There was a mixture of good and bad news with the New England Patriots inactives list ahead of Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.

Let’s start with the good news.

The Patriots will have their two starting guards, Mike Onwenu and Cole Strange, available for the first time in the season. Wide receiver DeVante Parker will also be active in the game.

However, New England will be without top cornerback Jonathan Jones and rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte. That will leave rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez and second-year defensive back Marcus Jones as the top players tasked with defending Dolphins wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle

The New England Patriots needed some momentum in the third quarter, as the offense struggled for most of the evening. They were able to get that momentum via a field goal block from special-teamer Brenden Schooler.

Miami was set up for a field goal that would have extended their lead to 20-3, but Schooler had other ideas on the play. He got a running start as the field goal was being kicked and was able to block it.

He put New England in good field position with the offense needing to find its groove

With Sunday's victory in Denver, Commanders head coach Ron Rivera became the NFL's eighth active coach with 100 regular-season wins -- joining a group that includes New England's Bill Belichick, Kansas City's Andy Reid, Seattle's Pete Carroll, Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin, Dallas' Mike McCarthy, Baltimore's John Harbaugh and Denver's Sean Payton.

The Dolphins defensive line needs to show its talent. This will be different than the good Chargers offensive line that took it to the Dolphins in the opener with 234 yards rushing. The Patriots have four linemen listed as questionable. They started two, fourth-round rookies at guards in the opener. That makeshift line did fine against a strong Philadelphia Eagles line, too. But if this expensive Dolphins defensive line (two first-round picks and a big trade for Bradley Chubb) is as talented as most of us expect then this is a game to show it. Patriots left tackle Trent Brown, […]

Boos rained down on the New England Patriots as the team headed into the locker room of Gillette Stadium on Sunday, trailing the Miami Dolphins 17-3.

Nothing about the game has been fun for Patriots fans.

The offense has looked anemic throughout the first two quarters. They did manage to move the ball a bit in the first quarter and show some momentum, but that was quickly snuffed out by a turnover from rookie wide receiver Demario Douglas.

It’s the same old self-inflicted wounds showing up for the Patriots in a game where their defense is clearly struggling. Cornerback Marcus Jones left the game early with a shoulder injury on a night where the team is already playing without Jonathan Jones

Reinforcements could be on the way for the New England Patriots’ makeshift offensive line.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Patriots’ starting offensive guard Mike Onwenu, who missed all of the preseason with an ankle injury, could be preparing to make his 2023 regular season debut against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Barring a surprise, the Patriots are reportedly expecting Onwenu to be available to play in the game.

That’s big news coming a week after the team used a mixture of rookies Atonio Mafi and Sidy Sow to cover up the holes at guard in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles