FOXBORO — For the Patriots, the key moment in Sunday’s 27-24 win over the Dolphins came early in the second half when a key turnover helped New England flip the script and gain momentum of the game.
New England had dug itself a 17-0 halftime deficit with some poor play on both sides of the ball, but the Patriots had started to climb out of the hole on its first possession of the third quarter when Stephen Gostkowski drilled a 45-yard field goal to them New England on the board with 11:44 remaining in the third.
On the Dolphins’ next possession, they were able to move the ball out to their own 40-yard line. Three plays into the drive, a botched center/quarterback exchange between Mike Pouncey and Matt Moore led to a fumble, and Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork was immediately on it, falling on the ball and giving New England some of its best field position of the day. The Patriots then went 38 yards on seven plays, with the culmination coming when Tom Brady found Deion Branch on a one-yard pass play in the back of the end zone.
The extra point made it 17-10, Miami, but it was just the beginning — the Patriots would score 27 consecutive points, turning a 17-0 deficit into a 27-17 lead. New England would hold on down the stretch for the 27-24 win, pushing its’ record to 12-3 and clinching a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs.
“There was never a doubt in our mind, especially my mind, that we were going to pull this game out,” Wilfork said “We just had to go out there and make the plays, get off the field and make the plays and get off the field, and put our offense in good situations. Field position was a big thing today. Once we got field position and gave it to the offense, they handled it very well.
“That’s one of those things. You have to just keep rolling. You never know how you’re going to win but good teams always find a way to. That’s what we have to continue to do.”