Carpenter’s Late Field Goal Pushes Dolphins Past Patriots 22-21

By: Jeff Sack

Over the last four weeks the New England Patriots have looked less like contenders and more like pretenders as they are making their way through the NFL campaign. On November 15, New England lost a game they should have won to the Indianapolis Colts due to a terrible decision made by head coach Bill Belichick and a display of ineptitude by the team’s defense in the last quarter. The following week they had some consolation as they beat a lackluster New York Jets team as a payback for their loss earlier this season.

Last Monday night they were run over by a Military Humvee disguised as the New Orleans Saints and were pummeled by a score of 38-17. The Patriots this Sunday played in Miami’s Land Shark Stadium against division rivals the Dolphins. The two teams had met back in Foxborough on November 8, and the Patriots would dominate the second half of that contest winning 27-17.

New England needed a win against the Dolphins not mathematically but psychologically; they needed to show them selves that they could bounce back from a beating they had gotten Monday night. The Patriots would hold the lead the entire contest; except when it counted as the game became a final with the Dolphins getting a 22-21 come from behind victory.

Miami kicker Dan Carpenter kicked a 41 yard field goal with 1:02 left to play giving the Dolphins their first lead of the game at 22-21. The Patriots had the time to make one more drive to comeback and grab the victory. Unfortunately for the Patriots that did not happen as New England QB Tom Brady was intercepted by Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder at the Patriots 40 with 35 seconds to play. It was the first interception Crowder had made in the NFL and it could not have come at a more opportune time as it clinched the come from behind win for the Dolphins.

If you just look at the statistical breakdown of this game the Patriots really had no business leading for most of the contest. Miami held onto the rock for 32:37 while New England had it for 5 minutes less at 27:23. The Dolphins were able to 24 first downs compared to 18 for the Patriots; Miami also had 21 first downs via the pass as opposed to just 13 by New England.

However in spite of those numbers the Patriots would dominate the scoreboard for most of the contest and appeared that they would take this game quite easily until the latter stages of the proceedings. All the scoring in the first quarter came via the Brady & Moss show as they connected on a 58 yard pass with 11:38 left to play. After the extra point was kicked through the uprights by Stephen Gostkowski New England led 7-0 and that was the score as the period came to an end.

Running back Kevin Falk scampered 6 yards into the end zone with 14:56 to play in the second and after the extra point New England led 14-0. However Miami did come back and give New England cause for concern later in the period. Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne hit Davone Bess with a 13 yard pass and with the extra point it was now a 14-7 contest. Dan Carpenter kicked a 29 yard field goal with one second left in the half and the once mighty Patriots lead was now down to 14-10 at the half.

Brady would hit Sam Aiken with an 81 yard pass for a touchdown with 12:02 left in the third quarter. After the kick by Gostkowski it would be a 21 -10 Patriots lead. It would also be the last time New England would score for the balance of the afternoon.

Miami slowly and methodically chipped away at the Patriots lead starting with a 24 yard field goal with 10:00 to play and cutting the deficit to 21-13. Henne would throw his second touchdown pass of the day a 7 yard pass to Andrew Hartline. Miami attempted but could not complete the two point conversion but the Pats could feel the Dolphins breath on the back of their necks as it was a 21-19 game heading into the fourth.

New England had their chances but failed to capitalize on any of them and then with 1:02 left to play Carpenter kicked his third field goal of the afternoon. This one was was also his longest and gave his team their first lead at 22-21. Seconds later Channing Crowder would clinch the victory for the Dolphins with the pick-off of Brady.

The two quarterbacks were a study in contrast as Henne improved as the game went along where it seemed Brady peaked early on and then trailed off. Henne completed 29/52 pass attempts for a total of 335 yards; with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Brady was 19/29 for 352 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Miami is back to even as they are now 6-6 with the victory and they will be in Jacksonville next Sunday to take on the Jags. New England still leads the mediocre AFC East with a record of 7-5 and will play host next Sunday to Carolina.