Brady, Patriots beat up on Dolphins 35-14

Tom Brady threw for 276 yards and three scores Sunday to help the Patriots clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs by beating the Miami Dolphins 35-14.

Brady hit newly acquired Michael Floyd who scored a 14-yard touchdown. The Patriots will sit out wild card weekend, of course, and earned home field advantage throughout the playoffs with their win at Miami. We were trying to apply something and we just didn’t quite have it right and that really, that goes back to me more than anybody else.

Word out of New England is that the Patriots are incensed at having lost to the Dolphins three consecutive years in South Florida, and have had this date circled on their calendar for the past twelve months. He’s not a Hall of Fame quarterback like Miami had for the Dolphins’ three previous playoff meeting with the Steelers, Bob Griese in 1972 and 1979 and Dan Marino in 1984.

Miami made today’s game nearly a carbon copy of the first meeting against New England.

On thePatriots ensuing possession, Brady handed the ball to LeGarrette Blount on the goal line and he ran up the middle untouched for his 18th touchdown of the season. That gave him a 14:1 touchdown to interception ratio.

He’s the 65th player to catch a touchdown pass from Brady.

One point before we proceed: their defense isn’t “clearly” a weakness, but we just don’t know based on their scheduling.

Surprisingly, New England is “only” 6-2 at Gillette Stadium this season. Chris Long said recently that Flowers may be the best defensive player on the Patriots, and he only built on his cause for that title in the season-finale.

Unlike at this time last season, the Patriots have a running attack and so protecting Brady becomes easier. Romo, who missed 12 games past year with a broken collarbone and hadn’t played all this season after injuring his back, led Dallas to a touchdown in his only drive.

Their win was complimented by a signature 77-yard touchdown run by Edelman, according to NFL.

New England led 20-7 at the half. Already the proud owners of the third worst defense in the National Football League, the Dolphins could have as many as five defensive starters sidelined for this game.

In games between non-playoff teams, Minnesota ripped Chicago 38-10, Indianapolis edged Jacksonville 24-20, Cincinnati downed Baltimore 27-10 and the New York Jets thumped Buffalo 30-10 – in part after the Bills stunningly allowed New York’s Doug Middleton to recover a Jets kickoff in the end zone.

Jordan Howard, the lone bright spot, rushed for 135 yards on 23 carries to break Matt Forte’s franchise rookie record and finish with 1,313 yards for the season for Chicago.

The Patriots will play the lowest remaining seed in the AFC during the divisional round, with potential opponents including the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders.