, which gifted Miami a one-yard touchdown run from Duke Johnson on the ensuing play. While Mills does not deserve the majority of the blame he is receiving for the penalty, his output was not enough to earn him the ‘yay’ in Week Eighteen. He finished the game having allowed two catches for 20 yards receiving, while logging three total tackles.