The Patriots eight-game win streak came crashing to a half Monday night in Miami, as the Dolphins dominated much of the evening on the way to a 27-20 win.
The Miami pass rush kept Tom Brady off balance all night long, never allowing the New England offense to get into rhythm. Without Rob Gronkowski, who was serving his one-game suspension, the Patriots were 0-for-11 on third down, and had a season-high seven 3-and-outs on the night. Brady was 24-for-43 for 233 yards with one touchdown and a pair of interceptions. (It was the first time all season Brady threw two picks in one game.) The best and most consistent offensive option all night was Dion Lewis, who had five carries for 17 yards and five catches for 50 yards.
The loss stopped New England's eight-game win streak, as well as its mark of 14 consecutive victories away from home, an AFC record. In addition, the Patriots were denied a chance to clinch the AFC East.
Jay Cutler was 25-for-38 for 263 yards and three touchdowns. It was his first career win over a Bill Belichick-led defense.
New England started slow and never recovered. It finished with two total yards in the first quarter, its lowest yardage output in an opening quarter in 282 games started by Brady (regular season and playoffs). Meanwhile, the Dolphins took a 6-0 lead on a pair of early field goals.
The Patriots got a spark midway through the second on a drive that culminated with a 3-yard touchdown run from Rex Burkhead. But Miami would take the lead for good on a pass play from Cutler to Jarvis Landry that made it 13-7 late in the second. A 46-yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski before the end of the half cut the lead to 13-10, but the Patriots could get no closer.
A pair of third-quarter touchdowns from the Dolphins pushed the Miami lead to 27-10 at the start of the fourth quarter. The Patriots tacked on 10 fourth-quarter points (a 3-yard touchdown pass to James White and a 33-yard field goal from Gostkowski) to make it 27-20, but an onside kick with less than a minute to go was unsuccessful.
Updates from Price...
11:44 p.m.: Onside kick was unsuccessful. That should do it -- 27-20.
11:34 p.m.: Two-minute warning. 27-17.
11:25 p.m.: 0-for-10 on third down. Seventh time tonight the Patriots went 3-and-out.
11:22 p.m.: Doink. Hit him on the helmet.
11:18 p.m.: New England now 0-for-9 on third down. The least effective offensive performance -- from start to finish -- we've seen this year from New England this year.
11:15 p.m.: 7:51 to go, Pats down 27-17.
11:12 p.m.: And then, of course, they go away from that. OK then.
11:10 p.m.: Dolphins playing this perfectly right now. Slow the game down, bleed the clock and keep the chains moving.
11:08 p.m.:
The record for fewest third-down conversions in a game in the Belichick-Brady era is three. The Patriots currently have zero. pic.twitter.com/NRdsySpA2y
— The Ringer (@ringer) December 12, 2017
11:04 p.m.: Brady's going to look for his guys here. Expect passes and runs for Lewis, Amendola and White the rest of the way. (And maybe Burkhead.)
11:02 p.m.: So many special teams penalties this year. That group leads the team.
11:01 p.m.: If Cutler keeps it, he gets the first down. Instead, they're going to punt.
10:58 p.m.: The momentum is starting to shift.......
10:56 p.m.: First real dogfight for this team since the Oct. 15 game at the Jets. Let's see how it turns out.
10:52 p.m.: TD New England--great catch by White coming away with that ball. Extra point cuts the lead to 10. Eminently more manageable for the Patriots.
Tom Brady with a quick one to James White for the score!#Patriots aren't done yet ?pic.twitter.com/4KhMlNhJDY
— Def Pen Sports (@DefPenSports) December 12, 2017
10:47 p.m.: Signs of life as the Pats near the red zone at the end of the third quarter.
10:44 p.m.: Is that Butler sack the spark the Pats need?
10:42 p.m.: Brady's passer rating is at 30.2. His career-low for a game is 22.5, which happened in the infamous 2003 opener against Buffalo.
10:39 p.m.: Brady just swinging for the fences here on multiple situations. Not sustainable.
10:36 p.m.: TV cameras capture Duron Harmon lighting into his teammates on the sideline.
WATCH: Duron Harmon has seen just about enough from his defensive teammates pic.twitter.com/XOjZIn5cN8
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 12, 2017
10:31 p.m.: Starting to get away from them here. Landry just sitting in that zone. 27-10 with 4:43 left in the third quarter.
10:30 p.m.: Drake made Chung look foolish with that spin move.
10:27 p.m.: Patriots margin for error is narrowing here midway through the third quarter.
10:24 p.m.: Patriots announce Alan Branch (knee) will not return.
In case you needed a better angle of @_thedreamishere's TD. ? pic.twitter.com/PM9KOajlKk
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 12, 2017
NE down 13-10 at halftime.
Since 2010, the NFL avg is to win just 23% of regular season games when trailing at halftime.
GB is #2 and has won 40.9%.
NE is #1, winning 55.6% of games when trailing at halftime.
NE is 7-2 when trailing by less than a TD.
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) December 12, 2017
REX.@RBrex2022 gives the @Patriots the lead! #GoPats #NEvsMIA pic.twitter.com/lxFzXkBIjN
— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2017
What a catch by Lewis! pic.twitter.com/KLlWKFQLEN
— '03 Kliff Kingsbury (@fearthe_beard11) December 12, 2017
Devin McCourty coming up big with the clutch sack! #NEvsMIA #Patriots pic.twitter.com/p6iTf9ogdp
— Casey Baker (@CaseyBake16) December 12, 2017
The Patriots finished with 2 total yards in the first quarter. It's their fewest yards of offense in an opening quarter in 282 games started by Tom Brady (regular season and playoffs).
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 12, 2017
Great play by Xavien Howard to undercut the route and get this interception. pic.twitter.com/9ZzWzfOoYe
— Eric Elizondo (@EricElizondo8) December 12, 2017