Maye accounts for 3 touchdowns as Patriots rally past Dolphins 24-19 (Nov. 2)

Drake Maye was missing two of his top receivers and a running back. The New England Patriots came back to win anyway. Maye threw two touchdown passes and ran for another as New England rallied past the Miami Dolphins 24-19 Sunday afternoon in Miami Gardens, Florida, The Associated Press reported.

Star receiver A.J. Brown (knee/ankle), receiver Mack Hollins (calf) and running back TreVeyon Henderson (illness) were all sidelined. Maye completed 16 of 20 passes for 199 yards.

“(If) you want to be a great quarterback in the National Football League, there’s not a whole lot of excuses,” coach Mike Vrabel said, according to the AP. “You go out there and find ways to win for your football team. That’s who he is and that’s what he wants to continue to be.”

A slow first half

Miami led 13-3 at halftime. Malik Willis threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Malik Washington with 8 seconds left in the half, and Zane Gonzalez kicked field goals of 31 and 52 yards. Andres Borregales had New England’s only points of the half on a 34-yard field goal in the first quarter, according to the NFL game book.

A challenge flag turns it

Maye lofted a 43-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Williams in the third quarter that was first ruled incomplete after Williams’ knee appeared to jar the ball loose. Vrabel threw his challenge flag, and officials overturned the call after replays showed Williams crossed the goal line before losing the ball.

“I was a lot more certain than the officials were the first time they called it,” Vrabel said.

Maye then faked a pitch to Rhamondre Stevenson and ran it in from 2 yards out with 59 seconds left in the third, giving New England a 17-13 lead. Early in the fourth, DeMario Douglas caught a pass and weaved through the secondary for a 48-yard touchdown and a 24-13 lead.

“We knew that once we settle in and get some drives together,” Maye said, “we had a chance of getting some points on the board.”

Holding on

Willis threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to rookie Kevin Coleman Jr. with about two minutes left, but Miami’s two-point try failed. Stevenson recovered the Dolphins’ onside kick, and New England ran out the clock. Willis finished 21 of 32 for 211 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, and was sacked five times.

By the numbers

Stevenson ran 19 times for 82 yards and passed 4,000 career rushing yards, joining Sam Cunningham, Jim Nance and Tony Collins as the only Patriots to reach the mark, according to team game notes. Douglas had three catches for 76 yards; his touchdown was his fourth of the season, a career high. Safety Kevin Byard III had his first interception of the season, and defensive tackle Cory Durden recorded his first career sack.

Tight end Hunter Henry (foot) left in the second quarter and linebacker Gabe Jacas (knee) left in the third; neither returned. The Patriots improved to 5-3 and 3-0 against AFC East opponents. Miami fell to 1-6.