Patriots Explode in 2nd Half, Clinch AFC East
Published at
Jim Rogash/Getty Images(FOXBOROUGH, Mass.) — The New England Patriots outscored the Miami Dolphins 27-0 in the second half to stampede to their sixth consecutive AFC East title by winning 41-13 Sunday.
The Patriots (11-3) scored on all four of their third-quarter offensive series, the first coming after quarterback Tom Brady scrambled for a clutch 17-yard first-down run on third and 11 to set up a LeGarrette Blount 3-yard touchdown run.
“I think it was a play that we needed to make so it was good to make it at that time,” Brady said of his first-down run. “I was going to slide but I was pretty [upset] that time so I figured I wouldn’t slide.”
The Dolphins (7-7) hung tough in the first half after the Patriots ran the ball three times without gaining a first down. Jarvis Landry returned a punt 32 yards to put Miami on the Patriots’ 32-yard line with 11 seconds to play. The following play, Ryan Tannehill went deep to Mike Wallace, who made an acrobatic catch in the left corner of the end zone. The play was initially called incomplete, but the call was reversed after review.
Despite their strong first half, the Dolphins couldn’t get anything going in the second half as the Patriots avenged their early-season loss that was suffered in Miami.
“Going down there and losing Week 1; we’ve been waiting all season to get back and play this game,’ Patriots safety Devin McCourty said. “So I thought we did a great job in the second half of playing good football and executing.”
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio