The Patriots continued their first brutal streak of the season Sunday night by hosting the Dolphins a week after facing the Eagles in a close loss. Once again, the Patriots defense held up pretty well against Miami’s high-octane offense, but Mac Jones and the Pats offense could never get out of first gear, scoring just three points in the first three quarters as New England trailed 17-3 heading into the game. the last quarter.
Frustration with an inept offense was heightened for Patriots head coach Bill Belichick when Rhamondre Stevenson was ruled to have been stopped short of the sticks on a 3rd-and-2 down the middle as the Pats drove the ball deep into Miami territory. Belichick stood on the sidelines while an official fixed the chains, waiting for confirmation that he had to challenge the play, and once he learned it was at least close, he raised his red challenge flag right next to the official like an angry toddler.
“Shaq would have been proud of that dunk,” Cris Collinsworth.
“Bill’s flag of disgusted defiance,” Mike Tirico.
Bill Belichick was not happy about having to challenge for this spot. He lost the challenge but the Pats won the first try. pic.twitter.com/pZThxVX0z5
– Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 18, 2023
Unfortunately for Belichick, his emphatic challenge was not overturned while the call was on the field due to a lack of indisputable evidence. Mac Jones sneaked it in for the first down on 4th down and a few inches, but then quickly threw an interception to ruin all that hard work, which certainly only left Belichick on the sideline.
The Pats would score their first touchdown to open the fourth quarter and ease some tension in Gillette, but they still had work to do to bring the Fins back.