Dolphins secure winning season and sweep of rival Patriots in finale

The Miami Dolphins’ play whitethorn not beryllium heading to the postseason, but it ended connected a precocious enactment and with a triumph that secured a expanse of a rival that dominated their part for astir of the past 2 decades.

A triumph successful the finale implicit the New England Patriots, 33-24, connected Sunday evening astatine Hard Rock Stadium left galore wondering what could person been had the Dolphins not squandered a fig of opportunities, similar falling to the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars during a 1-7 start.

The Dolphins were alternatively already eliminated from playoff contention erstwhile they took the tract against the Patriots aft past Sunday’s embarrassing nonaccomplishment to the Tennessee Titans, but they near with thing to physique connected heading into the offseason.

“I’m arrogant of this team,” Dolphins manager Brian Flores said. “I’m arrogant of their fight, their resiliency, their quality to conflict adversity. We had ups and downs. It’s a twelvemonth I’ll decidedly remember.”

Miami (9-8) has consecutive winning seasons for the archetypal clip since 2003 aft finishing 10-6 past year. The Dolphins, aft besides winning the play opener successful Foxborough, completed a play expanse of the Patriots for the archetypal clip since 2000. They’ve won 3 successful a enactment and 4 of their past 5 successful the bid with New England.

The Patriots (10-7), who already clinched a playoff berth entering the last week, are the AFC’s No. 6 seed, dropping from No. 5 aft the Las Vegas Raiders’ overtime triumph against the Los Angeles Chargers connected “Sunday Night Football.” They beforehand to look the third-seeded Buffalo Bills.

Outside of the opening drive, the Dolphins did it mostly connected the crushed — and with the defence scoring twice. Duke Johnson ran for 117 yards and a touchdown connected 25 carries.

Dolphins backmost Tua Tagovailoa, who is present 3-0 successful his vocation against the Patriots and 2-0 against erstwhile Alabama teammate Mac Jones, was 15 of 22 for 109 yards, getting astir fractional his passing yardage full connected the opening series.

“I don’t ever look astatine it arsenic maine versus different quarterback,” helium said. “It’s ever our discourtesy versus their defense. … I don’t truly dive into each the ‘Me versus Mac.’

“I’m conscionable truthful blessed that we could extremity this play disconnected with a win, and we’ll spot what this offseason has successful program for us.”

Tagovailoa’s 11-yard scramble for a archetypal down connected third-and-8 with nether 2 minutes was cardinal successful securing the triumph aft a precocious New England rally, and helium ended up with 38 yards connected the ground, including a 23-yard scamper.

“He made immoderate large runs successful captious situations, picked up archetypal downs erstwhile we needed them,” said Flores of Tagovailoa. “He made a batch of bully throws. Thought helium moved the shot well, ran the shot well. So helium led america and gave america an accidental to triumph the shot game, specifically astatine the extremity erstwhile we needed a drive.”

Jones finished 20 of 30 for 261 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

The Dolphins scored 2 touchdowns successful the archetypal 9 minutes to commencement Sunday’s action.

First, connected the opening thrust where Jaylen Waddle broke the NFL rookie receptions record, helium caught a 7-yard touchdown walk from Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa, who started 8 for 8 connected Sunday, completed each 7 of his passes connected the archetypal bid for 54 yards and the touchdown.

A infinitesimal and a fractional later, pursuing the scoring thrust that took 7:26, Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard intercepted Jones and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown.

“I consciousness similar the momentum changed erstwhile we scored connected defense,” Howard said. “Everybody was excited, and everybody came to play aft that.”

After the pb got up to 17 connected a 30-yard Jason Sanders tract goal, the Patriots scored for the archetypal clip midway done the 2nd quarter. Running backmost and ex-Dolphin Brandon Bolden ran 15 yards for a touchdown. Jones had a 35-yard walk to choky extremity Hunter Henry get New England into Dolphins’ territory earlier that.

After a Nick Folk tract extremity successful the mediate of the 3rd 4th got the Patriots wrong 1 possession, 17-10, Johnson scored moving to the extracurricular from the 1-yard enactment with 4:31 remaining successful the period. It enactment Miami up, 24-10.

The Patriots were past driving conscionable extracurricular of the Miami reddish portion erstwhile Jones mishandled a drawback from nether halfway for a fumble that was recovered by extracurricular linebacker Jaelan Phillips. It yet led to different Sanders tract extremity for a 17-point lead, 27-10.

Bolden scored a receiving touchdown with 6:32 remaining to statesman a precocious rally, and Damien Harris punched successful a 1-yard rushing touchdown with 2:53 near to trim the New England shortage to three, 27-24.

On the last play, aft the Patriots were near with minimal clip and backed up, linebacker Sam Eguaoven picked disconnected a lateral effort for a antiaircraft touchdown arsenic clip expired connected the season.

Dolphins defenders Christian Wilkins and Andrew Van Ginkel had sacks of Jones connected Sunday. With 2 much successful the finale, Miami finished with 49 sacks connected the season, tied for the squad grounds acceptable successful 1983 and matched successful 2005.

Miami picked up a brace of 4th downs against New England portion having punter Michael Palardy connected the field. First, the Dolphins ran a fake with Palardy sliding abbreviated of the gait to gain, but Bolden was called for a idiosyncratic foul though helium appeared to debar helmet-to-helmet interaction portion diving implicit Palardy. On the last play of the 3rd quarter, New England had an amerciable formation, awarding Miami a archetypal down connected fourth-and-1.

The Dolphins, portion missing the postseason for a 5th consecutive season, volition present commencement a cardinal offseason wherever they find whether they determination guardant with Tagovailoa oregon prosecute a top-tier quarterback, what to bash with key escaped agents similar antiaircraft extremity Emmanuel Ogbah and choky extremity Mike Gesicki and fig retired however to hole an violative enactment that struggled astir of the season.