Final Score: New England Patriots 38, Miami Dolphins 10 January 4, 2026 | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA | Kickoff: 4:25 PM ET | Broadcast: FOX | Attendance: 64,628 | Game Time: 2:50
Rhamondre Stevenson needed seven carries. He turned them into 131 yards — a season high — and three touchdowns as the New England Patriots closed the 2025 regular season with a 38-10 win over the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. New England outgained Miami 457-180, held a 243-63 edge on the ground, and outscored the Dolphins 24-0 after halftime.
Table of Contents
Score by Quarter
Team
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Final
Miami Dolphins (7–10)
0
10
0
0
10
New England Patriots (14–3)
14
3
14
7
38
Scoring Summary
Time
MIA–NE
Play
Drive
Q1, 13:14
0–7
TreVeyon Henderson 5-Yd Rush (Borregales kick)
3 plays, 70 yds, 1:46
Q1, 0:55
0–14
Rhamondre Stevenson 2-Yd Rush (Borregales kick)
9 plays, 92 yds, 4:55
Q2, 10:14
7–14
Malik Washington 2-Yd pass from Quinn Ewers (Patterson kick)
10 plays, 65 yds, 5:41
Q2, 0:28
10–14
Riley Patterson 52-Yd FG
4 plays, 6 yds, 1:03
Q2, 0:00
10–17
Andy Borregales 59-Yd FG
4 plays, 27 yds, 0:28
Q3, 7:30
10–24
Rhamondre Stevenson 15-Yd pass from Drake Maye (Borregales kick)
7 plays, 80 yds, 4:08
Q3, 2:18
10–31
Rhamondre Stevenson 35-Yd Rush (Borregales kick)
4 plays, 63 yds, 2:06
Q4, 12:39
10–38
TreVeyon Henderson 2-Yd Rush (Borregales kick)
5 plays, 51 yds, 3:00
Team Stats
Stat
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
Total Yards
180
457
Total Plays
54
56
Yards per Play
3.3
8.2
First Downs
13
22
— Passing
7
8
— Rushing
5
12
— Penalty
1
2
Passing Yards (Net)
117
214
Comp/Att
16/25
17/22
Yards per Pass Attempt
4.0
9.7
Interceptions Thrown
1
0
Sacks – Yards Lost
4–20
0–0
Rushing Yards
63
243
Rushing Attempts
25
34
Yards per Rush
2.5
7.1
3rd Down Efficiency
5/13 (38%)
5/10 (50%)
4th Down Efficiency
0/1
0/1
Red Zone (Made–Att)
1/3
4/5
Turnovers
2
0
Fumbles Lost
1
0
Penalties – Yards
7–52
4–52
Time of Possession
29:11
30:49
Total Drives
11
12
Passing
Miami Dolphins
Player
C/ATT
YDS
AVG
TD
INT
SACKS
QBR
RTG
Quinn Ewers
16/23
137
6.0
1
1
4–20
35.1
81.2
Zach Wilson
0/2
0
—
0
0
0–0
0.5
39.6
Team
16/25
117
5.5
1
1
4–20
—
74.9
Ewers, making his third NFL start following the benching of Tua Tagovailoa, completed eight of his first nine passes before Jaylinn Hawkins picked him off in the end zone to open the second half. He exited late in the fourth quarter with a knee injury, later reported as stable, and was replaced by Wilson.
New England Patriots
Player
C/ATT
YDS
AVG
TD
INT
SACKS
QBR
RTG
Drake Maye
14/18
191
10.6
1
0
0–0
87.1
129.4
Joshua Dobbs
3/4
23
5.8
0
0
0–0
3.5
88.5
Team
17/22
214
9.7
1
0
0–0
—
122.2
Maye was pulled early in the fourth quarter with the game in hand. His touchdown pass to Stevenson was his 46th career TD throw, tying Mac Jones for seventh on the Patriots’ all-time list.
