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Studs and duds from Dolphins' 24-19 loss to Patriots
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- Studs and duds from Dolphins' 24-19 loss to Patriots
The Miami Dolphins, coming off a win, entered their Week 8 matchup with the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday as underdogs, and they proved why, as they left with a 24-19 loss.
The loss was Miami's sixth of the season, as they're now 1-6 through eight weeks and are just one game ahead of the winless Los Angeles Chargers for the worst record in the NFL this year.
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As we continue to work through this result, let's hand out some credit and criticism to the Dolphins ' studs and duds from their Week 8 loss to the Patriots.
STUD: LB Chop Robinson
Nov 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins defensive end Chop Robinson (44) reacts after making a sack during the third quarter against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images
(Rich Storry, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Robinson has been getting pressure somewhat consistently this year, but it hasn't turned into a ton of sacks for the former first-round pick. That changed on Sunday, as he took down Drake Maye twice in the loss, once to end the first half and once on the first drive out of the break. The Dolphins need more of that.
DUD: Offensive line
Nov 30, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins guard Jonah Savaiinaea (72) takes the field prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images
Jonah Savaiinaea had a tough time against the Patriots, especially early on, as defensive lineman Corey Durden was eating him alive. The unit, as a whole, is partially responsible for Willis' five sacks as well as the lackluster day for Miami on the ground. Hopefully, things will look more cohesive if Kadyn Proctor can return for Week 9 from his concussion.
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STUD: LB Jacob Rodriguez
Aug 22, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (10) leaves the field at the end of a preseason game against the New York Giants at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images
Rodriguez finished the day with the second-most tackles for Miami's defense, with eight, and Jordyn Brooks had 11. However, the rookie made this list for his forced fumble that led to the Dolphins' first points of the game. The peanut punch is what Rodriguez perfected at Texas Tech, and if he can do it successfully in Miami, the defense will benefit greatly.
DUD: Ollie Gordon II
Nov 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II (0) reacts after a play against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images
(Rich Storry, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
As previously mentioned, the Dolphins had a tough game on the ground, especially for a rushing attack that's consistently gone over 100 yards this season. Gordon, being Miami's leading back, got most of the work and was fairly inefficient, rushing for just 69 yards on 3.6 yards per attempt. Even that was aided by an 11-yard run on the final drive, when New England was fine with giving up anything on the ground to kill the clock.
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DUD: Chris Johnson's sack attempt
Nov 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III (86)runs the ball during the third quarter against Miami Dolphins cornerback Chris Johnson (3) at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Johnson was fine coverage for the most part, but the first-round pick had one of the worst plays of the game while rushing the passer. On fourth-and-4, the Dolphins sent Johnson on a blindside blitz. He had Maye dead to rights, but he seemed to just fall to the ground instead of trying to hit the quarterback.
Luckily, the fourth-down conversion didn't lead to any points, but this was a rough look.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Studs and duds from Dolphins' 24-19 loss to Patriots
