Cutler, Dolphins snap Patriots' eight-game win streak
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[December 12, 2017]
(The Sports Xchange) - Jay
Cutler threw three touchdown passes as the double-digit underdog
Miami Dolphins upset the New England Patriots 27-20 on Monday night
at Hard Rock Stadium.
Jarvis Landry caught two of Cutler's TD throws. After his second
touchdown grab, he celebrated by pretending to inflate the football
-- perhaps mocking New England quarterback Tom Brady's "Deflategate"
issues.
Cutler completed 25 of 38 passes for 263 yards. Kenyan Drake led
Miami's ground game with 114 yards on 25 carries. It was the second
straight 100-yard game for Drake, who also had five receptions for
79 yards.
The Patriots (10-3), who visit the 11-2 Pittsburgh Steelers on
Sunday in what was looking like a battle for home-field advantage
throughout the AFC playoffs, may have been caught looking ahead.
Their eight-game win streak was snapped.

Brady got off to a poor start, missing all four of his first-quarter
passes. He completed 24 of 43 passes for 233 yards and one
touchdown, but he was intercepted twice, both times by cornerback
Xavien Howard.
Before Monday, Brady had just four interceptions all season and
never more than one in a game.
Miami (6-7) compiled an impressive 123-2 yardage advantage after one
quarter but led just 6-0. The Dolphins scored on field goals of 30
and 44 yards by Cody Parkey. The first field goal was the result of
a 13-play, 69-yard dive. The second was set up by an interception by
Howard.
New England got untracked in the second quarter, taking a 7-6 lead
on a 3-yard run by Rex Burkhead.
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Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler (6) attempts a pass against the New
England Patriots during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

On the next possession, Miami drove 80 yards in seven plays and took
a 13-7 lead on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Cutler to Landry.
New England closed its deficit to 13-10 on a 46-yard field goal by
Stephen Gostkowski with two seconds left in the first half.
Miami extended its advantage to 20-10 when Jakeem Grant made a
spectacular, leaping, 25-yard touchdown catch, crashing to the turf
in the end zone.
The Dolphins closed the third-quarter scoring with Landry's 4-yard
reception for a 27-10 lead.
New England crept closer as Brady's 3-yard touchdown pass to James
White cut the deficit to 27-17 with 13:05 to play.
The Patriots, who had a first-and-goal at the Miami 1-yard line late
in the fourth quarter, had to settle for a 33-yard Gostkowski field
goal after getting hit with illegal-shift and holding penalties.
Trailing 27-20, New England failed to recover an onside kick,
sealing the win for Miami.
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