Entering their Week 12 match up with the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots were beginning a stretch of five pivotal AFC East divisional games in six weeks to close out the regular season.
Caserio, Belichick and Ernie Adams watching the Dolphins warmup. Belichick going with the classic cutoff hoodie today pic.twitter.com/dVUPhqMK4P
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) November 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/934840985275764736
Pretty awesome pregame moment. #SaluteToService pic.twitter.com/MjhoVVtvUK
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 26, 2017
In the first quarter, it appeared the Patriots had been forced to punt to open the game, but a little trickery from Bill Belichick kept the drive alive.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/934847072288759808
Unfortunately, it came at a cost, as Nate Ebner went down with a non-contact injury on the run and was lost for the season.
#Patriots injury update: Nate Ebner is out with a knee injury. #MIAvsNE
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 26, 2017
Winslow Townson of @usatsimg captures the moment Nate Ebner plants his foot on the fake punt, which resulted in his knee injury. pic.twitter.com/zdtT6rq97g
— PatsFans.com (@PatsFans) November 26, 2017
League source also confirms #Patriots safety Nate Ebner will be placed on IR after suffering knee injury vs. Dolphins. Was having another All-Pro caliber season.
— Jim McBride (@globejimmcbride) November 27, 2017
The fake punt setup the first score of the game following this deep pass from Tom Brady to Phillip Dorsett.
https://twitter.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/934848492664754176
Running back Rex Burkhead would score from inside the 10 to put the Patriots ahead 7-0.
Since 2001 in the regular season, when scoring first the Patriots are 142-26.
— Ryan Hannable (@RyanHannable) November 26, 2017
It didn’t take long for Brady to attack the Dolphins secondary, as he found tight end Rob Gronkowski towards the end of the first quarter to put his team up by two scores and set some Gronk records in the process.
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/934851469487964160
Rob Gronkowski has already reached a couple of career milestones today…
* Now top-10 all time in receiving yards for a tight end. Passed Kellen Winslow.
* Career touchdown No. 73 for the Brady-to-Gronkowski connection means they've passed Brees-to-Colston for fifth all-time.
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) November 26, 2017
Rob Gronkowski leads all players in receiving TDs since entering the NFL in 2010 (74), despite missing 25 games in that span#MIAvsNE
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) November 26, 2017
Just when it appeared the Patriots were going to run away and hide, backup center Ted Karras, who was replacing the injured David Andrews, botched a snap that was recovered and returned by the Dolphins defense to cut the score in half at 14-7.
.@reshadjones9 finds the end zone after a botched snap for the touchdown!#MIAvsNE https://t.co/poOHS7njXP
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) November 26, 2017
WHOOPS pic.twitter.com/pSORV3DneB
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) November 26, 2017
Needing a response, Brady found Brandin “Cookie” Cooks deep to setup a third touchdown score of the day to open up the second quarter.
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/934859015372156928
Now THAT is some good defense. pic.twitter.com/CIKHzT8dmj
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) November 26, 2017
Brady would find Rex Burkhead for a second time, this time on the receiving end. 21-7 Patriots.
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/934920079946391553
The defense would allow a field goal to cut the score to 21-10, but they also made big plays when needed most, including this clutch interception by cornerback Stephon Gillmore just before halftime. The Dolphins were inside the Patriots 20 but lost out on any points.
21-10 Patriots going into the half.
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/934868141179412480
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb-pHMuB2LT/?hl=en&taken-by=bumpnrungilmore
No "Pit of Misery" today for the veteran CB. Huge play to close out the first half. https://t.co/xU1ETmfMei
— PatsFans.com (@PatsFans) November 26, 2017
In the third quarter, Tom Brady continued to throw right at the Dolphins backfield, and connected for a second time to Rob Gronkowski to extend the lead to 28-10.
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/934876065700261888
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/934877465188560896
Gronk is good.
Another franchise record for @RobGronkowski. #GoPats pic.twitter.com/yp8xY2bdEi
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 26, 2017
The Dolphins were kept out of the end zone until the fourth quarter, where Kenyan Drake hauled in a Matt Moore touchdown. It would be the only Dolphins offensive touchdown of the game. 28-17 Patriots.
Drake finds the end zone for six from a Matt Moore pass!#MIAvsNE https://t.co/TRy4EaoTTi
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) November 26, 2017
Another Dolphins field goal cut the lead to 28-17, but any chance of a comeback was killed as Brady drove the ball down the field for a back breaking “shuffle” touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks to go up 35-17.
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/934891668771180544
Tom Brady has 26 TDs this season, the most by a QB in a single season after turning 40 in @NFL history (Favre, 25, 2009 & Moon, 25, 1997). #GoPats
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 26, 2017
All aboard the victory bus pic.twitter.com/GTp8KHoBi3
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) November 26, 2017
Despite a few miscues early on, the 35-17 score would stand as the Patriots earned their ninth victory of 2017 and their seventh in a row.
Patriots defense today:
-Seven sacks
-Two interceptions
-Two forced fumbles
-One fumble recovery
-10 points allowed— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) November 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/ezlazar/status/934895423801741312
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb-SVRsB6Wl/?taken-by=tombrady
Patriots clinched their 17th consecutive season with a winning record, the longest streak since 1970, surpassing the previous record of 16 held by the 1970-1985 Dallas Cowboys and 1983-1998 San Francisco 49ers.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/edelman11/status/935549445894299649
Gronk thinking aloud about his TD celebration "We got yelled at we aren't allowed to talk about celebrations. But I kind of want to talk about it, but I kinda don't because I will get in trouble. So I don't know what to do. #Patriots pic.twitter.com/SC2UpFE9V5
— Chad Amaral (@Chad_Amaral) November 26, 2017
Win Number 9….
— Malcolm CB Butler (@Mac_BZ) November 27, 2017
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