Patriots Suffer Stunning 27-24 Loss to Dolphins, Fall Out of Bye Week
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Patriots Suffer Stunning 27-24 Loss to Dolphins, Fall Out of Bye Week
The loss knocks the Patriots out of the number two seed in the AFC and into wildcard weekend.
It will be the first time the Patriots play on wildcard weekend since the 2009 season.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTPatriots went 4-4 in their last eight games.
Miami finishes the season with a record of 5-11 overall.
The Patriots finish the regular season with a record of 12-4.
Bad Day for Gilmore, Brady
In the game, the Patriots got poor play from cornerback Stephon Gilmore and quarterback Tom Brady.
Cornerback Stephon Gilmore was covering Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker most of the day. Parker had eight catches for 137 yards in the game, including a few crucial catches on Miami’s final drive.
Parker had no catches on seven targets in the week two matchup.
Prior to Sunday's game, Gilmore was generating buzz as a possible Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
Meanwhile, quarterback Tom Brady completed 16 of 29 passes for 221 yards with two touchdowns and had a pick-6.
Brady had a completion percentage of just 55.2.
Defense Can't Hold On
The Patriots led 24-20 with 3:53 to play in the game with the Dolphins getting the ball back.
However, the New England defense, that has been ranked so highly. could not hold on.
The Dolphins went on a 12-play drive for 75 yards ending with a Ryan Fitzpatrick touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki over the middle, giving Miami a 27-24 lead with 24 seconds left.
Fitzpatrick completed 28 of 41 passes for 320 yards and a touchdown, he also rushed for a touchdown.
On New England’s ensuing possession, they would get the ball to their own 40-yard line before the drive would stall.
Patriots Grab Lead
Trailing 20-17 with 8:29 to play in the fourth quarter, the Patriots offense took over from their own 40-yard line after a Brandon Bolden 38-yard kickoff return.
The Patriots move the ball to the Miami 32-yard line where they faced a crucial third and four.
On the play, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady hit Mohamed Sanu over the middle for 22 yards to bring the Patriots to the Miami ten yard line.
Two plays later, Brady connected with James White on a screen pass that White would take 13-yards into the end zone to give the Patriots a 24-20 lead after the extra point.
It would be the Patriots' first lead of the game.
Earlier in the half, the Patriots trailed the Dolphins 17-10 in the third quarter after quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick ran it in from two yards out.
The touchdown completed a nine-play, 83-yard drive by the Dolphins offense, who had success throwing against New England’s secondary nearly the entire game.
The Patriots offense would respond with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off by a Brady 38-yard touchdown pass to Elandon Roberts, who was in at fullback, to tie the game at 17 after a Nick Folk extra point.
Patriots Awful Start
In a game in which the Patriots could have used a fast start, just the opposite happened.
New England’s first two offensive possessions picked up a total of 29 yards on eight plays, while Miami took a 3-0 lead on a Jason Sanders 27-yard field goal with 1:38 to play in the first quarter.
Things did not get better for the Patriots offense.
On their first possession of the second quarter, Brady’s pass intended for Julian Edelman was picked off by former Patriot Eric Rowe and returned 35-yards for a touchdown, giving the Dolphins a 10-0 lead after the extra point.
Midway through the second quarter, the Patriots offense had picked up just two first downs.
The New England offense would get on the board when kicker Folk would cap off a 12-play, 68-yard drive with a 25-yard field goal.
The Patriots offense would strike again on their next possession.
The drive was sparked by a 50-yard pass from Brady to Phillip Dorsett, which set the Patriots up at the Miami six-yard line.
Two plays later, Sony Michel ran it in from four yards out to tie the game at 10 after the extra point.
Strange End of Half Decision
With the game now tied at 10, the Patriots defense forced a Miami punt with just over one minute left in the half, giving the New England offense the ball back with 57 seconds left in the half.
The Patriots had all three timeouts.
However, New England would make no effort to do anything with it.
On first and ten, Michel rushed up the middle for a loss of two yards.
On second and 12, James White rushed to the right side for seven yards before the teams headed to the locker room for the half.
New England would receive the ball to start the third quarter.
Next Up
The Patriots will not have a bye week, they will play in a wild-card game next week.
It is not confirmed who they will play, but it appears that it will be the Titans.