A year after trudging off the field following a lopsided loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, the New England Patriots closed the regular season by completing one of the NFL’s most dramatic turnarounds — and earning a playoff rematch.
Rhamondre Stevenson scored three touchdowns and Drake Maye continued his standout season as the Patriots rolled past the Miami Dolphins 38–10 on Sunday, clinching the AFC East title and the No. 2 seed in the conference. New England (14–3) will host the Chargers next weekend in the wild-card round, a far different setting than the team’s struggles a year ago.
Stevenson powered the offense with 131 rushing yards on just seven carries, adding two touchdown runs and a 15-yard receiving score. TreVeyon Henderson also contributed with touchdown runs of 2 and 5 yards as the Patriots swept the Dolphins for the first time since 2016.
Maye was efficient before heading to the sideline early in the fourth quarter, completing 14 of 18 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown. New England jumped out quickly, with Stevenson’s 56-yard run setting up Henderson’s opening-drive score, and never allowed Miami to seriously threaten after halftime.
The Patriots carried a 17–10 lead into the break and pulled away early in the third quarter when Maye found Stevenson for a touchdown, followed shortly by Stevenson’s 35-yard scoring run that stretched the margin to 31–10.
Miami (7–10), hampered by multiple injuries on both sides of the ball, finished with its second consecutive losing season. Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers, making his third career start, completed 16 of 23 passes for 137 yards with a touchdown and an interception before leaving late with a knee injury. His early efficiency, including a 2-yard touchdown pass to Malik Washington, briefly kept the Dolphins within striking distance.
New England’s turnaround under first-year coach Mike Vrabel culminated in its most wins since the 2016 Super Bowl season. The Patriots also reached several milestones along the way: Stefon Diggs eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the seventh time in his career, and kicker Andy Borregales drilled a 59-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, one of the longest kicks in franchise history.
With the division clinched and momentum firmly in hand, the Patriots now turn their attention to the postseason — and a Chargers team they’ll face under far different circumstances than a year ago.
