Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins Beat Cam Newton, Patriots to Eliminate NE from Playoffs

The Miami Dolphins' playoff push got a big boost Sunday thanks to their 22-12 victory over the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium.   

Coming off a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last week, the Dolphins found themselves tied in the standings with the Baltimore Ravens. They had the tiebreaker for the final playoff spot in the AFC based on a better win percentage in conference games. 

Sunday's win over the Patriots moves the Dolphins one step closer to the playoffs with two games remaining. 

The Patriots' loss ensures this will be the first season they don't finish with a winning record since 2000, Bill Belichick's first year as head coach. They had been playing well with four wins in their previous six games entering Week 15. 

For the first time since 2008, the Patriots won't be in the playoffs after being officially eliminated Sunday. 

Miami gave the Patriots a taste of their own medicine in the win. The offense ran the ball 42 times for 250 yards and three touchdowns. 

New England's offense was unable to find the end zone. Nick Folk provided all of the team's scoring with four field goals. Cam Newton didn't have a touchdown pass for the eighth time in 13 starts. 

Notable Game Stats

• Tua Tagovailoa, QB (MIA): 20-of-26, 145 yards, INT; 3 carries, 9 yards, 2 TD
• Salvon Ahmed, RB (MIA): 23 carries, 122 yards, TD; 1 reception, 5 yards
• Matt Breida, RB (MIA): 12 carries, 86 yards
• Cam Newton, QB (NE): 17-of-27, 209 yards; 9 carries, 38 yards
• Sony Michel, RB (NE): 10 carries, 74 yards; 1 reception, 8 yards
• Jakobi Meyers, WR (NE): 7 receptions, 111 yards

Tagovailoa, Salvon Ahmed Lead Dolphins Comeback

On a day when the Dolphins were playing without DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant and Preston Williams, throwing the ball seemed like it was going to be a difficult task. 

Here's the group of pass-catchers Tagovailoa had at his disposal:

Tight end Durham Smythe was the leading receiver from that group coming into Sunday with 139 yards on 16 catches. 

It's not a surprise, then, that head coach Brian Flores opted to go with a run-heavy approach against the Patriots. After a slow start, the offense came to life in the second half with Ahmed and Tagovailoa each scoring a rushing touchdown. 

Ahmed had nearly as many rushing yards today (122) as he did in the previous three games he played (166). 

Despite that dominance on the ground, the Dolphins never pulled away from their division rivals. They didn't take the lead until early in the fourth quarter when Tagovailoa improvised a three-yard touchdown run to cap off a 14-play, 90-yard drive. 

Flores and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey went into their bag of tricks for a two-point conversion to put Miami up by six:

That wound up being the difference in the game, though Tagovailoa was able to provide additional cushion late in the fourth quarter with his second rushing touchdown of the game on a designed sneak from one yard out. 

The win moves Miami one step closer to a potential playoff berth, though the Baltimore Ravens' victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars keeps the two teams tied in the standings with two games remaining in the regular season.

Undermanned Patriots Run Out of Steam in Loss

No team lost more talent because of opt-outs than the Patriots. They had a league-high eight players decide to sit out the 2020 season amid the pandemic, including defensive stalwarts linebacker Dont'a Hightower and safety Patrick Chung. 

New England's defense felt the absence of those players at the start of the year. The unit was allowing 24.3 points and 352.9 yards per game through the first eight weeks. 

In the past five games coming into Week 15, opponents were averaging 17 points and 326 yards against the Patriots. Another bad sign for the Dolphins leading into the game is Bill Belichick's team had won its last 11 games against rookie quarterbacks dating back to 2013. 

Belichick had his team ready to go against Miami's first-year signal-caller. They held a 6-0 lead at halftime, with Tagovailoa being held to 82 yards and an interception at the goal line through the first two quarters. 

New England's offense has been a problem all season, which puts more pressure on the defense to be perfect each week.

Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels have adjusted to their limitations in the passing game. The Patriots were leading the league in rushing attempts (427) coming into Sunday and added 22 to that total against the Dolphins. 

Even though Cam Newton isn't the same passer he was at his peak with the Carolina Panthers, the former NFL MVP is capable of making plays with his arm. He hit Jakobi Meyers on an inside slant for 35 yards in the third quarter to set up Nick Folk's third field goal to give the Patriots a 9-7 lead. 

There are certainly limitations for the Patriots on defense. Miami's rushing attack gashed them for 250 yards Sunday. But their ability to limit big plays in the passing game have allowed them to remain competitive each week. 

Unfortunately, Newton's inability to get anything going in the air consistently puts New England far behind the eight ball. The results have shown all season, capped off by the Patriots being eliminated from playoff contention after losing to the Dolphins. 

What's Next?

The Patriots will return home next week to host the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 28 in the final Monday Night Football game of the season. The Dolphins have a short week to prepare for next Saturday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.