‘Desperado’ Dolphins stun Patriots
THE Dolphins scored a touchdown on a wild final play on Sunday to edge New England 34-33 in Miami and put the Patriots’ NFL playoff plans temporarily on hold.
The Patriots led 33-28 with seven seconds r e ma i n i n g , b u t couldn’t stop what coach Bill Belichick dubbed a “desperado” play.
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill took the snap and conn e c t e d w i t h Kenny Stills, who made a 14-yard gain before shovelling a lateral pass to DeVante Parker.
Parker made i t another five yard yards then flicked anoth another lateral pass t to Kenyan Drake, wh who raced in to com complete the 69-yar 69-yard gain for the winwin ning TD (pictured (pictured, AFP).
“They could throw it deep dee or run one of their ‘despera ‘desperado type’ plays,” Belichick sai said of what he thought the DolDo phins’ choices were comcom i ng dow n to t h he w i r e . “Twenty-yard pass, and then it turned ‘desperado’.”
It was the fifth defeat in the Patriots’ last six trips to Miami, and prevented them, for now, from clinching a 10th straight AFC East division title.
“The way it ended sucked,” said New England tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was on the field in a defensive role and was the last Patriot player with a chance to stop Drake.
The Dolphins, who erased five deficits on the way to victory, improved to 7-6 to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
In the late game, on a chilly Chicago night, the Bears defence was lights out as they held the Los Angeles Rams to a meager amount of points with a 15-6 victory.
The New Orleans Saints and Ka nsa s Cit y Chiefs, mea nwhile, punched t heir playoff tickets – the Saints locking up the NFC South division crown wit h a 28-14 v ictor y over t he Buccaneers in Tampa and the Chiefs securing a playoff spot w it h a 27-24 over t i me t r iu mph over t he Ba lt i more Ravens.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected on a stunning cross-body fourthdown pass to Tyreek Hill to keep a game-tying fourthquarter touchdown dr ive alive.
Kansas City’s Harrison Butker missed a 43-yard field goal as time expired in regulation, but made a 36-yarder in overtime that proved the difference after the Chiefs stopped the Ravens on fourth down in the extra period.
While the Chiefs clinched a playoff spot, the AFC West title will be in the balance when they face on Thursday division rivals the Los Angeles Chargers, who beat the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21.
The Saints, coming off a shock loss to the Dallas Cowboys, had to rally to beat the Buccaneers.
New Orleans trailed 14-3 at halftime, but their potent offense led by quarterback Drew Brees came alive in the second.
Brees completed 24 of 31 passes for 201 yards with a touchdown and an interception.