One year after being humbled in one of the darkest moments of the franchise’s recent history, the New England Patriots completed a stunning turnaround Sunday with a 38-10 blowout of the Miami Dolphins, clinching the AFC East title and sending a clear message heading into the playoffs.
Last season, New England closed a lost year with a 40-7 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers, a game that helped usher in major change and ultimately the hiring of Mike Vrabel. One season later, Vrabel has engineered a worst-to-first revival. The Patriots finished 14-3 — their most wins since the Super Bowl-winning 2016 season — and will host those same Chargers next weekend as the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs.
Rhamondre Stevenson powered the regular-season finale, running for two touchdowns and catching another from MVP contender Drake Maye. Stevenson carried just seven times but piled up 131 rushing yards, highlighted by a 56-yard burst on the second play of the game that set the tone early. His 35-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter pushed the lead to 31-10 and effectively ended the contest.
TreVeyon Henderson added scoring runs of 2 and 5 yards as New England posted its first season sweep of Miami since 2016. The Patriots controlled the game from start to finish, exploiting a Dolphins defense missing linebacker Chop Robinson (concussion) and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (calf), while linebacker Jordyn Brooks played through a lingering hamstring injury.
Maye was sharp and efficient before exiting early in the fourth quarter with the game in hand. The rookie quarterback completed 14 of 18 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown, including a 15-yard scoring strike to Stevenson that helped New England stretch a slim lead into a comfortable advantage before halftime.
Miami briefly showed life behind rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers, who was making his third start since Tua Tagovailoa was benched. Ewers completed eight of his first nine passes and capped an early second-quarter drive with a 2-yard touchdown throw to Malik Washington, trimming the deficit and keeping the Dolphins within reach. Miami went into halftime down just 17-10.
New England responded with authority in the second half, leaning on its running game and suffocating defense as Miami’s injury-depleted offense faded. Ewers finished 16 of 23 for 137 yards with a touchdown and an interception before limping off late in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. He was replaced by Zach Wilson. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said afterward he was told Ewers’ knee was stable.
Miami’s offense was already shorthanded, missing tight end Darren Waller (groin), wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (ribs) and right tackle Austin Jackson (back/groin). The Dolphins finished the season 7-10, their second straight sub-.500 campaign under McDaniel after back-to-back playoff appearances in his first two years. McDaniel declined to comment on any discussions with owner Stephen Ross regarding his job security.
One of the game’s notable milestones came late in the third quarter when Stefon Diggs hauled in a 34-yard catch to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards for the seventh time in his career. It marked the Patriots’ first 1,000-yard receiving season since Julian Edelman in 2019. Diggs reached the mark during a tumultuous week in which he was charged with strangulation and other criminal offenses related to an alleged dispute with his former private chef.
Vrabel, reflecting on his team’s rapid rise, pointed to a simple formula: physical football, protecting the quarterback, and finishing games — all of which were on display Sunday.
New England’s only disappointment came from elsewhere. Denver’s 19-3 win over the Chargers prevented the Patriots from earning the AFC’s top seed, but the No. 2 spot and a home playoff game hardly dampened the celebration.
Dolphins begin an offseason that could include major organizational changes after an ugly 7-10 finish. Patriots prepare to host the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round, this time with momentum — and revenge — on their side.
