The Miami Dolphins took care of business on Sunday as they defeated the New England Patriots, 20-7. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel got his first win as an NFL head coach. The loss marks the third consecutive loss for the Patriots against Miami. The Patriots have not beaten the Dolphins since 2020.

The game was fairly uneventful with only one touchdown being scored in the second half.

Miami took a 17-0 lead going into halftime after a strip sack fumble by Patriots quarterback Mac Jones that was then recovered by the Dolphins defense for a touchdown. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.

With Week 1 in the books, the McDaniel era is off to a great start. Here are the three Dolphins players most responsible for the victory.

3. Tyreek Hill

Pro Bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill made his debut for Miami and he delivered. Hill led all receivers with eight catches on 12 targets for 94 receiving yards, including a stellar contested grab.

Hill is known as a big-play threat so Dolphin fans might be a little disappointed to not see Hill catch a deep bomb but rest assured it is only a matter of time.

Fortunately, Hill was able to remind fans that he is not just a deep threat. He has proven he can take a five-yard pass and turn it into a 20-yard gain.

2. Jaylen Waddle

Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is expected to play the Robin to Hill's Batman this year but Waddle was arguably the better player on Sunday.

Waddle had four catches for 69 receiving yards and one touchdown. His sure hands and blazing speed were on full display with his massive 42-yard scamper into the endzone. This turned out to be Miami's lone offensive touchdown of the day.

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Last season, Waddle broke the record for most receptions by a rookie with 104 receptions. Waddle likely won't be used as often as he was last season due to the presence of Hill but this could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

Hill's reputation as a game-changing player strikes fear in opposing defenses. Waddle stands to benefit from all the attention being on Hill, making the defense susceptible to Waddle's own big-play ability.

1. Brandon Jones

While safety Jevon Holland is usually seen as the next star at the position, his teammate, safety Brandon Jones is one of the most underrated safeties in the league.

Jones had 11 total tackles (six solo), one sack, one forced fumble, and one pass defended. His strip-sack fumble on Jones set the tone for the rest of the game.

Jones is one of the best blitzing defensive backs in the NFL. Last season, he had five sacks and six tackles for loss. His five sacks led all defensive backs.

Jones is an improving coverage safety but his tremendous blitzing ability is top-notch. Do not be surprised if Jones and Holland form one of the best safety tandems in the league this season.