New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins Match Player Stats: Drake Maye and a Wild Fourth Quarter Seal the Win

Chasing a division rival on the road is never simple, and Miami built two separate leads before New England answered every time. This breakdown of the New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins match player stats digs into every box score number that decided the outcome — from Drake Maye’s efficient passing to the special-teams touchdown that flipped the fourth quarter. If you want the full stat line for every key contributor, this is the complete rundown.

The Lead

The Patriots traveled to Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 2025, and left with a 33-27 win over the Dolphins in front of 65,593 fans in Miami Gardens, Florida. The game took 3 hours and 7 minutes to complete and swung on special teams: Miami’s Malik Washington returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown to put the Dolphins ahead 27-23 in the fourth quarter, only for New England’s Antonio Gibson to answer immediately with a 90-yard kickoff return score.

Drake Maye threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns while adding a third score on the ground, and Rhamondre Stevenson contributed 142 yards from scrimmage as a runner and receiver. Tua Tagovailoa actually out-passed Maye statistically with 315 yards and two touchdowns, but a fourth-quarter interception by Marte Mapu set up the go-ahead field goal and sealed Miami’s fate. This New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins recap covers every meaningful number from the box score.

Match Overview Table

Core Match Statistics Overview

The Patriots vs Dolphins box score tells a story of efficiency versus explosiveness. Miami actually piled up more total yardage, but New England’s ball security and third-down execution made the difference in a game that came down to the final possessions.

Third Down Execution

• New England converted 58% of its third downs (7-of-12), a number that kept extending drives and wearing down Miami’s defense.
• Miami stalled at just 4-of-10 on third down, forcing the Dolphins into more punts and fewer scoring chances despite better overall yardage.

Turnover Margin

• The Patriots played a clean game with zero giveaways, while Tagovailoa’s fourth-quarter interception proved to be the single biggest swing play of the afternoon.
• That turnover margin of plus-one was the deciding factor in a contest where Miami actually out-gained New England by 25 total yards.

Time of Possession

• New England held the ball for 33:45 compared to Miami’s 26:15, a gap of over seven minutes that limited the number of possessions available to Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense.
• Longer, more deliberate drives also helped New England’s defense stay fresh in the fourth quarter when Miami tried to mount its comeback.

Period-by-Period Analysis

• First Quarter — Patriots Jump Ahead: Maye connected with Mack Hollins and Kayshon Boutte on back-to-back touchdown drives, but two missed extra points from Andres Borregales left the score at 12-0 instead of a bigger cushion.
• Second Quarter — Miami Claws Back: Tagovailoa found Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane for touchdowns to close within one point at halftime, 15-14, despite a Borregales field goal keeping New England in front.
• Third and Fourth Quarters — Special Teams Decide It: Miami grabbed its first lead of the game on two Riley Patterson field goals before Maye’s own rushing touchdown put the Patriots back on top 23-20 heading into the fourth. Washington’s punt-return score gave Miami a brief 27-23 edge, but Gibson’s ensuing kickoff return touchdown and a late Mapu interception set up Borregales’ game-sealing 53-yard field goal.

New England Patriots Player Statistics

Drake Maye — QB 19/23 passing, 230 yards, 2 passing TD, 0 INT | 10 carries, 31 yards, 1 rushing TD

Maye posted a near-perfect completion rate and didn’t turn the ball over once, spreading throws to eight different targets. His designed and scrambled rushing yardage, capped by a third-quarter touchdown, added a dimension Miami’s defense couldn’t account for.

Rhamondre Stevenson — RB 11 carries, 54 yards | 5 receptions, 88 yards

Stevenson was the offense’s most versatile weapon, finishing with 142 yards from scrimmage on just 16 total touches. His receiving total led all Patriots players and repeatedly moved the chains on third down.

Antonio Gibson — RB/Returner 5 carries, 27 yards | 1 reception, 1 yard | 90-yard kickoff return touchdown

Gibson’s role in the run game was secondary to Stevenson’s, but his special-teams touchdown was the single biggest play of the game, immediately erasing Miami’s go-ahead score.

Stefon Diggs / Kayshon Boutte / Mack Hollins — WR Diggs: 4 receptions, 32 yards | Boutte: 1 reception, 16 yards, 1 TD | Hollins: 1 reception, 8 yards, 1 TD

Diggs was the possession-receiver option underneath, while Boutte and Hollins both scored on shorter routes that Maye placed accurately in the red zone.

Miami Dolphins Player Statistics

Tua Tagovailoa — QB 26/32 passing, 315 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT

Tagovailoa’s efficiency numbers were excellent for most of the afternoon, and his 315 yards were a season high at that point in 2025. The one interception, however, came at the worst possible time and directly set up New England’s winning field goal.

De’Von Achane — RB 11 carries, 30 yards | 8 receptions, 92 yards, 1 TD

Achane’s receiving production out of the backfield was Miami’s most consistent weapon, and his 29-yard touchdown catch tied the game in the second quarter.

