Dolphins hold off late rally to sweep Patriots, finish 2021 season with winning record

The outcome of the game was all but sealed, with the Dolphins only needing to corral a last-ditch lateral attempt by the New England Patriots to cement the first season sweep of their divisional rival since the 2000 season.

Then reserve linebacker Sam Eguavoen intercepted wide receiver Jakobi Meyers’ lateral and fell into the end zone with time expired, sending the crowd at Hard Rock Stadium into a frenzy and the Dolphins sideline racing to the end zone to celebrate.

It was not a perfect picture to conclude their 2021 season, one that ultimately fell short of a playoff appearance, but a fitting one for a group that stood by each other’s side after a 1-7 start that could have ripped the team at the seams.

The Dolphins held off a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Patriots, 33-24, giving the franchise back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the 2002-2003 season.

“I’m proud of this team,” said coach Brian Flores, whose team won eight of its final nine games after the 1-7 start. “I’m proud of their fight, their resiliency, their ability to deal and battle with adversity. We’ve had ups and downs and it’s a year I’ll certainly remember. Very proud of this team. ...

“It’s a special group. I’m happy and proud to be a part of it. I’m excited for the way they played today and proud of the way they played today and really the second half of the season.”

It was the performance against a playoff team that many expected one week ago, but it was a performance that brought delight to the tens of thousands who gathered at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday to watch the Dolphins’ season finale.

On paper, the Dolphins (9-8), eliminated from playoff contention after their Week 17 loss to the Tennessee Titans, didn’t have much to play for, while the Patriots (10-7), who entered the game with a postseason berth, were still in play for the AFC East title with a win and Buffalo Bills loss to the New York Jets.

However, it was the home team that played more efficiently, more crisp and finished a season full of early turmoil with a victory they could be proud of ahead of a critical offseason for the franchise. The Dolphins became the first team in NFL history to finish with a winning record after losing seven of their first eight games.

“That just shows who we are as men and who we are as a team,” rookie linebacker Jaelan Phillips said. “That’s the story of our season. It’s just perseverance. We had that run where seven in a row, that’s not an easy thing to come back from. But we always stuck together, we always fought, we always played for each other. And ultimately, it’s the best way that we could have ended off the season. Obviously we wanted to go to the playoffs, but I think we made the most with what we had.”

The Dolphins led 17-0 in the first half and 27-10 early in the fourth quarter but two touchdown drives by the Patriots made it a one-score game, 27-24, with 2:53 left. Facing third-and-8 with 1:56 remaining, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa dropped back to pass but as the play developed and no open receivers emerged, he tucked the ball and took off running, beating New England defenders to the first-down marker on an 11-yard scramble. It was arguably the biggest play of the afternoon for the second-year player, who finished 15-for-22 with 109 yards, one touchdown and added 38 rushing yards.

The Dolphins ended the season with the type of complimentary play that eluded them through the first half of the season and that was present for much of their winning streak. The offense ran for a season-high 195 yards, led by running back Duke Johnson’s career-high 117 yards and touchdown, and the defense forced three takeaways, which included cornerback Xavien Howard’s first-quarter pick-six.

“I think you look at the first half of our season, there were a lot of things that we knew we had to fix,” Tagovailoa said. “And there were some things that we knew we couldn’t win with as far as executing on all three phases. But just everyone sticking together and believing in one another, I think that’s what’s helped the second half of the season for us.”

It was an afternoon that began and ended in celebration, from wide receiver Jaylen Waddle breaking Anquan Boldin’s rookie reception record on the first drive to Eguavoen’s fumble recovery on the final play. Hidden within the revelry of the win is a looming offseason that could again change the direction of the franchise, from Tagovailoa’s future to a potentially reshaped roster as the team is expected to have over $70 million in cap space this offseason.

Very few wanted to acknowledge the months that lie ahead or do a full-scale eulogy of the season after the game. For the moment, their resounding win is all that mattered.

“As a team, we stuck together through the ups and downs of the season,” Howard said. “1-7, it was tough. We could have quit but we kept it going, everybody kept fighting. I feel like we overcame it, we ended up finishing on a good note.”