Winners and losers as Patriots suffer stunning upset to Dolphins in Week 17

The Patriots will play in the wild card round.

Winner: Run and screen blocking

The Patriots offensive line got the better of the Dolphins defense. New England’s big men were moving well in the open field (James White’s touchdown came on a screen pass), and the linemen created enough space between the tackles for Sony Michel and Rex Burkhead to enjoy a nice day.

This unit has taken heat the season, with the Patriots offense struggling. They deserved credit for their work Sunday.

Loser: Julian Edelman (and, in turn, the whole offense)

He was basically a non-factor. The Patriots seemed to want to rest him due to his two injuries, but New England showed how badly they need Edelman involved. Edelman got six targets for two catches and 28 yards. They struggled to move the ball all game long.

To make things worse, he won’t get the bye for rest.

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