The road to Super Bowl LI will run through Foxboro.
The New England Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins 35-14 on Sunday to clinch the AFC’s No. 1 seed, giving them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. It’s the fourth time in the last seven seasons New England has posted the conference’s best record.
Tom Brady completed 25 of 33 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns in the win, and New England’s defense forced two turnovers, including a 69-yard fumble return by Shea McClellin that all but crushed any hope of a Dolphins comeback.
The Patriots, who finished the regular season 14-2, now will be off until the divisional round, when they’ll host the AFC’s lowest remaining seed either Jan. 14 or 15 at Gillette Stadium.
The Dolphins will enter the postseason as the No. 6 seed. If they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in the wild-card round, they will be the Patriots’ divisional-round opponent. If the Steelers win, New England will host the winner of the other wild-card game, which will pit the Houston Texans against either the Kansas City Chiefs or the Oakland Raiders.
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
