The Pats took care of business in a meaningless season finale and won big 38-7 over the visiting Miami Dolphins.
Offense
Brady continues to play mistake-free and tossed 2 more TDs. Most importantly Brady escaped injury while playing early into the 3rd quarter.
It was good to see both starting WRs Welker and Branch inactive for this game. We don't want to risk a repeat of last year. This also gave opportunities for other players. For example, Tate made a great diving catch in the end-zone from Hoyer. Taylor Price also made some good plays in his first NFL action.
Edelman made the most of his opportunities with a nice 40-yard scamper after catching a pass in the flat on a fake reverse. He later added a 94-yard punt return for a TD as well.
I'm proud of BJGE who reached the 1,000-yard rushing milestone. He quietly goes about his business and I like his no-nonsense approach.
Defense
The defense played great in this game. It all started with a beast-like performance from Wilfork wreaking havoc in the middle and recording a pair of sacks. It was good to see his intensity but he was flagged on a questionable helmet-to-helmet collision on one of his sacks.
Rookie DB McCourty recorded his 7th INT of the year. He definitely deserves consideration for ROY honors though Suh will probably win it.
The only player who struggled was Butler who continues to get beat all over the field. He is fast and always seems to be around the ball but he can NEVER make the play. I wonder if he's just not physical enough to want to get in there to break up passes.
Special Teams
The special team’s play was highlighted by Edelman's 94-yard punt return for TD as I mentioned earlier.
Other Thoughts
The Pats managed to rest several key players and escape major injuries while winning this game. Woodhead's head injury is an area of concern and hopefully he'll be cleared to play come playoff time.
The Pats played with a lot of pride on a meaningless game. It shows you how much winning means to this franchise. I love this team!
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