Here’s our weekly look at the key plays in the Patriots’ game after reviewing the film.
Brilliant play-calling
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was on top of his game in Sunday’s win.
Jimmy Garoppolo gets the ball out to TE Martellus Bennett before the Dolphins’ six-man blitz gets there. Notice the downfield block by WR Julian Edelman.
Bennett beats two Dolphins to the corner, then pulls off a 26-yard gain thanks to a downfield block from WR Chris Hogan.
Later in the first quarter ...
Garoppolo again rolls out, but this time three Dolphins defenders key on Bennett as Hogan streaks across the middle …
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… and Hogan is wide open for the 19-yard gain.
Once again, Edelman laid out a Dolphins defender with a big block.
Ground and pound
The Patriots got some great run blocking after Garoppolo’s exit.
Martellus Bennett seals off the defensive end, while Shaq Mason and Marcus Cannon double team the tackle.
Joe Thuney seals off the safety …
… and Blount has a huge hole for a 9-yard TD run.
Game of inches
In the fourth quarter, Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill looks left at TE Jordan Cameron the whole way, but Jamie Collins has his body turned to the right.
And that extra step allows Tannehill to squeeze the ball in to Cameron just past Collins’s reach.
| Cardinals (71) | Dolphins (80) | Total (151) | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G Joe Thuney | 71 | 80 | 151 | 100% |
| C David Andrews | 71 | 80 | 151 | 100% |
| T Marcus Cannon | 71 | 80 | 151 | 100% |
| TE Martellus Bennett | 69 | 80 | 149 | 99% |
| OT Nate Solder | 0 | 65 | 65 | 43% |
| WR Julian Edelman | 61 | 63 | 124 | 82% |
| WR Chris Hogan | 55 | 63 | 118 | 78% |
| RB LeGarrette Blount | 42 | 51 | 93 | 62% |
| QB Jimmy Garoppolo | 71 | 42 | 113 | 75% |
| G Ted Karras | 58 | 41 | 99 | 66% |
| G Shaq Mason | 14 | 39 | 53 | 35% |
| QB Jacoby Brissett | 0 | 38 | 38 | 25% |
| WR Malcolm Mitchell | 39 | 31 | 70 | 46% |
| RB James White | 26 | 28 | 54 | 36% |
| FB James Develin | 17 | 24 | 41 | 27% |
| TE Clay Harbor | 0 | 22 | 22 | 15% |
| WR Danny Amendola | 19 | 19 | 38 | 25% |
| T Cameron Fleming | 71 | 16 | 87 | 58% |
| WR Matt Slater | 4 | 14 | 18 | 12% |
| RB DJ Foster | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3% |
| TE AJ Derby | 20 | 0 | 20 | 13% |
| RB Brandon Bolden | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2% |
| Cardinals (61) | Dolphins (65) | Total (126) | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S Devin McCourty | 61 | 65 | 126 | 100% |
| LB Jamie Collins | 61 | 65 | 126 | 100% |
| CB Malcolm Butler | 61 | 64 | 125 | 99% |
| CB Justin Coleman | 40 | 59 | 99 | 79% |
| CB Logan Ryan | 61 | 57 | 118 | 94% |
| S Patrick Chung | 60 | 57 | 117 | 93% |
| DE Chris Long | 39 | 46 | 85 | 67% |
| DE Jabaal Sheard | 44 | 45 | 89 | 71% |
| DT Malcom Brown | 30 | 39 | 69 | 55% |
| LB Shea McClellin | 24 | 39 | 63 | 50% |
| DT Alan Branch | 31 | 37 | 68 | 54% |
| DE Trey Flowers | 21 | 37 | 58 | 46% |
| LB Jon Freeny | 6 | 36 | 42 | 33% |
| S Duron Harmon | 29 | 31 | 60 | 48% |
| DT Vincent Valentine | 20 | 17 | 37 | 29% |
| CB Cyrus Jones | 5 | 8 | 13 | 10% |
| LB Elandon Roberts | 0 | 6 | 6 | 5% |
| LB Barkevious Mingo | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4% |
| S Jordan Richards | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2% |
| LB Donta Hightower | 58 | 0 | 58 | 46% |
| DT Anthony Johnson | 20 | 0 | 20 | 16% |
Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @BenVolin.