Tyreek Hill — WR 6 receptions, 109 yards

Hill set a season high with 109 receiving yards on just six catches, averaging over 18 yards per reception and repeatedly stretching the Patriots secondary vertically.

Jaylen Waddle — WR 5 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD

Waddle’s 18-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter got Miami on the board first among its receivers, and he remained a reliable chain-mover throughout the game.

Malik Washington — WR/Returner 3 carries, 23 yards | 1 reception, 2 yards | 74-yard punt return touchdown

Washington’s punt-return touchdown briefly gave Miami its first lead of the second half, showcasing the explosive playmaking ability that made him a weapon on special teams all season.

Statistical Leaders Summary Table

Why the Patriots Won

Zero Turnovers Against a High-Volume Passing Attack

New England didn’t give Miami’s offense a single short field all game. Protecting the ball for all 55 offensive snaps neutralized Tagovailoa’s 315-yard passing day, since the Dolphins had to earn every yard the hard way.

Balanced Production From Maye and Stevenson

Maye’s dual-threat outing (230 passing yards, 31 rushing yards, three total touchdowns) paired with Stevenson’s 142 scrimmage yards gave New England multiple ways to move the ball, rather than leaning on one single Patriots vs Dolphins stat leader.

Special Teams Explosiveness

Gibson’s immediate answer to Washington’s punt-return score is the defining sequence of this game. Instead of letting Miami’s momentum carry into the next series, New England erased it in a single play and reclaimed the lead for good.

Why the Dolphins Lost

One Costly Turnover in a Close Game

Despite out-gaining New England 358-333 in total yards, Miami’s single turnover — Tagovailoa’s fourth-quarter interception to Marte Mapu — came at the exact moment the Dolphins needed a stop, directly setting up the Patriots’ game-winning field goal.

Third Down Inefficiency

Miami converted only 4-of-10 third downs compared to New England’s 7-of-12, a gap that repeatedly forced the Dolphins offense off the field even while it was moving the ball well between the 20-yard lines.

Historical Context & Advanced Insights

Season Series Breakdown

New England swept the 2025 season series 2-0, its first sweep of Miami since the 2016 season, closing the year with a decisive 28-point rout in the finale.

Advanced Statistical Insights

Maye’s passer rating of 137.3 on 19-of-23 passing reflects an unusually clean, high-percentage day, especially notable given he attempted nine fewer passes than Tagovailoa while producing the same number of passing touchdowns.

Tagovailoa’s counting stats were superior in raw yardage, but his 115.5 rating and single interception show the cost of the one mistake that mattered most. New England’s ability to win the turnover battle while trailing in total yards is a classic example of situational football outweighing gross production.

Game Implications & Key Lessons

What This Means for the Patriots

• A statement road win over an AFC East rival validated Mike Vrabel’s first season as head coach.
• Maye’s clean, mistake-free performance built early-season confidence in his decision-making under pressure.

What This Means for the Dolphins

• Miami’s inability to protect a fourth-quarter lead became a recurring theme that the coaching staff had to address immediately.
• The Dolphins’ third-down struggles on offense pointed to a need for more consistent play-calling in money situations.

Key Lessons

• Turnover margin can outweigh a 25-yard total-offense deficit in a close game.
• Special-teams touchdowns can swing momentum faster than any offensive drive.
• High-percentage passing (19-of-23) can be just as valuable as gaudy yardage totals.
• Time of possession advantages help tired defenses close out games in the fourth quarter.
• Multiple weapons on offense — like Maye’s passing and rushing — make a team harder to defend.
• One critical interception in the red-zone or scoring-drive window can decide an entire game.

FAQs

Who won the Patriots vs Dolphins game on September 14, 2025?

The New England Patriots won 33-27 over the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium.

Who had the most passing yards in the game?

Tua Tagovailoa led all passers with 315 yards and two touchdowns, though Drake Maye was more efficient at 19-of-23 for 230 yards and two touchdowns.

What were Drake Maye’s full stats?

Maye finished 19-of-23 passing for 230 yards and two touchdowns through the air, adding 31 rushing yards and a third touchdown on the ground.

Who scored the game-changing special-teams touchdowns?

Miami’s Malik Washington returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown, and New England’s Antonio Gibson answered immediately with a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown.

What was Rhamondre Stevenson’s stat line?

Stevenson totaled 142 yards from scrimmage: 54 rushing yards on 11 carries and 88 receiving yards on 5 catches.

Did the Patriots and Dolphins play again in the 2025 season?

Yes. New England completed a season sweep with a 38-10 win over Miami in Week 18 on January 4, 2026.

Conclusion

This New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins match player stats breakdown shows that raw yardage totals don’t always tell the full story. Miami out-gained New England on paper, but disciplined ball security, balanced production from Maye and Stevenson, and one game-changing special-teams answer proved to be the difference.

Efficiency and situational execution outweighed individual big plays, and that combination is exactly what turned a back-and-forth divisional battle into a Patriots victory.