Collins, Patriots' Defense Blanks Tanking Dolphins

Antonio Brown and James White caught touchdown passes from Tom Brady, who joined Sony Michel in finding paydirt on short scoring runs, as the New England Patriots offense had it's way with an overmatched Miami Dolphins defense - but they needn't have bothered.

The Patriots' defense scored all the points New England would need on Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida, cornerback Stephon Gilmore and linebacker Jamie Collins returning interceptions for scores in a dominating performance that saw the stoppers notch seven sacks and force four turnovers in a 43-0 pasting of the tanking Dolphins on Sunday afternoon.

Collins congratulated by Chase Winovich after pick-six

Gilmore stepped in front of a short throw by Miami's Ryan Fitzpatrick and sprinted 54 yards for the defense's first score, and then Collins took advantage of a juggled pass attempt just moments later and jogged in for their second tally from 69 yards out. Collins' less-than-full-speed return will probably draw head ball coach Bill Belichick's ire in team meetings on Tuesday, but it will be tough for Belichick to find fault with much else, no matter how much he bitches and bristles.

Collins ruined the Dolphins. Absolutely ruined them. The former top draft choice of the Patriots who was dealt to the Cleveland Browns two years ago then re-acquired this past offseason was seemingly in on every play. In addition to the pick-six, Collins logged one more interception late in the game, defended two other passes, recorded one quarterback hit and notched a half of a sack...

...had five tackles, including one for a four-yard loss on the second play of the game and dominated the weak side edge, forcing nearly every Dolphin running play back to the inside where bigger bodies awaited - forcing their opponent to abandon their ground game for the second week in a row.

Just like they did last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Patriots' defense held the Dolphins' offense to less than a hundred yards total offense in the first half - but unlike the Steelers, it took the Dolphins well into the final quarter to punch through that crust to record a pedestrian 184 yards for the game - 146 of those in the fourth quarter with the New England defense laying back in full preservation mode.

Do the math. The Patriots' defense held an admittedly mediocre Dolphins' offense to thirty-eight total yards through three quarters, a time frame in which they forced seven punts in eight drives - six of those drives ending in three-and-outs - with the lone exception being an exquisite tip drill initiated by Gilmore, who tipped a pass right into the waiting arms of safety Devin McCourty for the team's first of four interceptions on the day.

To no one's surprise, the Patriots lead the league in total defense by a wide margin through two games, and are only surrendering a ridiculous 1.5 points per game.

The caveat to this dominating start to the season is that the sample size, while impressive, is very small and against teams dealing with substantial losses from their offensive units and are part of a cupcake first half schedule that includes no playoff teams from last season.

Brown's debut as a Patriot, not to mention the off field baggage he brought with him, actually became a side show to the defense's domination. Targeted a team-high eight times, the seven-time Pro Bowl selection caught four balls, three of them on the first drive of the game, the last one late in the second quarter, a back shoulder beauty that resulted in the Patriots' second score of the game.

With the team being able to lean on their stingy defense, the Patriots' offense has been able to concentrate on ball control - short, stick moving patterns in the passing game, complimented by tough, three-yards-and-a-cloud-of dust running game that kept the clock running and the Dolphins' offense off the field...

...honoring the old mantra that the best offense is a great defense. Unfortunately for the rest of the teams on New England's schedule, the Patriots also possess a great offense that can play it any way they want, with as many go-to options as we've ever seen in Foxborough.

Through the air, New England poses a threat on every level with the likes of Julian Edelman and James White handling the short, stick-moving patterns, Josh Gordon ruling the intermediate stuff and Brown and Phillip Dorsett pressing the issue down the field, while White, Rex Burkhead and Sony Michel keeps opposing defenses honest with tough running out of the backfield.

The Patriots are a bonafide juggernaut on both sides of the ball, but as we've seen the first two weeks of the season, it is their defense that is dictating results.

Good Stuff:

1. Rex Burkhead displaying lead back qualities: Most impressive with Burkhead was his vision in the scrum while running between the tackles, almost like he was negotiating a human maze. His change of direction abilities were also at the forefront, as was his power at the point of contact and his grace in wheeling into the pattern as a receiver. He may have surpassed Sony Michel as the first option on early downs as a result.

2. Antonio Brown hinting at the number one receiver role: The Dolphins appeared to not take Brown's debut seriously at first, but clamped down on him in the second half of the game which, to the chagrin of Miami fans, opened up the field for the likes of Edelman, Dorsett, Matt LaCosse, White and Burkhead. A strong debut for a guy who had only a handful practices leading up to the game.

3. Chase Winovich bending the edge on the pass rush: Winovich lined up on the weak side when Collins wasn't, taking advantage of the void left when now former left tackle Laramy Tunsil was traded away two weeks ago. Winovich recorded 1.5 sacks and was a constant pressure from the edge.

Curious:

1. Sony Michel still looking disinterested: Perhaps Michel is just a calm guy which can be taken as disinterest, but he is not displaying the burst we saw in the preseason, and losing the football at the end of his best run of the day was more a matter of technique than anything the Dolphins did. He's carrying the ball loosly and not wrapping up with both hands to protect it. A story worth monitoring going forward.

No so great:

1. Injuries piling up along the offensive line: The depth along the line was already being stressed with right tackle Marcus Cannon being inactive with a shoulder injury and center David Andrews placed on IR with blood clots - and now with left tackle Isaiah Wynn leaving this contest with a foot injury. The first thing that comes to mind is whether or not the foot injury is related to his repaired achilles tendon that he ripped up last season. By the time the game ended, the Patriots had only two regulars, guards Joe Thuney and Shaq Mason, on the field. It is reported that Wynn may have a ligament issue in one of his toes, which could keep him out several weeks, but Cannon should be able to return against the New York Jets this Sunday.