The New England Patriots finished the 2015 NFL regular season at 12-4 following a lackluster performance against the Miami Dolphins in the regular season finale.
New England did not show much urgency or energy early, and as a result, went into halftime with a 10-3 deficit.
The Patriots came out and scored on a 4-play, 80 yard drive to begin the second half. Despite gaining the momentum, the Patriots did not take advantage, with the offense sputtering almost entirely the rest of the way. The defense was unable to get any key stops, and the Patriots will now enter the postseason having lost four of their final six games.
Here are five things we learned:
New England believes health is more important than home field advantage. Anyone who watched the game today would know as much. In the first half, the Patriots deployed a very conservative offense. They threw the ball just five times in the first 30 minutes (compared to 20 runs). The Patriots didn't bring much energy or passion to this one, and it did not feel like they were all too interested in winning. In fact, the passion that the Dolphins brought to the game was signficantly more evident. If the Patriots end up traveling to Denver for the AFC Championship, they will be able to look back at the last two weeks as a reason why.
The Patriots' offensive line is a mess. The Patriots' uber-conservative play calling was a direct result of their terrible offensive line. Getting Sebastian Vollmer back for the playoffs will help, but the issues run much further than that. Josh Kline has regressed. Shaq Mason and Tre Jackson have hit the rookie wall. Marcus Cannon is a mess in pass protection. Unfortunately, the Patriots do not any more time to tinker with line-ups.
Steven Jackson will be a factor in the playoffs. Steven Jackson hasn't been to the playoffs since his rookie season in 2004. He will return to the stage at the age of 32 in 2016 with the Patriots. Jackson was one of the few bright spots for the Patriots today, picking up 35 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown. He also added a 20 yard catch and run on the Patriots' first half field goal drive. His YPC stat wasn't particularly impressive, but neither was his run blocking. Jackson looked powerful, constantly fighting for the extra yard.
Patriots need Julian Edelman back. Having Julian Edelman back won't solve the passing game, but the Patriots aren't getting very much out of what they have. Against the Dolphins today, Patriots receivers amassed just 34 yards on six receptions. Brandon LaFell was a non-factor yet again, while Danny Amendola has been limited since re-injuring his knee against the Titans.
The Patriots do not have momentum heading into the postseason. This much is clear. Having lost four of their final six, the Patriots, who are normally a strong November and December team, have just two wins since Thanksgiving. This is new territory for the team. The Patriots will need to find a win to win despite not doing it very much over the last month and a half.