On Sunday, January 4, 2026, the New England Patriots beat the Miami Dolphins 38 10 at Gillette Stadium. The win was much more than just three points on a scoreboard. It gave the Patriots a 14 3 record for the season and locked in their spot in the playoffs. For a team that finished just 4 13 the year before, this game showed how far New England had come under head coach Mike Vrabel.
A Quick Look at the Game
The Patriots controlled the game from the start. They scored early with a long running play, kept adding points in each quarter, and led 31 10 after three quarters. By the final whistle, New England had put up 38 points while holding Miami to just 10. This was New England’s first season sweep of the Dolphins since 2016, which tells you how one sided this matchup was.
The Dolphins finished the season with a 7 10 record. This was their second straight losing season under head coach Mike McDaniel, after two years of making the playoffs. After the game, McDaniel spoke honestly about the pressure on him, saying he would keep working hard no matter what.
Now let’s break down the stats, player by player.
Drake Maye: A Strong Day for the Patriots Quarterback
Drake Maye had a smooth and efficient game as New England’s quarterback. He completed 14 of his 18 pass attempts for 191 yards and one touchdown. That is a completion rate of about 78 percent, which is very good for any NFL quarterback.
Maye played so well that the coaching staff felt comfortable resting him early in the fourth quarter, once the game was already decided. This was part of a bigger story for Maye this season. Across the full year, he threw for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdown passes, numbers that put him in the conversation for NFL MVP. He also set a team record with a completion percentage of 72.0 percent for the season, showing just how accurate he was game after game.
One of Maye’s best throws against Miami was a 15 yard touchdown pass to running back Rhamondre Stevenson in the third quarter. That connection between quarterback and running back became one of the biggest stories of the game.
Rhamondre Stevenson: The Star of the Game
If one player stood out most in this matchup, it was running back Rhamondre Stevenson. He had a huge day and later earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.
Here is what Stevenson did on offense:
- He carried the ball 7 times for 131 rushing yards, an average of nearly 19 yards per carry
- He scored two rushing touchdowns, from 2 yards and 35 yards out
- He also caught a touchdown pass from Drake Maye, a 15 yard scoring play
- In total, he scored three touchdowns in the game
Stevenson’s big play came early, when he broke off a 56 yard run on just the second play of the game. That run set up New England’s first score and set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. Later in the game, he added 22 receiving yards on top of his rushing total, giving him a big role in both the running game and the passing game.
This was actually the second straight game where Stevenson scored both a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the same outing, which shows how well he was playing at the end of the season. His 56 yard run was also the second 50 plus yard run of his career, a nice personal milestone for the fifth year running back.
TreVeyon Henderson Adds More Touchdowns
Stevenson was not the only Patriots running back to find the end zone. TreVeyon Henderson also had a strong day, scoring two rushing touchdowns of his own, from 2 yards and 5 yards out. His 5 yard touchdown run came right after Stevenson’s long 56 yard run had moved the offense deep into Miami territory.
Having two running backs score multiple touchdowns in the same game shows how well New England’s offensive line was blocking, and how much trouble Miami’s defense had stopping the run all afternoon.
Stefon Diggs Reaches a Career Milestone
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs did not have a huge day in terms of catches, but he reached an important milestone. He caught 3 passes for 43 yards, including a 34 yard catch late in the third quarter. That catch pushed him past 1,000 receiving yards for the season.
This was the seventh time in Diggs’ career that he reached 1,000 receiving yards in a season. It was also the first time a Patriots receiver had done this since 2019, when Julian Edelman had 1,117 receiving yards. For a Patriots offense that had struggled to find a top receiver in recent years, Diggs reaching this mark was a meaningful sign of progress.
Miami’s Offense Struggled to Keep Up
On the other side of the ball, Miami’s offense had a tough time all game. The Dolphins were missing two important defensive players, linebacker Chop Robinson, who was out with a concussion, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was dealing with a calf injury. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks did play, but he was also managing a hamstring injury.
Without those key defenders, Miami’s defense could not slow down New England’s running game, and it showed in the final score. On offense, Miami was outgained badly and could never really threaten to come back after falling behind early.
Miami also lost a player during the game. A Dolphins player named Washington left in the second quarter with a thumb injury, adding to the tough day for the team.
Team Stats: New England vs Miami
Looking at the season as a whole, not just this single game, the numbers show a clear gap between the two teams:
- New England averaged 302 yards per game on offense, ranked 18th in the league
- Miami averaged just 271.5 yards per game, ranked 27th
- New England scored 15 points per game on average, ranked 26th
- Miami scored only 13 points per game on average, ranked 30th
- New England held the ball for 30:45 per game on average, compared to just 27:40 for Miami
- On defense, New England recorded 6 total sacks compared to Miami’s 0
- Miami actually had more interceptions on defense, with 2 compared to New England’s 1
- New England had a turnover differential of minus 3 for the season, while Miami’s was even at plus 0
These numbers help explain why the two teams headed in such different directions. New England was a team that controlled the clock, ran the ball well, and got just enough defense to win close games. Miami struggled in almost every one of these areas.
What This Win Means for the Patriots
Beating Miami 38 10 was the final piece of a special regular season for New England. The win gave the team a 14 3 record, their best win total since their Super Bowl winning season back in 2016. It also meant the Patriots finished first in the AFC East, going from worst to first in just one year under coach Mike Vrabel.
Because Denver beat the Chargers on the same day, New England did not get the top seed in the AFC. Instead, they earned the number 2 seed and were set to host the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild card round of the playoffs the following weekend. It was New England’s first trip to the playoffs since the 2021 season, and their first home playoff game since hosting the Titans back in January 2020.
For a team that many people had written off just one season earlier, this win over Miami was a strong way to close out one of the most surprising turnaround seasons in recent NFL memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of the Patriots vs Dolphins game?
The New England Patriots won 38 10 over the Miami Dolphins on January 4, 2026. The game was played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Who was the best player in the Patriots vs Dolphins game?
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson was the standout player. He rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns on just 7 carries, and he also caught a touchdown pass, giving him three total touchdowns. He won AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this performance.
How did this win affect the Patriots’ playoff picture?
The win gave New England a 14 3 record and the AFC East title. It earned them the number 2 seed in the AFC playoffs, meaning they hosted the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild card round the following week. It was the team’s first playoff appearance since the 2021 season.
