Dolphins rally past Patriots 22-21

[December 07, 2009]  MIAMI (AP) -- With another lousy fourth quarter on the road, the New England Patriots let the Miami Dolphins back into the AFC East race.

Tom Brady threw two interceptions in the final 10 minutes, and the desperate Dolphins drove 51 yards for the winning field goal with 1:02 left to beat the Patriots 22-21 Sunday.

Division leader New England (7-5) lost after leading in the fourth quarter for the third time on the road, while Miami (6-6) overcame an early 14-point deficit in a must-win game.

"It puts us right back in the thick of things," Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said.

The Patriots still lead the Jets and Dolphins by one game. But they've lost consecutive games for the first time since November 2006.

"We're searching for the answers," Brady said. "When you lose, it's an awful feeling."

The Dolphins started the season 0-3, and to make the playoffs they likely still need a sweep of their final four games, starting Sunday at Jacksonville. But signs of life in the passing game were cause for encouragement: Chad Henne threw for a career-high 335 yards and two touchdowns.

"He's real poised," said Davone Bess, who made 10 catches for 117 yards. "Every time they throw us a fastball, he is willing to hit a home run."

Henne went 29 for 52 -- the most passes thrown by the run-oriented Dolphins since 2006. He endorsed Sparano's surprising game plan.

"If he wants to, we can throw all day," Henne said. "I love it. Put it in my hands in pressure situations."

At crunch time, the Dolphins had the better quarterback. Leading 21-19 with 10 minutes left, the Patriots had first-and-goal at the 4, but Brady was intercepted in the end zone by rookie Vontae Davis, who stepped in front of Randy Moss.

"The guy made a good play," Brady said with a shrug.

New England subsequently forced Miami to punt twice, but each time Brady and the Patriots went three and out.

The Dolphins' winning drive started from their 26 with 3:44 to go. On fourth-and-6, Henne kept the march alive by hitting Greg Camarillo for 13 yards to the Patriots 28. Miami finished 12 for 22 on third and fourth down.

Brady couldn't match Henne's comeback. Channing Crowder made his first career interception, picking off Brady at the Patriots 40 with 35 seconds left.

As a result, New England remained winless in five games in opponents' stadiums

"If things don't go your way, you've got to fight back," Brady said. "At times we do, and at other times I don't think we fight very hard."

Brady went to the locker room early in the game for treatment of an arm injury, but he returned without missing a play. New England scored only once in the final 44 minutes, but Brady declined to blame his health, even though he came in with right shoulder and finger injuries.

"There are a lot of guys who are banged up," he said. "I don't think many guys are 100 percent. It's late in the year. It's a physical game. You've still got to go out and get the job done."

Brady finished 19 for 29 for 352 yards and two long touchdowns, but in the fourth quarter he went 3 for 9 for 41 yards. In the past nine games, Brady has thrown only one fourth-quarter touchdown pass.

Earlier, Brady appeared headed for one of the best games of his career. He threw touchdown passes of 58 yards to Moss and 81 yards to Sam Aiken. He also had a 58-yard completion to Wes Welker, who made 10 receptions for 167 yards.

They weren't enough.

"It's really frustrating," Welker said. "A lot of us need to look in the mirror, including myself."

NOTES: For the first time this season, Miami didn't run a wildcat play. ... Broadcaster Larry King joined the Dolphins' radio team for part of the game. King did color commentary for the Dolphins in 1969-71 and in 1977. ... Moss surpassed 1,000 yards in receiving for the 10th time.

[Associated Press; By STEVEN WINE]

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