Patriots Second Half Comeback Sinks Dolphins 24-19

Drake Maye Leads Patriots Comeback

The New England Patriots overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat the Miami Dolphins 24-19 on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Quarterback Drake Maye delivered another impressive performance, accounting for three touchdowns as New England rallied in the second half to secure the divisional victory.

Maye completed 16 of 20 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing touchdown. Despite missing key offensive contributors, the Patriots (5-3) found a way to overcome a sluggish first half, outscoring Miami 21-0 across the third quarter and the early stages of the fourth before holding off a late Dolphins comeback. Miami (1-6), meanwhile, struggled to maintain its first-half momentum. Quarterback Malik Willis threw two touchdown passes but also committed a costly interception as the Dolphins let a promising halftime advantage slip away.

Patriots Overcome Offensive Absences to Rally

New England entered Sunday’s matchup without several key offensive players, forcing Maye and the remaining contributors to shoulder additional responsibility. The Patriots nevertheless found their rhythm after halftime, relying on timely passing plays, improved execution and a strong defensive response. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson played an important role in the comeback, finishing with 19 carries for 82 yards.

Wide receiver DeMario Douglas also made a significant impact, catching three passes for 76 yards, including a decisive 48-yard touchdown reception. The Patriots‘ turnaround began in the third quarter when Maye connected with Kyle Williams for a 43-yard touchdown. The play initially appeared to be an incompletion after Williams lost possession as he went to the ground. However, head coach Mike Vrabel challenged the ruling, and officials overturned the call after reviewing the replay, determining Williams had crossed the goal line before losing control of the football. The touchdown brought New England within three points at 13-10 and gave the Patriots the momentum they needed.

Maye’s Rushing Touchdown Gives New England the Lead

New England continued to build momentum late in the third quarter. After Miami’s offense failed to respond, the Patriots put together a lengthy scoring drive that ended with Maye finding the end zone himself. Maye faked a pitch to Stevenson before running the football into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown with 59 seconds remaining in the quarter.

The score gave New England its first lead of the afternoon at 17-13. The touchdown also extended Maye’s remarkable streak of consecutive games with at least three total touchdowns to five, highlighting his growing importance to the Patriots’ offense.

DeMario Douglas Extends the Patriots’ Advantage

The Patriots carried their momentum into the fourth quarter, taking advantage of a crucial defensive turnover to create additional separation. After New England’s defense intercepted Willis, Maye capitalized on the opportunity by connecting with Douglas for a 48-yard touchdown.

Douglas caught the pass and maneuvered through Miami’s secondary before reaching the end zone, extending the Patriots’ advantage to 24-13 with 12:39 remaining. The Patriots had now scored 21 unanswered points, turning a 10-point halftime deficit into an 11-point lead.

Dolphins Make a Late Push but Fall Short

Miami refused to go away quietly. Willis orchestrated an 11-play, 70-yard scoring drive, capped by a 1-yard touchdown reception from Malik Washington that had initially given the Dolphins a 13-3 halftime advantage. Washington had briefly left the game after taking a hard hit from Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss earlier in the drive. Elliss was penalized for unnecessary roughness, but Washington returned after being evaluated in the medical tent.

In the fourth quarter, Willis gave Miami another opportunity by connecting with rookie wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. for a 35-yard touchdown with approximately two minutes remaining. The score cut New England’s lead to 24-19. However, Miami’s attempted two-point conversion failed, leaving the Dolphins needing another possession to take the lead. The Patriots quickly ended that possibility when Stevenson recovered Bradley Pinion’s ensuing onside kick. New England maintained possession and ran out the remaining time to secure the 24-19 victory.

Willis Shows Promise Despite Costly Mistakes

Willis completed 21 of 32 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns for Miami. However, his performance also included an interception and five sacks, as the Patriots’ defense found ways to disrupt the Dolphins’ passing attack. Running back Ollie Gordon II contributed on the ground, but Miami struggled to generate enough offensive production in the second half to protect its lead.

Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted field goals from 31 and 52 yards, with his second attempt bouncing off the left upright before going through. He also missed a 43-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins’ inability to capitalize on their first-half advantage ultimately proved costly, as New England controlled the game’s decisive stretch.

Up Coming Games for the Patriots and Dolphins

The Patriots will return home next Sunday to host the Green Bay Packers as they look to build on their comeback victory and continue climbing the AFC standings. Miami will also return home next Sunday, facing the Detroit Lions in a challenging matchup. The Dolphins will look to regroup after another disappointing result and find a way to turn their season around.