After the 30-24 loss on Thursday Night Football, one thing is clear: the New England Patriots have a new set of issues to overcome, but much of what plagued them in September doesn't seem to be carrying over into November (at least we hope).

Quarterback Drake Maye seems to have found a way out of his slow start; even in the Week 7 loss, he still threw for over 300 yards, but the injuries surrounding him now are astronomical. He also has a star wide receiver in A.J. Brown, who has yet to wow anybody since donning a Patriots jersey.

But these are just topics that have been discussed since the final whistle blew last Thursday. The Patriots now have a divisional matchup against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Sure, the Dolphins are in full rebuild mode and got just their first win of the season with their 28-25 win over the New York Jets on Sunday, but the Patriots are still going to have to bounce back strong next Sunday afternoon to avoid falling 4-4, as the Dolphins are most likely highly motivated after getting their first win of the season.

The Patriots are currently 2-0 in the AFC East but trail the Buffalo Bills in the division based on their records. A win on Sunday puts them halfway to an undefeated division record.

Despite the Dolphins being at the bottom of the NFL rankings, midseason divisional games often have strong playoff implications for the superior team and carry a lot of competitiveness, no matter what either franchise's record is.

The Dolphins may be 1-5, but this is still a must-win for the Patriots that could shape how January unfolds.

Multiple times on the Patriots Roundtable Podcast this offseason, it was discussed that this season's draft class was going to be a developmental one, even though it was a solid batch of picks. Now, with injuries plaguing both sides of the ball, players like Caleb Lomu, Gabe Jacas, and Eli Raridon have had to step up in major fashion, and they've done really well.

Lomu has been impressive and has shown immense strength as a young pass protector. He's now played 160 professional snaps. He's allowed just three pressures and zero sacks.

Jacas may make a rookie mistake now and then (like his roughing-the-passer penalty Thursday night), but he's proven to be highly coachable and able to go toe-to-toe with Pro Bowl linemen. As for Raridon, the Notre Dame rookie tight end has already caught two TDs and is an emerging talent and a favorable target for Maye.

As the Dolphins' losing streak mounted, many saw the game as an easy win for the Patriots when it was their turn to play. Miami didn't play a flawless game on Sunday against the Jets, but a respectable one.

Quarterback Malik Willis completed 14 of 21 passes for 208 yards and threw no interceptions. Their ground game was solid, with Ollie Gordon II rushing for 103 yards. A win always changes the vibe of a team's week of practice, and now the Dolphins have that right now.

The Patriots need to put the Bears' loss behind them, protect Drake Maye this Sunday, score early and fast, and keep pounding the ball to keep the Dolphins from feeling at home. As we know, the Patriots have struggled under the South Florida sun in the colder months.

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