The Miami Dolphins headed into their matchup with their vaunted division rivals on the heels of three straight losses, two of which in absolute heartbreaking fashion; this game would be no different.
Miami got off to a fantastic start after their first drive which would be a trend (at least in the first half). On his first pass of the game, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was picked up off on a beautiful break by Dimitri Patterson which was quickly turned into a Ryan Tannehill-to-Brandon Gibson touchdown.
The Dolphins would go on to suffer, what appeares to be, a season-ending injury to Gibson, however that would not slow their roll as they went into the half up 17-3, and if we’re being honest, that score could have been a shutout going into the half as the Patriots were aided by a terrible pass interference call on cornerback Jimmy Wilson which led to their only score of the half.
**Cue abysmal second half meltdown which we’ve seen all too many times this season from the ‘phins.**
The Patriots came out of the half with the ball, however their first drive was squelched as the squad went three-and-out. All appeared to be going well for the Dolphins; they got the ball back and drove it down the field but were stopped short of the endzone and settled for 46 yard field goal attempt. The wind swirled as Caleb Sturgis lined up his try which perhaps led to the attempt schtoinking off the right field goal post.
After the missed field goal all momentum swung in favor of the Pats. The team immediately drove down the field for their first touchdown of the game putting the game within a score at 17-10.
If Miami fans thought their trials with the referees had ended with Jimmy Wilson’s pass interference call at the end of the first half, they were sorely mistaken.
The Patriots would again be allowed a field goal as Dimitri Patterson was called for an atrocious defensive hold when the receiver he was covering slipped, yet was bailed out by the zebras. 17-16.
The dagger for the Dolphins came when it appeared Jimmy Wilson had sacked and stripped Brady and pushed the Pats back twenty yards on a ball eventually recovered by Patriots offensive lineman Nate Solder. However they would again be bailed out by the black and white as Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon was inexplicably called for illegal batting in the process of trying to recover the football.
So instead of being knocked out field goal range facing a 3rd and 20+ yard try, the team was set up in the red zone and would go on to score the touchdown that effectively put the game out of reach.