MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Harold Landry knew.
Digging in subsequent to defensive deal with Milton Williams earlier than Miami’s remaining offensive play Sunday, Landry noticed the ball snap after which a blur. That blur was Williams, who had fired off the road a split-second earlier than every other lineman. At that time, Landry figured he had Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa lifeless to rights.
“He beat me off the ball,” mentioned Landry, the Patriots’ captain and prime edge rusher. “I knew one thing good was about to occur for him. And as soon as he smoked the (offensive) guard, I knew it was gonna be a sack.”
Certain sufficient, Tagovailoa went down, and the Patriots had a win.
Williams dropped Tagovailoa on fourth-and-12 to finish Miami’s hopes of a game-winning drive within the remaining minute of the Patriots’ thrilling 33-27 win. It was Williams’ second sack of the sport, a topsy-turvy affair that had the Patriots protection struggling to maintain up for many of the afternoon. However the Pats finally shut the Dolphins offense out within the fourth quarter, forcing a punt, intercepting Tagovailoa as soon as and sacking him 4 occasions.
“The entire recreation they did a very good job of constructing positive that getting the ball out of Tua’s fingers fast and we simply stored going,” Williams mentioned. “We had been speaking on the sidelines (about) simply maintain dashing, maintain dashing and simply executing.”
Williams led all gamers with two sacks, whereas Landry, edge rusher Ok’Lavon Chaisson and inside linebacker Robert Spillane every had one. The Patriots recorded only one stress within the first half and had a single sack by three quarters, however broke by with sufficient persistence and slightly luck.
Earlier than Williams’ sack, Dolphins operating again De’Von Achane stepped half a foot out of bounds on an obvious 44-yard landing reception down the left sideline. Nevertheless, the play was referred to as again to the Patriots’ 26-yard line with 1:09 left. Miami melted down from there with a false begin penalty, a delay of recreation, an incompletion, quick cross and two sacks.
“Fortunately, he stepped out. That might’ve been dangerous. Simply subsequent play,” Williams mentioned of Achane’s catch-and-run. “One thing dangerous occurred, you bought to maneuver on. On this league, they’re not going to cease, and so they’re not going to attend on you or nothing. They’re not going to really feel sorry for you. You bought to go to the following play.
“We tousled that play, go to the following play and be sure to’re able the place you’re imagined to be and execute, and we did that.”
