Week 18 | January 4, 2026 | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
On the second play from scrimmage, Rhamondre Stevenson found a crease, burst through it for 56 yards, and put New England at the Miami 5-yard line before the Dolphins had a chance to organize. TreVeyon Henderson scored two plays later.
It went like that for three hours.
The New England Patriots closed the 2025 regular season with a 38-10 win over the Miami Dolphins, finishing 14-3 — their best record since the 2016 Super Bowl-winning season. It was New England’s first sweep of Miami since that same year. Rhamondre Stevenson finished with 131 yards, two rushing touchdowns, and a receiving score. Drake Maye completed 14 of 18 passes with zero interceptions and a 129.4 passer rating.
“We’ve come a long way,” Maye said. “We’ve built this identity and played to it, and good things happen.”
Table of Contents
Game Information
| Date | January 4, 2026 |
| Stadium | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass. |
| Attendance | 64,628 |
| Weather | 29°F, 56% humidity, 6 mph wind |
| Surface | FieldTurf (Outdoors) |
| Game Duration | 2:50 |
| Vegas Line | New England -11.5 |
| Over/Under | 45.5 (Over) |
Scoring Summary
| QTR | TIME | TEAM | PLAY | MIA | NE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 13:14 | New England | TreVeyon Henderson 5-yd rush (Borregales kick) | 0 | 7 |
| Q1 | 0:55 | New England | Rhamondre Stevenson 2-yd rush (Borregales kick) | 0 | 14 |
| Q2 | 10:14 | Miami | Malik Washington 2-yd pass from Ewers (Patterson kick) | 7 | 14 |
| Q2 | 0:28 | Miami | Riley Patterson 52-yd field goal | 10 | 14 |
| Q2 | 0:00 | New England | Andres Borregales 59-yd field goal | 10 | 17 |
| Q3 | 7:30 | New England | Stevenson 15-yd pass from Maye (Borregales kick) | 10 | 24 |
| Q3 | 2:18 | New England | Stevenson 35-yd rush (Borregales kick) | 10 | 31 |
| Q4 | 12:39 | New England | TreVeyon Henderson 2-yd rush (Borregales kick) | 10 | 38 |
How the Game Unfolded
The Patriots scored on their first two drives — 70 yards in three plays, then 92 yards on nine plays. New England had 14 points on the board before Miami’s offense took a meaningful snap.
The Dolphins clawed back briefly in the second quarter. Quinn Ewers drove the field with patience, connecting with Malik Washington for a 2-yard score to cut it to 14-7. New England worked back into the red zone but was pushed out by a Morgan Moses holding penalty and an offensive pass interference call on Hunter Henry. Andres Borregales’ 38-yard field goal attempt was then blocked by Zach Sieler. Miami took over at the New England 40 with 1:31 left, converted a screen pass to get into range, and Riley Patterson hit a 52-yard field goal to make it 14-10.
New England answered on the next possession. Four plays, 27 yards, and Borregales sent a 59-yard attempt through as time expired in the first half — the third-longest field goal in Patriots franchise history. New England went into the locker room leading 17-10.
The second half removed all doubt. Maye hit Stevenson for a 15-yard touchdown, then Stevenson turned a handoff into a 35-yard score two drives later. New England outscored Miami 21-0 after halftime. The fourth quarter was an afterthought.
Drake Maye and the Patriots Offense
Maye was in complete control throughout. His protection was airtight — New England did not allow a single sack — and he took what Miami’s defense gave him without forcing anything.
Hunter Henry caught all five targets thrown his way for 56 yards. Stefon Diggs hauled in three catches for 43 yards, including a 34-yard gain in the third quarter that pushed him past 1,000 receiving yards for the season. It was the first 1,000-yard campaign by a Patriots receiver since Julian Edelman’s 1,117 yards in 2019. Maye also added five scrambles for 41 yards, converting third downs with his legs when Miami tried to rush him off the spot.
PFF graded him at 86.2.
New England Passing
| PLAYER | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | SACKS | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake Maye | 14/18 | 191 | 10.6 | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 129.4 |
| Joshua Dobbs | 3/4 | 23 | 5.8 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 88.5 |
| TEAM | 17/22 | 214 | 9.7 | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 122.2 |
New England Rushing
| PLAYER | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhamondre Stevenson | 7 | 131 | 18.7 | 2 | 56 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | 13 | 53 | 4.1 | 2 | 13 |
| Drake Maye | 5 | 41 | 8.2 | 0 | 14 |
| D’Ernest Johnson | 5 | 13 | 2.6 | 0 | 5 |
| Kyle Williams | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 |
| Joshua Dobbs | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 |
| TEAM | 34 | 243 | 7.1 | 4 | 56 |
New England Receiving
| PLAYER | REC | TGT | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG | YAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter Henry | 5 | 5 | 56 | 11.2 | 0 | 29 | 30 |
| Stefon Diggs | 3 | 3 | 43 | 14.3 | 0 | 34 | 20 |
| Efton Chism III | 1 | 1 | 35 | 35.0 | 0 | 35 | 16 |
| DeMario Douglas | 2 | 3 | 29 | 14.5 | 0 | 20 | 32 |
| Kayshon Boutte | 2 | 4 | 24 | 12.0 | 0 | 13 | 4 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | 2 | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 1 | 15 | 16 |
| Austin Hooper | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Jack Westover | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM | 17 | 20 | 214 | 12.6 | 1 | 35 | — |
Rhamondre Stevenson: 131 Yards, Three Touchdowns
Seven carries is a light workload. What Stevenson did with them was not.
