The Dolphins and Patriots have been two of the worst teams in the league through the first four weeks of the season and there’s no sign that anything is changing in Week Five.
A 33-yard run by Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson was the only touchdown of a first half that featured two missed field goals, a botched field goal attempt, a blocked punt, an interception, and five punts between the two AFC East teams. The Dolphins did manage a field goal, so it is a 7-3 Patriots lead at the break.
Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders hit the upright with a 41-yard try and the Dolphins botched the snap on what would have been a 51-yard field goal late in the first half. That gave the Patriots the ball near midfield with time to get into scoring position, but they went three-and-out to continue the theme of futility that both teams committed to early in this contest.
Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett is 7-of-12 for 44 yards while Tyler Huntley is 12-of-22 for 126 yards for the Dolphins. He was picked off by Patriots corner Christian Gonzalez in the first quarter and was fortunate to avoid a second pick just before the botched snap on Sanders’s try.
Sanders’s misery has company in Patriots kicker Joey Slye. His 33-yard miss is the shortest in the league this season and it’s been fitting on a day that’s seen a lot of sloppy football on both sides.