New England Patriots
vs.
Miami Dolphins
Miami 27, New England 20 - Well, this was a bit of a surprising result, in keeping with other results this weekend. It looked like a typical game through the first half, with the Pats doing just enough to win, in trademark fashion. They were not dominating - hell, they were not even winning -but a close win for the Pats appeared to be the most likely scenario.
But then, the Miami Dolphins came out swinging in the third quarter, dominating and scoring 14 unanswered points, to build up a comfortable 27-10 lead.
New England's offense did not look spectacular, and in fact, had a bad day, at least by their standards. The running game was not a factor, and Tom Brady completed 24 of 43 passes for 233 yards in a losing effort, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Jay Cutler had a terrific night for the Dolphins, completing 25 of 38 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns to help lift Miami to a much needed victory.
Miami's playoff chances are slim, and they need a lot of help, as they do not control their own destiny. Still, all of that said, the fact of the matter is that they played extremely well when they absolutely had to, handing New England a rare loss, as they had not suffered a defeat in over two months.
A solid win for the Dolphins, and a flat performance that led to a potentially costly loss for the Patriots. The Pats will go to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers, in what will likely be a game for home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Dolphins, meanwhile, go up to Buffalo, in a game where the winner will surely stay alive in the playoff hunt, while the loser likely will see their playoff hopes extinguished.
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