Drake Maye completed 16 of 20 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns, and did most of his damage in the second half to lead the New England Patriots to a 24-19 comeback win over the host Miami Dolphins on Sunday night.
Maye threw both of his touchdown passes in the second half when he went 9 of 10 for 146 yards after the Patriots (5-3) fell behind 13-3 at halftime to the upset-minded Dolphins (1-6), who were looking to string together back-to-back AFC East wins after an 0-5 start.
Instead, Maye led a second-half comeback after recording his fifth consecutive game with three or more total touchdowns, and tied a Patriots single-season record with three games in which he’s thrown two touchdown passes of 30 or more yards, tying Tom Brady and Steve Grogan, who both did it twice.
And Maye did this despite the Patriots playing without A.J. Brown (ankle/knee) and down to four active receivers. Tight end Hunter Henry also exited the game early in the second quarter with an apparent foot issue and did not return.
Maye found Kyle Williams for a 43-yard touchdown pass to cut the Dolphins’ lead to 13-10 with 9:23 left in the third. Maye’s 2-yard touchdown run with 59 seconds left in the third put the Patriots ahead 17-13.
On Miami’s ensuing drive, Kevin Byard III intercepted a pass by Malik Willis that was deflected high in the air off DaQuan Jones’ helmet. DeMario Douglas, who caught three passes for 76 yards, extended the lead to 24-13 with 12:39 left in the fourth when he caught a throw on the run by Maye and raced for a 48-yard touchdown.
Willis completed 21 of 32 passes for 211 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and was sacked five times in the first half.
The Dolphins drove 11 plays and 45 yards into New England territory, but Zane Gonzalez missed a 43-yard try wide left with 6:41 to go in the fourth.
Willis found Kevin Coleman Jr. open for a 35-yard touchdown pass with 2:04 left to cut New England’s lead to 24-19, but Miami’s two-point try failed on an incomplete pass. The Patriots recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock. Rhamondre Stevenson totaled 82 yards on 19 carries for New England. Ollie Gordon II had 69 yards on 19 carries for Miami.
–Field Level Media
