Dolphins Vs. Patriots: Miami Stuns Pats With Late Field Goal
MIAMI — When Tom Brady missed repeated chances to put the game away in the fourth quarter, Chad Henne and the Miami Dolphins took advantage.
Henne threw for a career-high 335 yards and directed a 51-yard drive for the winning field goal with 1:02 left, and Miami rallied past New England 22-21 on Sunday.
The Dolphins (6-6) overcame an early 14-point deficit to keep their slim playoff prospects alive, while AFC East leader New England (7-5) remained winless in five games in opponents' stadiums this season.
For the third time on the road, the Patriots lost after leading in the fourth quarter. The defeat was sealed when Channing Crowder made his first career interception, picking off Brady at the Patriots 40 with 35 seconds left.
Brady left the field briefly early in the game to treat an arm injury, but returned without missing a play. He finished 19 for 29 for 352 yards and two long touchdowns, but also threw two fourth-quarter interceptions.
Leading 21-19, the Patriots had first-and-goal at the 4 with 10 minutes left, but Brady was intercepted in the end zone by rookie Vontae Davis, who stepped in front of Randy Moss to make the play.
New England subsequently forced Miami to punt twice, but each time Brady and the Patriots went three and out. On one play Brady overthrew an open Sam Aiken deep.
The Dolphins started from their 26 with 3:44 to go. On fourth-and-6, Henne hit Greg Camarillo for 13 yards to the Patriots 28. That set up Dan Carpenter's third field goal, a 41-yarder.
Brady threw touchdown passes of 58 yards to Moss and 81 yards to Aiken, and he also had a 58-yard completion to Wes Welker.
But New England twice failed to score inside the Miami 10. The Patriots were stopped on downs at the 6 in the second quarter.
Henne went 29 for 52 with one interception. He drove the Dolphins 88 yards for their first score, which came on a 13-yard pass to Davone Bess.
Henne drove the Dolphins 83 yards in the final 1:55 of the first half for a field goal, and they trailed 14-10 at halftime.
Henne hit Brian Hartline with 7-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to cut the margin to 21-19, but his ensuing 2-point conversion pass was tipped away by Ty Warren.
Brady hurt his arm taking a hit as he threw the touchdown bomb to Moss on the opening series. While the Patriots celebrated, their quarterback trotted off the field and kept going, vanishing through the tunnel.
He returned five minutes later, and following a Miami punt he was back in the game to direct a 13-play, 80-yard drive for a 14-0 lead.
On the Patriots' first play of the second half, Aiken caught a pass near midfield by snatching the ball away from rookie Sean Smith, who fell and then watched the receiver dash to the end zone.
But the Patriots didn't score again.
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STEVEN WINE | 12/ 6/09 04:38 PM |