His 56-yard run on the game’s second play set the physical tone for the entire afternoon. The Patriots used him in a split backfield with Henderson through the middle quarters before Stevenson delivered the knockout blow — a 35-yard touchdown run in the third quarter where he broke four tackles and outpaced two defensive backs to the end zone. He also caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Maye to complete the three-score performance.
PFF graded him at 95.3 — the highest mark of any player on either side.
“This is when the real football starts,” Stevenson said.
Quinn Ewers and a Depleted Miami Offense
Miami arrived in Foxborough without most of the players who make their offense go:
- Minkah Fitzpatrick — out, calf
- Chop Robinson — out, concussion
- Jaylen Waddle — out, ribs
- Darren Waller — out, groin
- Austin Jackson — out, back/groin
- Jordyn Brooks — played through a hamstring injury
Quinn Ewers — in just his third career start following Tua Tagovailoa’s benching — made a genuine case for himself in the first half. He completed eight of his first nine passes and capped Miami’s first scoring drive with a 2-yard touchdown to Malik Washington. But four sacks, two turnovers, and a defense that adjusted in the third quarter ended any chance of a comeback.
Ewers finished 16-of-23 for 137 yards, one touchdown, and one interception before leaving late in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. Mike McDaniel said afterward the knee was stable. Zach Wilson handled the final possessions.
Miami Passing
| PLAYER | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | SACKS | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinn Ewers | 16/23 | 137 | 6.0 | 1 | 1 | 4-20 | 81.2 |
| Zach Wilson | 0/2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 39.6 |
| TEAM | 16/25 | 137 | 5.5 | 1 | 1 | 4-20 | 74.9 |
Miami Rushing
| PLAYER | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Wright | 13 | 23 | 1.8 | 0 | 7 |
| Malik Washington | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | 14 |
| Quinn Ewers | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 9 |
| Ollie Gordon II | 9 | 9 | 1.0 | 0 | 9 |
| TEAM | 25 | 63 | 2.5 | 0 | 14 |
Miami Receiving
| PLAYER | REC | TGT | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG | YAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theo Wease Jr. | 3 | 5 | 44 | 14.7 | 0 | 20 | 11 |
| Greg Dulcich | 3 | 4 | 31 | 10.3 | 0 | 20 | 28 |
| Tahj Washington | 2 | 3 | 26 | 13.0 | 0 | 19 | 2 |
| Jaylen Wright | 2 | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 0 | 13 | 23 |
| Julian Hill | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 7 |
| Malik Washington | 3 | 4 | 6 | 2.0 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Alec Ingold | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Ollie Gordon II | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 11 |
| Cedrick Wilson Jr. | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| TEAM | 16 | 24 | 137 | 8.6 | 1 | 20 | — |
The Turnovers That Ended Miami’s Momentum
Both of Miami’s turnovers came at pivotal moments.
Late in the second quarter, Jaylen Wright fumbled on a first-and-20 carry. Linebacker Elijah Ponder recovered it and returned it 18 yards to the Miami 37-yard line. New England drove into the red zone, but the drive stalled — Borregales’ 38-yard attempt was then blocked by Zach Sieler. Miami got the ball back, moved into field goal range, and Patterson hit the 52-yarder to cut it to 14-10.
In the third quarter, with Miami at the New England 13-yard line and a chance to make it a one-score game, safety Jaylinn Hawkins intercepted Ewers in the back of the end zone. New England turned that possession into the 24-10 scoring drive — the one that effectively ended the game.
