The New England Patriots entered Sunday’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins with their backs against the wall in a must-win game.
After the embarrassing loss to the Las Vegas Raiders and then the heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals, the Patriots stood up to the division rival Dolphins and sent them packing back to South Beach empty-handed.
Once again, New England’s defense starred in the 23-21 victory with the offense stepping up and making the plays they needed to make down the stretch.
With the victory, the Patriots control their destiny for a future playoff berth. It’s surprising considering how badly the team has played at various points in the season.
And yet, when it mattered most, they still did enough to stay in the fight. Here are the winners and losers from the Week 17 victory.