Bill Belichick’s sterling record against rookie quarterbacks seemed like it might hold against Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins, with the New England Patriots defense pitching a shutout in the first half in Week 15.
But then the Dolphins offense did what most smart teams have done against New England in 2020. Miami ran the ball. Again. Again. And Again. That was how the dynamics changed in the second half, with Miami winning, 22-12.
New England’s playoff hopes are dead, officially. The Patriots have been eliminated from the playoff contention for the first time since 2008. The Dolphins playoff hopes, meanwhile, are still alive. (They would’ve been dead, if the Patriots had won.) And so the Patriots can start thinking about the offseason, free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft.
Here are the winners and losers from this game.