Defensive Stats
New England Pass Rush
| PLAYER | SACKS | HITS | HURRIES | TOTAL PRESSURES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elijah Ponder | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Anfernee Jennings | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| K’Lavon Chaisson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Christian Barmore | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Marcus Jones | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Eric Gregory | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| TEAM | 4 | — | — | 11 |
New England Defensive Leaders
| PLAYER | POS | TOT | SOLO | SACKS | TFL | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jahlani Tavai | LB | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Elliss | LB | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Gibbens | LB | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Craig Woodson | S | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anfernee Jennings | ED | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Gonzalez | CB | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlton Davis III | CB | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Christian Barmore | DT | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| K’Lavon Chaisson | ED | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylinn Hawkins | S | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Marcus Jones | CB | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Miami Defensive Leaders
| PLAYER | POS | TOT | SOLO | SACKS | TFL | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordyn Brooks | LB | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyrel Dodson | LB | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dante Trader Jr. | S | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K.J. Britt | LB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ashtyn Davis | S | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ifeatu Melifonwu | S | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Phillips | DT | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Jones | CB | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quinton Bell | LB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rasul Douglas | CB | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Zach Sieler | DT | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Bradley Chubb | LB | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
New England Interceptions
| PLAYER | INT | YDS | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylinn Hawkins | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Miami Fumbles
| PLAYER | FUM | LOST | REC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Wright | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Julian Hill | 0 | 0 | 1 |
New England Fumble Recoveries
| PLAYER | FUM | LOST | REC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elijah Ponder | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Full Team Stats
| STAT | MIAMI | NEW ENGLAND |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 180 | 457 |
| Passing Yards (Net) | 117 | 214 |
| Rushing Yards | 63 | 243 |
| Total Plays | 54 | 56 |
| Yards Per Play | 3.3 | 8.2 |
| First Downs | 13 | 22 |
| Passing 1st Downs | 7 | 11 |
| Rushing 1st Downs | 5 | 8 |
| Penalty 1st Downs | 0 | 1 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency | 5/13 (38%) | 5/10 (50%) |
| 4th Down Efficiency | 0/1 (0%) | 0/1 (0%) |
| Red Zone (Scores/Att) | 1/3 (33%) | 4/4 (100%) |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Fumbles Lost | 1 | 0 |
| Interceptions Thrown | 1 | 0 |
| Sacks Allowed | 4 (20 yds lost) | 0 |
| Penalties-Yards | 7-52 | 4-52 |
| Time of Possession | 29:11 | 30:49 |
| Total Drives | 11 | 12 |
| Avg Yards Per Drive | 13.7 | 35.7 |
| Avg Points Per Drive | 0.8 | 2.9 |
| Avg EPA Per Play | -0.411 | +0.222 |
New England went 4-for-4 in the red zone. Every trip ended in a touchdown. Miami scored once on three tries.
Special Teams
Kicking
| PLAYER | TEAM | FG (M/A) | LONG | XP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andres Borregales | NE | 1/2 | 59 yds | 5/5 | 8 |
| Riley Patterson | MIA | 1/1 | 52 yds | 1/1 | 4 |
Borregales missed a 38-yarder that was blocked by Zach Sieler in the second quarter. His 59-yard attempt at the halftime buzzer was the third-longest field goal in Patriots franchise history.
Punting
| PLAYER | TEAM | PUNTS | YDS | AVG | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Baringer | NE | 3 | 155 | 51.7 | 56 |
| Jake Bailey | MIA | 6 | 245 | 40.8 | 50 |
Kick & Punt Returns
| PLAYER | TEAM | KR | KR YDS | KR AVG | PR | PR YDS | PR AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Washington | MIA | 2 | 54 | 27.0 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 |
| D’Ernest Johnson | NE | 2 | 51 | 25.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
PFF Initial Grades
| PLAYER | TEAM | POS | GRADE | SNAPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhamondre Stevenson | NE | HB | 95.3 | 28 |
| Jordan Phillips | MIA | DT | 87.8 | 38 |
| Drake Maye | NE | QB | 86.2 | 45 |
| Patrick Paul | MIA | OT | 85.7 | 56 |
| Jordyn Brooks | MIA | LB | 83.8 | 40 |
| Dante Trader Jr. | MIA | S | 82.8 | 37 |
| Aaron Brewer | MIA | C | 81.8 | 56 |
| Theo Wease Jr. | MIA | WR | 80.5 | 19 |
| Christian Gonzalez | NE | CB | 77.4 | 46 |
| Jaylinn Hawkins | NE | S | 77.4 | 44 |
PFF grades subject to A-22 post-game review.
What Came Next
Mike Vrabel was asked to put the season in context.
“Get the right guys in the building at the right time. And good quarterback play. Figured out how to not beat ourselves and play to an identity. And guys make plays. That’s what happens,” he said.
New England went on to beat the Chargers 16-3 in the Wild Card round — the franchise’s first postseason win since Super Bowl LIII. The Week 18 win over Miami, viewed now, reads as a preview of everything that worked in January.
For the Dolphins, the fallout was swift. Mike McDaniel was fired on January 8, 2026 — four days after this game ended — with general manager Chris Grier let go at the same time. Miami finished 7-10 for the second straight season under McDaniel, who had taken the franchise to back-to-back playoff appearances in his first two years. The organization entered a full rebuild, with Tua Tagovailoa’s future in South Beach still unresolved.
McDaniel said after the loss: “No one is entitled to anything. I take the job serious. I will aggressively attack the job tomorrow like every day I have the job.”
He never got that tomorrow in Miami.
Data sourced from Pro Football Reference, PFF, AP Wire, and ESPN. All stats reflect final game totals from January 4, 2026. PFF grades are subject to post-game A-22 review.
