Hurley: There's not a whole lot to feel good about from the Patriots' season-opening loss to Dolphins

BOSTON -- After what felt like the longest offseason in New England football history, the Patriots finally played a real live game on Sunday afternoon in Miami. After months of speculating and prognosticating and, in many cases, doomsaying, it was finally time for the Patriots to put forth a performance where they would be in control of the story.

The result, though, was ... well ... kind of terrible.

Sure, there are the wouldas and the couldas of the game. Bill Belichick said afterwards that it was really just two big plays that really "skewed" a game that was otherwise "pretty even." And if people want to hang their hat on that line of thinking, then hang away.

But the reality of Sunday's game is that the Patriots never really threatened to win. And there's not a whole lot to feel good about from the 20-7 loss.

Really, for everything positive the Patriots did on Sunday, something negative followed.

A surprisingly effective opening drive from Mac Jones and the offense had Patriots fans poised to strut in front of the critics who spent the summer loudly doubting an offense being led by Matt Patricia, Joe Judge, and a second-year quarterback. Yet after moving the ball 53 yards on seven plays, Mac Jones ... underthrew a jump-ball attempt to DeVante Parker, and it was picked off.

Xavien Howard did get away with pass interference on the play, but obviously, not every call is going to be made over the course of a game. Taking that shot against that cornerback on a first down at the opposing 22-yard line was riskier than Patriots' sideline realized, and they paid for it.

On the other side of the field, there was actually some reason for positivity with the New England defense -- particularly Kyle Dugger. The third-year safety was the team's best player, making open-field tackles (against Tyreek Hill, no less) and playing a hybrid role that figures to be a problem for opposing offenses all season.

It was all pretty good ... but then the Patriots allowed a 42-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-7 before halftime. Dugger may have been most at fault for the play going for a touchdown instead of a moderate gain.

The Patriots did conduct a professional, 92-yard touchdown drive, aided by two Miami penalties -- the second of which negated a fourth-down incompletion.

Yet immediately after scoring that touchdown to cut Miami's lead to 10 points, the Patriots' defense allowed 16 yards on the Dolphins' next play and 18 yards on the following play.

The Miami drive traveled 50 yards and led to a Dolphins field goal to stretch the lead to 13.

Late in the game, when the Patriots were still technically in the game, they went ahead and decided to use Kendrick Bourne, arguably their best wide receiver who's been locked in Bill Belichick's doghouse under somewhat mysterious circumstances for the past month. It was a case of better late than never, as Bourne made an immediate impact, catching a 41-yard pass along the left sideline after straight-up burning cornerback Nick Needham.

It was a time to wonder if the coaching staff is indeed making decisions that are in the best interest of the team, sure, but it was also a moment which temporarily offered some hope that the Patriots could pull off a gutsy comeback. Score a touchdown and get a stop, and the Patriots would be driving with a chance to win the game in the final minutes.

That fantasy lasted all of a minute, though. Two plays after the Bourne catch, Nelson Agholor fumbled. The game was over.

Making matters worse was the fact that on two occasions, a Dolphins pass rusher entered the New England backfield completely untouched. On both occasions, Jones was sacked, and he obviously coughed up the football on Miami's defensive touchdown. The other instance might have contributed to the back injury that sent Jones to the X-ray room after the game.

Of course, the Patriots could have made things at least somewhat interesting by forcing a Miami punt after the Agholor fumble. But on a third-and-9, Mack Wilson and Jalen Mills both missed tackles on Chase Edmonds, allowing the running back to scamper forward for a first down. Later on the drive, the Patriots' defense both allowed a three-yard run on a third-and-2 and committed a too many men penalty at the same time. That came after Tua Tagovailoa and Mike McDaniel felt comfortable enough to call rollout passes in the red zone with a minute left to play.

An ugly end to an ugly game.

In terms of real elements to actually feel good about from this game, the list is short. The Patriots ran the ball well -- Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson combined for 73 yards on 17 carries. They defended the run well, too, as the Dolphins rushed for just 65 yards on 23 attempts.

Jake Bailey was very good, too.

So there's that.

Ultimately, Sunday's loss can be sweet-talked several different ways. Belichick seems to be leaning on the "two big plays" theory, which may help buoy positivity in the locker room in the coming week. (The Patriots, though, were on the losing end of both of those big plays, which ... does matter.) Add in the fact that the Patriots seemingly always lose in Miami -- they're 2-8 in their last 10 trips to South Florida and 9-14 overall during the Belichick era -- and anyone who wants to dismiss this loss can and will do so.

But when you really look at every angle, it's rather difficult to digest Sunday's game and feel great about anything the Patriots did. Their season isn't doomed. Not exactly. But if similar performances follow next week in Pittsburgh (who beat the reigning AFC champs in dramatic fashion on Sunday) and then the following week at home against Baltimore (who blew out the Jets on Sunday), then the region will surely be dealing with the prospect of staring down a long, long football season.