Bill Belichick addresses the media following the Patriots 38-7 victory over the Dolphins in the final game of the regular season.

Well, once again, I give our team a lot of credit. The players really did a good job here today. They've really been focused and I thought [they] played well today in all three phases of the game. We had big plays on offense, defense, special teams. We had some guys step up that hadn't played a lot and made some big plays for us. Overall it was a pretty solid effort. It's good to end the season on this note, but right now we're just like everybody else; everybody is 0-0 at this point in the playoffs, so it's time for us to get focused on the next target. But it's a nice way to end the season. I'm proud of the way the guys played today; they stepped up and played like the AFC [East] champions that they are.

Tom Brady is asked if he's going into the playoffs this year feeling differently about the running game than he did last year.

Sure. Look today, the weather was an anomaly out there. That's not usually the way it is in Foxborough in January. Our playoff games have always been cold, windy, snowy, tough conditions. So, you've got to be able to be a tough, physical football team and that always starts with the running game, both running the ball and stopping the run. And if you want to be a tough, physical team, you can control the tempo of the game rushing. At times we've really done that this year. That's been hugely important to our success. We haven't had to drop back 50 times a game and it takes a lot of pressure off the passing game when you can hand it off and gain yards on a consistent basis.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis was asked to explain his running style.

Whatever it takes.

TEAM TALK

• Post Game Notes: Patriots vs. Dolphins - Team and player records set, milestones reached and trends continued.
• Erik Scalavino analyzes the Patriots 38-7 win over Miami while resting several players and maintaining momentum heading into the playoffs.
• Post Game Pressers: Bill Belichick (8.44 min.), Tom Brady (7.25 min.), Vince Wilfork (7.05 min.), BenJarvus Green-Ellis (7 min.) and Julian Edelman (5.42 min.) plus Transcripts.
• Post Game Quotes: Patriots and Dolphins.
• Patriots Today - Pats roll to end regular season. (4.05 min. video)
• Locker Room Uncut - Thoughts after win over Dolphins. (3.12 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Chris Gasper reports the Patriots closed out a remarkable, enjoyable, and unexpected regular season at 14-2 with a 38-7 demolition of the Miami Dolphins.
• Ian Rapoport notes the Patriots plowed through another overmatched opponent, through one of the league's toughest schedules and out into the playoffs on a wave of momentum.
• Mike Reiss gives his initial reaction to the Patriots 38-7 victory over the Dolphins.
• Shalise Manza Young recaps Sunday's win over the Dolphins and sees the Patriots finishing on a high note and in complete control throughout.
• Karen Guregian surveys the playoff picture: There’s the Patriots, then everybody else.
• Mike Rodak talks about how the Patriots players plan on spending their second bye week of the season.
• Mark Farinella reports on how the Patriots put the finishing touches on a best-in-the-NFL 14-2 season with a 38-7 win over Miami.
• Dan Shaughnessy writes the Steamroller Patriots closed their 14-2 season with 8 straight wins, scoring at least 31 points each and compiling a 24-1 turnover differential.
• Steven Krasner talks about how Brady's intensity shines through and drives the offense.
• Kirk Minihane tells us why Tom Brady is three wins away from history.
• Ron Borges writes about "The Back Nobody Wanted" BenJarvus Green-Ellis reaching his first 1,000-yard season with the relentlessness of a John Deere tractor.
• Steven Krasner reports the Patriots made sure BenJarvus Green-Ellis got to 1,000 yards.
• Tom E. Curran points out Green-Ellis' milestone was a full team accomplishment.
• Steve Buckley focuses on Julian Edelman, noting yesterday was this receiver's time to shine.
• Mike Petraglia reports Deion Branch showed Taylor Price the ropes and Price proved he paid attention.
• Dan Ventura says the Dolphins can't blame their ex-special teams coach John Bonamego for this one: Julian Edelman's 94-yard punt return for a TD, the longest in Patriots history.
• Dan Ventura highlights Rob Gronkowski's record day, catching six passes for a career-high 102 yards and a TD.
• Mike Reiss reports Vince Wilfork says there's 'something different' about this Patriots team.
• Dan Duggan reports Vince Wilfork drilled Chad Henne with a pair of third-quarter sacks.
• Danny Picard notes Eric Moore has been nothing less than stellar for the Pats.
• Mike Reiss lists some of the records and milestones reached by the Patriots this year.
• Mark Farinella mans up and revisits his preseason Patriots preview. He also looks at how the questions surrounding this team in August have been answered.
• Mike Reiss looks at the snaps played by offensive skill-position players in Sunday's win over the Dolphins. Rob Gronkowski played in all 75.
• Christopher Price offers Ten Things we learned Sunday. These 2010 Patriots are carving out their own identity as they head into the playoffs.
• Tom E. Curran offers his five thoughts from Patriots-Dolphins.
• Chad Finn offers ten brief, possibly coherent, and overwhelmingly positive thoughts on the 14-2 Patriots.
• Tom E. Curran and Mary Paoletti offer the best and worst of Patriots vs. Dolphins.
• Mike Reiss and Mike Rodak give us their 3 up and 3 down for the Patriots.
• Ian Rapoport Patriots Notebook: Brian Hoyer was given no warning when he was told by Bill Belichick to "go in" in the 2nd quarter; The team ended the regular season at 14-2 and with an armful of records and honors; Pats will play their first playoff game Jan. 16th at 4:30; Danny Woodhead declined to be interviewed but joked that he was "still breathing"; Myron Pryor left the game with an eye injury; Taylor Price saw his first action as a wide receiver (3 for 41).
• Boston Globe Patriots Notebook: Danny Woodhead sustained a concussion in the 1st quarter yesterday and at least appeared all right in the locker room after the game; Rob Gronkowski captured the Pats rookie record for TD receptions by a TE and had his first 100-yard game; Tom Brady ended with a 111.0 QB rating, 5th best of all time; Devin McCourty finished the season with 7 picks, the 2nd most for a rookie; Great picture of Vince Wilfork flattening Chad Henne with one of his two sacks in the game; Rob NInkovich also picked up two sacks; Injury update.
• Mike Reiss breaks down the Patriots schedule for the 2011 season.

