Coming into in Week 17, both the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins had something to play for in the season finale.
New England could lock up home field advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs with a win over the Dolphins. Miami had a chance to move to the No. 5 seed in the playoffs with a win and some help. When the final whistle blew, the Patriots were the team celebrating at Hard Rock Stadium.
New England defeated Miami 35-14 as they finished the season 14-2. Miami dropped to 10-6 as they will be the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs starting next week.
The Patriots were pretty much in control the entire game as they never trailed. They also only punted the ball only twice on Sunday.
Tom Brady picked apart the Dolphins defense as he was 25-of-33 on the day as he threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns. New England was also able to run the ball effectively as LeGarrette Blount and Dion Lewis were both effective in the team’s rushing game. Blount rushed for 51 yards and a touchdown while Lewis finished with 48 yards on the ground.
Julian Edelman had a career long 77-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. He finished with eight catches for 151 yards and a touchdown. Martellus Bennett chipped in with three catches for 33 yards and a touchdown reception.
In his third start of the season, Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore finished 24 for 34 as he threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns against one interception.
After his 206-yard performance against the Buffalo Bills last week, running back Jay Ajayi only rushed for 59 yards. Jarvis Landry led the Dolphins in reception as he finished with nine catches for 76 yards and a touchdown.
On their first drive of the game, the Patriots went on a 13 play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a Bennett touchdown. New England took nearly eight minutes off the clock on their first drive.
After the Dolphins had punted after a three and out, the Patriots drove right back down the field.
The drive ended with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Brady to newly acquired receiver Michael Floyd. New England’s drive lasted five plays, for 45 yards and took 1:59. That made the score `14-0 New England.
On the next drive, Moore threw a deep interception to Logan Ryan. That gave the Patriots the ball on their own 44-yard line.
Then after a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty on receiver Julian Edelman, the Patriots had to settle for a field goal. That then made the game 17-0 New England early in the second quarter.
Right before halftime, the Dolphins went on a 10 play, 75-yard drive. That ended in an eight-yard touchdown pass to Landry, which finally got the Dolphins on the board 20-7 28 seconds before halftime.
On the first drive after halftime, Moore led the Dolphins on a 12 play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a 25-yard touchdown pass to Stills. That made the score 20-14.
The very next drive, New England scored quickly as Brady threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to Edelman. That extended the Patriots lead to 27-14.
Later in the fourth quarter as the Dolphins were driving, running back Damien Williams fumbled the ball inside the team’s five-yard-line. Devin McCourty returned the ball all the way to the Dolphins 18-yard-line.
That would then set up a one-yard touchdown run by Blount. Brady then converted the two-point conversion to Edelman to make the score 35-14.
New England will have the week off before playing in their first playoff game in Foxboro. Miami will travel to Pittsburgh next week to take on the Steelers
