The New England Patriots had an angry mindset entering their matchup against the Miami Dolphins, according to defensive tackle Cory Durden.
Durden divulged that New England was practicing “pissed off” before nailing a 24-19 comeback victory over Miami on Sunday, Nov. 1.
The Patriots overcame a 13-3 halftime deficit to improve to 5-3, with their defense notching five sacks and a crucial fourth-quarter interception.
Durden was among the biggest contributors, recording the first 1.5 sacks of his NFL career.
Speaking on the team’s official postgame show, the 27-year-old described the mentality that helped New England respond to its previous defeat.
Patriots’ Cory Durden Reveals Team Practiced ‘Pissed Off’ Before Dolphins Win
Durden joined the Patriots Postgame Show when he surfaced his emphatic stance.
“Just everybody, I feel like we practiced pissed off. We prepared this week. You know, just pissed off,” Durden said. “It was a ready team. We didn’t care who we had out there. You know, we just played with the 48 guys that we came with to Miami, and I feel like we won. Yeah.”
The comments came about in the midst of a tough period for New England due to a 30-24 defeat against the Chicago Bears on Oct. 22.
And while Durden feels the Patriots had the appropriate mentality throughout the week, it took time for that preparation to rise to the occasion.
New England couldn’t do much offensively in the opening half, allowing Miami to take a 10-point advantage into the break.
But the Patriots came storming back, responding with 21 unanswered points in the second half, sparked by quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye connected with Kyle Williams for a 43-yard touchdown in the third quarter before scoring on a 2-yard run. He later found DeMario Douglas for a 48-yard touchdown that boosted New England’s advantage to 24-13.
Cory Durden Records First Career Sack in Patriots’ Victory
Durden brought forth an eye-catching performance against Miami, helping New England pressure Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis throughout the contest.
According to the Patriots’ official game notes, Durden registered his first career sack on Miami’s opening possession, bringing Willis down for a 2-yard loss.
He then combined with linebacker Christian Elliss for another sack on the Dolphins’ next possession.
Durden finished the game with 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hits. He also recorded four total tackles.
The Patriots’ defensive front generated five sacks overall, with rookie linebacker Gabe Jacas matching Durden’s 1.5-sack performance.
New England also limited Miami to 74 rushing yards, a huge improvement after its defensive weaknesses against Chicago.
And veteran safety Kevin Byard then delivered a pivotal moment in the fourth quarter, intercepting a deflected Willis pass to set up Douglas’ touchdown.
The victory improved the Patriots to 3-0 against AFC East opponents this season and marked their third consecutive win over Miami dating back to 2025.
New England will now get ready to host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Nov. 8.
Patriots’ DT Makes ‘Pissed Off’ Admission Following Win Over Dolphins