It was going to be a let-bygones-be-bygones drive for the New England Patriots, a chance to wipe away an afternoon of mistakes and uncertainty and do something, anything, to turn things around against the Miami Dolphins.
The situation: The fourth quarter of Sunday’s Week 1 Patriots-Dolphins showdown at Hard Rock Stadium, 11:07 remaining, New England with the ball, first-and-10 at its own 43, trailing 20-7.
The result: The drive went nowhere.
The question: Is there anyone out there with an interest in the fortunes of the Patriots, anyone, who believed this drive was going to be the opening salvo of a daring comeback?
Bonus question: Is there anyone out there with an interest in the fortunes of the Patriots, anyone, who believed the next drive would amount to anything? Because it didn’t, of course, except that quarterback Mac Jones completed a 41-yard pass to receiver Kendrick Bourne, who had, ahem, just entered the game. But the game was over a few minutes later, this after Nelson Agholor made a 5-yard reception and then promptly fumbled the ball away. Miami 20, New England 7.