The New England Patriots secured their first win in the Mike Vrabel era, edging the Miami Dolphins in a thriller to claim their first victory at Hard Rock Stadium since 2019. It took everything for the Patriots to finally beat quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, including a special teams touchdown, the defense making crucial stops, and the offense scoring at least 30 points for the first time since October of 2022.

Even though the Pats were able to pull away with a win, it was an ugly victory that featured many mistakes and poor individual performances on both sides. One player who had an atrocious game was Christian Elliss, as his poor tackling from the previous game continued on Sunday.

Christian Elliss Was the Weakest Link in Patriots’ Week 2 Win

Although it’s just the beginning stages of the season, Elliss has been disappointing. In his first game, Elliss had an atrocious game, missing three tackles. and allowing six catches for 69 yards.

While he had a better game against the Dolphins, his poor tackling continued, missing three more tackles. His six missed tackles through two games are tied for the second most among linebackers per Pro Football Focus, with his teammate Robert Spillane, who’s also been struggling as of late, ranking first with eight.

Not only have his missed tackles been an issue, but his play in pass coverage has been horrendous. In the first two games, Elliss has allowed nine receptions for 103 yards, ranking as the fifth-worst linebacker in coverage with a 28.2 coverage grade.

These mistakes weren’t a problem for Elliss before, as he had only eight missed tackles and allowed only 13 receptions for 156 yards last year. Elliss was one of the few bright spots from last season, recording 80 total tackles, one and a half sacks, one interception, and five pass deflections, receiving a 72.6 overall grade in sixteen games.

Even with a new regime, Vrabel and the Patriots envisioned Elliss playing a crucial role for their defense, matching the Las Vegas Raiders’ offer sheet to keep him on a two-year, $13.5 million deal. Through two games, it hasn’t been the ideal start that the two sides were hoping for.

Elliss’ continued poor performance could put his job in jeopardy, as Marte Mapu was able to haul in an interception while filling in for him. Mapu’s clutch play could have earned him more playing time, as he only played seven snaps in Sunday’s win, serving mostly as a special teamer.

Elliss must step up his play in the tough, anticipated battle against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home this Sunday, or his job will be handed to Mapu.