NATIONAL NEWS

• NFL Game Center: Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots. Recap, analysis, stats and that nifty highlight video.
• Peter King (SI) MMQB: NFL playoff field, draft order set; coaching carousel begins to spin.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) With jobs at stake, Dolphins are no-shows.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Quick Take: Jets at Colts.
• Jonathan Comey (Cold Hard Football Facts) Hoo-Rah! 10 Things we learned in Week 17.
• Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) Week 17 NFL Checkdown. Tom Brady and the Patriots send a clear message to the AFC with their dominant Week 17 win.
• Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Game notes: early kickoffs. Pats put on a clinic tape for the entire league to see.
• Don Banks (SI) The Ravens' palatable playoff draw, coaching ins & outs and more from Week 17.
• Thomas George (NFL FanHouse) Patriots, Falcons the class of the playoffs.
• Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Breaking down the playoffs: A key for each squad to making a Super Bowl run.

VIEW FROM MIAMI

• Jeff Darlington (Miami Herald) Miami Dolphins' season ends with embarrassing loss to Patriots.
• Brian Biggane (Palm Beach Post) Miami Dolphins embarrassed by 38-7 loss to New England Patriots in season finale.
• Dave Hyde (Sun Sentinel) Dolphins players quit on Sparano in 38-7 loss.
• Omar Kelly (Sun Sentinel) Dolphins wrap: Players actions didn't match words.
• Jeff Greer (Palm Beach Post) New England Patriots, playing only for pride, still manage to pound Miami Dolphins.
• Ben Volin (Palm Beach Post) Dolphins WR Brandon Marshall's frustration finally boils over after season-ending loss to Patriots.
• Jeff Howe (Miami Herald) Patriots use finale as a tuneup.
• Armando Salguero (Miami Herald) Uncertain futures await Sparano, Ireland.