New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins Box Score on Jan 03, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Jan 3, 2016

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- For the third year in a row, the Miami Dolphins won a home game against the New England Patriots, prevailing 20-10 on Sunday afternoon at Sun Life Stadium.

Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill passed for 350 yards and two touchdowns. With a 10-10 score and 6:58 left in the game, he threw a two-yard game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Cameron.

Dolphins rookie wide receiver DeVante Parker caught five passes for 106 yards. That included a 46-yarder that led to Cameron's score. On the play, Parker reached over a Patriots defensive back, tipped it up and grabbed it for a highlight catch.

Miami's Andrew Franks added a 19-yard field goal with 1:56 left to put the game out of reach.

The Patriots (12-4), who had already clinched a first-round bye, limp into the playoffs after losing four of their past six games and sustaining several injuries during the past month.

Miami (6-10), despite the surprising win, finished its seventh straight season out of the playoffs. Miami hasn't won a playoff game since 2000.

New England played a conservative game offensively as quarterback Tom Brady completed 12 of 21 passes for 134 yards and no touchdowns. He was removed from the game for New England's final drive.

The Dolphins led 10-3 at the half after Tannehill fired a 15-yard touchdown pass to Parker with 36 seconds left in the second quarter. That capped an impressive eight-play, 64-yard drive that took just 80 seconds.

Before that, Franks made a 38-yard field goal but missed from 46. And New England's Stephen Gostkowski made a 34-yard field goal but missed from 46.

New England tied the score 10-10, getting a two-yard touchdown run from Stephen Jackson on the opening drive of the third quarter. The drive was highlighted by a 68-yard reception by running back James White, who took a short pass, stumbled twice and still nearly took it the distance.

NOTES: The Dolphins and Dennis Hickey, their general manager the past two years, parted ways. Team president Mike Tannenbaum heads the coaching search. ... Miami was without five starters: LB Jelani Jenkins (ankle), DT Earl Mitchell (calf), C Mike Pouncey (foot), RT Ja'Wuan James (toe) and WR Rishard Matthews (ribs). ... WR Jarvis Landry and S Reshad Jones were named Miami's co-MVPs in a vote of team officials and media. Pouncey was given Miami's leadership award as voted by his teammates. ... This was the 64th consecutive start for Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill. ... The Patriots are the Super Bowl co-favorites, with the Arizona Cardinals, at 7-2. ... Patriots WR Danny Amendola (knee) returned after missing one game. ... Patriots WR Julian Edelman (foot), LT Sebastian Vollmer (ankle), DE Chandler Jones (toe/abdomen) and LB Dont'a Hightower (knee) sat out but are on track to return for the playoffs.