A.J. Brown Went From Limited to Did Not Practice. Here's What Thursday's Report Says Before Patriots-Dolphins

The one line on the Patriots' Thursday injury report that should make you nervous: "WR A.J. Brown - Ankle / Knee," listed under Did Not Participate. On Wednesday he was limited. On Thursday he didn't go at all, according to the official Week 8 report the Patriots and Dolphins released.

That's the wrong direction three days before a road division game. The Patriots (4-3) play at Miami on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. Eastern, per ESPN's schedule. Brown has been on these reports before; Patriots.com headlined him as officially questionable before this season's home game against the Jets.

The other new name Thursday: running back TreVeyon Henderson, did not participate, illness. He wasn't on Wednesday's report at all. Illness in late October can mean anything from a 24-hour thing to a missed game, and the report doesn't say which.

Still limited both days: offensive lineman Ben Brown (knee), defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (back) and tackle Morgan Moses (foot). Full participants both days: tackle Marcus Bryant (ankle), safety Kevin Byard III (chest), cornerbacks Channing Canada and Karon Prunty (hamstrings), corner Carlton Davis III (neck), linebackers Christian Elliss (chest) and Dre'Mont Jones (shoulder), and quarterback Drake Maye, listed with a right shoulder. Maye being full both days is the good news.

Miami's report, also from Thursday: guard/tackle Kadyn Proctor (concussion) did not practice either day. Cornerback JuJu Brents (neck/concussion) moved up from did not participate Wednesday to limited Thursday. A long list of Dolphins were limited, including tight ends Greg Dulcich and Will Kacmarek, safeties Michael Taaffe and Dante Trader Jr., and receivers Malik Washington and Jared Wayne. Quarterback Malik Willis (groin) was full both days.

Don't sleep on Miami because of the 1-5. Patriots.com's preview points out the Dolphins just got their first win, 28-25 over the Jets at MetLife, and that before that game they hadn't led at any point in their first five. Mike Vrabel, asked about them this week: "They play extremely hard. They run the ball, they shift motion every play offensively. They've run for 185 yards the past two weeks on average."

The same preview flags the Dolphins' pass rush, which it says ranks seventh in blitz rate per Next Gen Stats, with Chop Robinson, former Patriot Josh Uche and Zach Sieler (13 pressures, 2 sacks) going at what it calls New England's backup guards. Maye on handling it: "It's tough with how many different things defenses can do... So, it's something you've got to challenge every week. You've got to have a plan."

And then there's history, which Patriots.com didn't sugarcoat: the Dolphins once won 18 straight at home against New England across the 1970s and '80s, beat the 12-1 Patriots 29-28 in 2004 when Miami was 2-11, and pulled off the 2018 Miami Miracle. The Patriots are 1-3 on the road this season, per ESPN, and 3-0 at home.

One more thing from that preview worth flagging: fast starts have been a big part of New England's wins, Patriots.com says, and Miami's formula against the Jets was exactly that, an early 21-7 lead and then holding on. Willis needed only 14 completions to beat New York, per the preview, and it flags Miami's run game with Ollie Gordon as the thing to shut down early. Patriots.com also put it plainly about last Thursday's loss to the Bears: missed tackles and missed assignments "played a major role," which it chalked up partly to the short week. This week they had the extra days.

Count it up and the Patriots have three players who were limited or out both days (Ben Brown, DaQuan Jones, Moses) and two who sat Thursday (A.J. Brown, Henderson). Miami had one player out both days and nine limited on Thursday. On paper, Miami's list is longer. New England's has the bigger names on it.

Dez's take: if A.J. Brown can't go, this offense has to win with Maye's legs and the run game, and the run game might be down Henderson too. That's a lot of weight on an offensive line that's already got Moses and Ben Brown limited, against a defense that likes to blitz. I still think New England is the better team by a lot. But the formula Miami used against the Jets, a fast start and then hang on, is exactly the formula that's beaten good Patriots teams down there for 40 years. Score early, Pats.

The Patriots' Friday report will carry official game designations. Vrabel was scheduled to speak at 1:10 p.m. Friday, per Patriots.com.

Pending: Friday's game statuses for A.J. Brown and Henderson.