FOXBORO, Mass. — An otherwise excellent Week 1 performance from Kyle Dugger was ruined by one disastrous misstep.
With the Dolphins facing a fourth-and-7 in the final minute of the first half, the Patriots’ promising third-year safety missed a tackle on Jaylen Waddle, taking out trailing linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley in the process and springing the speedy wide receiver for a back-breaking 42-yard touchdown. The big-play score gave Miami a 17-point halftime lead, and New England never recovered, losing 20-7 in its regular-season opener.
Dugger was hard on himself in the postgame locker room, acknowledging he took a “terrible angle” on that pivotal play.