Pats Win a Squeaker... Brady Big Again

Ahh.. The Pats... what a squad, eh? Less than a week after being left for dead in Foxboro at the hands of the NFL's best team, the Indianapolis Colts, the Pats were back on the field facing a divisional foe, the Miami Dolphins, in a critical AFC East matchup. The Patriots were banged up, big time. David Givens was out. Corey Dillon was active, but after a single play didn't return to the Pats lineup. The secondary was in shambles. And early in this game the requiem for the Patriots' dynasty was being written... that is, until Tom took matters into his own hands.

After a lackluster and yawn-inciting first half, the defending champs were VERY lucky to go into the locker room in Miami down only 7-3. Thanks to some solid defense and a big play by rookie Ellis Hobbs in the first half preventing a touchdown, the Patriots were still in the game come halftime. Luckily for the faithful, the Patriots decided that they were actually going to play some football in the second half.

After both teams exchanged some inept offensive (pardon the pun) drives early in the second half, New England was able to close the gap on the hosting Dolphins. The Patriots added an Adam Vinatieri field goal with 5:37 remaining in the third quarter, then took a 12-7 lead at the end of the third quarter when Brady connected with Ben Watson for a 16-yard touchdown pass. The subsequent try for two was unsuccessful when Brady failed to hit Troy Brown in the end zone.

Vinatieri added another field goal in the 4th quarter with 12:34 remaining, putting the Pats on top 15-7. But the Fins weren't done yet. The Dolphins put together a 57-yard drive that stalled at the New England 18 yard line. Olindo Mare kicked a 36-yard field goal to make it 15-10 Pats.

The next drive was frustrated when Yeremiah Bell intercepted Brady at the Miami 44 yard line. Gus Ferotte, the Dolphins quarterback, made haste getting his squad down the field in under 2 minutes, capping the drive with a 15 yard strike to Chris Chambers, making the score 16-15 Miami. The Dolphines went for two, but Ferotte's pass to running back Ronnie Brown was incomplete.

Down 16-15 with 2:59 remaining, the Pats were in a tough spot, losing to a division rival late in the game, and their season seemed on the brink. But Bostonist was not nervous. Brady had done this so many times before, but this time he needed some MAJOR assistance. After a 29-yard kickoff return by Bethel Johnson, Brady and the Pats went to work. On the first play from scrimmage, Brady hit wide receiver Tim Dwight streaking down the field for a 59-yard gain. Dwight had to wrestle the pigskin away from Reggie Howard before the catch-and-run set the Patriots up on the Dolphins' 17 yard line. On the next play, Brady wasted no time, finding Watson yet again for a 17-yard touchdown. The Patriots went for the two-point conversion and handed the ball to a surprisingly effective Miami re-tread, Heath Evans, who scored on a run to the right to put the Pats up 23-16. That would be all the champs needed. Miami did was able to drive the length of the field and get as close as the Patriots' 5 yard line, but the defense stood its ground and was able to stop the Dolphins and sneak away with a much needed victory.

Brady wasn't the only star in this game, but his numbers were solid: He completed 21 of 36 passes for 2 TDs and 2 interceptions. With the game on the line, Brady, as always, played his best football and put his team in a position to grab the W.

Corey Dillon, who started the game but lasted only one play, was replaced by Heath Evans, who was very effective running the ball (he's a converted fullback forced into the tailback role due to Dillon's injury), compiling 84 yards on 17 attempts, and catching three passes for 18 yards. Evans gave the Pats a crucial lift from the running-back position... and just think - three weeks ago the Miami Dolphins released him.

Other standouts on this day included rookie defensive back Ellis Hobbs, who led the team with seven tackles amd had a fumble recovery and an interception. He was also called upon to make two big defensive plays man-to-man on the last drive of the game, when the Dolphins were blatantly trying to pick on him by throwing to a much taller Chris Chambers when trying to tie the game. Hobbs came up big and made every play he was asked to, helping to preserve the Patriots's lead in a must-win situation, putting the team at 5-4 and a game ahead of the pack in the AFC East.

Tom Brady photo courtesy of Boston.com; Ellis Hobbs photo courtesy of the AP