Drake scores on wild final play as Miami beats Pats, 34-33
MIAMI — Kenyan Drake ran the last 52 yards as the Miami Dolphins scored on a pass and double lateral on the wild final play Sunday to beat the New England Patriots, 34-33.
The Patriots were 16 seconds from clinching their 10th consecutive National Football League AFC East title when the Dolphins scored on the 69-yard play to rally from a 33-28 deficit.
Ryan Tannehill threw a 14-yard pass to Kenny Stills, who lateraled to DeVante Parker, who quickly lateraled to Drake. He found a seam and beat two Patriots to the corner of the end zone — defensive back J.C. Jackson and tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was on the field as part of New England’s defence.
The Dolphins’ bench emptied as teammates mobbed Drake. Coach Adam Gase said his team had been practicing the play all year for such a situation.
“Those guys executed it as well as you could,” Gase said. “When you practice it, you don’t really know how it’s going to turn out. Kenyan realized he had a lane and took it.”
Tom Brady threw for 358 yards and three scores, but the stunned Patriots (9-4) lost in Miami for the fifth time in their past six visits. The Dolphins (7-6) came from behind five times to help their slim wild-card chances.
“We’re playing one week at a time right now,” Gase said. “Any loss could be the end.”
The Patriots’ Stephen Gostkowski missed an extra point for the first time in 38 tries this season early in the game, and he also missed a 42-yard field goal try. But his 32-yarder to cap a 55-yard drive put the Patriots ahead 30-28 with 6:45 left.
Coach Bill Belichick opted to have Gostkowski kick a 22-yarder in the closing seconds rather than pin the Dolphins near their goal line. Instead, they returned the ensuing kickoff to the 31 — and on the next play pulled off a miracle.
Brady broke the NFL record for career touchdown passes including post-season and now has 582, three more than Peyton Manning. His scores covered two yards to Julian Edelman, 37 to Cordarrelle Patterson and 16 to Gronkowski.
Brady finished 27 for 43 with no turnovers, and Gronkowski had eight catches for 107 yards. Albert McClellan blocked a punt to set up a touchdown for the Patriots, and they also deflected a punt.
Tannehill missed two plays at the end of the first half after a teammate stepped on his right foot. He returned to start the second half, and his 23-yard touchdown pass to Brice Butler put the Dolphins ahead 28-27 late in the third quarter.