Patriots film review: Maye’s second-half surge and defensive adjustments
The New England Patriots’ film review of their Week 8 win at Miami on Nov. 1, 2026, spotlights quarterback Drake Maye’s decisive second-half performance and defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr’s schematic adjustments, according to a breakdown by Evan Lazar on the team site. The review credits Maye with efficient play in adverse conditions and details how the defense mixed quarters-family zone coverages to control the Dolphins’ offense in the rain. The analysis also places the victory in context of a banged-up Patriots offense and recent short-week travel.
Lazar’s breakdown notes that Maye produced +0.42 EPA per drop-back against Miami and that, since Week 4, he leads all quarterbacks in pass EPA (+0.45) and ranks second in both drop-back success rate (55.7%) and completion percentage over expectation (+9.6%). The review also highlights Maye’s improved risk management, with a turnover-worthy play rate of 1.1 percent (tied for first) and a top big-time-throw rate, per the team analysis. In the Miami game, Maye charted 27 drop-backs and yielded a 7.5 to 4 ratio of positively graded plays to negative plays in the author’s film charting.
The defensive review details Kuhr’s decision to increase zone coverage use to 73 percent in the game, the highest zone rate for the Patriots this season, and to deploy more quarters or “poach” quarters concepts. The report notes Miami’s QB Malik Willis completed 15 of 19 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns when throwing into zone, but added just +0.02 EPA per drop-back and was kept from scrambling, registering no scrambles in the game. The Patriots also reduced missed tackles from 17 in Chicago to just two against Miami and rank ninth in missed-tackle rate through eight weeks, per PFF.
Lazar cataloged how New England mixed coverage calls to disguise tendencies it had relied on earlier in the season, including Cover-2 and simulated pressure fronts, and shows how the quarters checks generated both positive and teachable moments. The piece enumerates individual defensive contributors, such as Christian Elliss with four run stuffs and impactful pressures and several interior defensive tackles — Milton Williams, Cory Durden and Christian Barmore — creating disruption up front. The review also observes growing pains, with some coverage beats on out-breaking patterns and a long touchdown allowed to a backup corner late in the game.
NFL Sports Blog Take
The Patriots film review reinforces two durable themes: Drake Maye has stabilized as a high-impact starter and New England is willing to tinker schematically on defense to mask earlier tendencies. The statistical context supplied in the team breakdown is notable — Maye’s post-Week-4 EPA and CPOE numbers place him among the NFL’s most efficient passers over that span. On defense, Kuhr’s increased use of quarters-family coverages and mixed looks appears to have limited a mobile opposing QB and cut down on missed tackles, but the change introduces new coverage beats opponents can exploit. With key offensive players nursing injuries, the Patriots will need both continued quarterback play at this level and refinement of the new coverage wrinkles to sustain success as the roster trends toward full health.