Rushing
Miami Dolphins
Player
CAR
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
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
New England Patriots
Player
CAR
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
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
Stevenson’s 56-yard burst on the game’s second play set up Henderson’s opening score. The 131-yard outing cleared Stevenson’s previous season high of 88 yards and moved him past Kevin Faulk (3,628 yards) into fifth on the Patriots’ all-time rushing list. Stevenson and Henderson combined for 184 yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries; New England’s backfield accounted for all four rushing scores.
Receiving
Miami Dolphins
Player
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
TGT
Theo Wease Jr.
3
44
14.7
0
20
5
Greg Dulcich
3
31
10.3
0
20
4
Tahj Washington
2
26
13.0
0
19
3
Jaylen Wright
2
17
8.5
0
13
2
Julian Hill
1
8
8.0
0
8
1
Malik Washington
3
6
2.0
1
5
4
Alec Ingold
1
3
3.0
0
3
2
Ollie Gordon II
1
2
2.0
0
2
1
Cedrick Wilson Jr.
0
0
—
0
—
2
Team
16
137
8.6
1
20
24
Miami played without WR Jaylen Waddle (ribs) and TE Darren Waller (groin), leaving the passing game without its two primary starters. Wease Jr. led the Dolphins with 44 yards on three catches before being evaluated for a concussion in the fourth quarter. Malik Washington left in the second quarter with a thumb injury.
New England Patriots
Player
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
TGT
Hunter Henry
5
56
11.2
0
29
5
Stefon Diggs
3
43
14.3
0
34
3
Efton Chism III
1
35
35.0
0
35
1
DeMario Douglas
2
29
14.5
0
20
3
Kayshon Boutte
2
24
12.0
0
13
4
Rhamondre Stevenson
2
22
11.0
1
15
2
Austin Hooper
1
5
5.0
0
5
1
Jack Westover
1
0
0.0
0
0
1
Team
17
214
12.6
1
35
20
Diggs’ 34-yard catch late in the third quarter pushed him past 1,000 receiving yards for the season — his seventh such campaign and the first by a Patriots receiver since Julian Edelman’s 1,117-yard season in 2019. Chism’s 35-yard gain came on a flea-flicker called by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Defense
Miami Dolphins
Player
TOT
SOLO
SACKS
TFL
PD
QB HTS
Jordyn Brooks
9
4
0
0
0
0
Tyrel Dodson
8
0
0
0
0
0
Dante Trader Jr.
7
3
0
0
0
0
Ashtyn Davis
5
3
0
0
0
0
Ifeatu Melifonwu
5
3
0
0
0
0
K.J. Britt
5
0
0
0
0
0
Jordan Phillips
5
0
0
1
0
0
Jack Jones
4
2
0
0
0
0
Zach Sieler
3
2
0
1
0
0
Rasul Douglas
3
2
0
0
1
0
Quinton Bell
3
0
0
0
0
0
Willie Gay Jr.
2
1
0
0
0
0
Zeek Biggers
2
1
0
0
0
0
Jackson Woodard
2
1
0
0
0
0
Bradley Chubb
1
1
0
0
0
2
Cameron Goode
1
1
0
0
0
0
Greg Dulcich
1
1
0
0
0
0
Jason Marshall Jr.
1
0
0
0
0
0
Kenneth Grant
1
0
0
0
0
1
Team
68
25
0
1
1
3
Miami’s defense registered zero sacks and allowed 8.2 yards per play. Brooks led the unit with nine tackles while managing a hamstring issue. LB Chop Robinson (concussion) and S Minkah Fitzpatrick (calf) were inactive.
New England Patriots
Player
TOT
SOLO
SACKS
TFL
PD
QB HTS
Jahlani Tavai
8
3
0
1
0
0
Christian Elliss
8
3
0
0
0
0
Jack Gibbens
5
2
0
0
2
0
Anfernee Jennings
4
3
0
2
0
2
Christian Gonzalez
4
3
0
0
0
0
Craig Woodson
4
2
0
0
0
0
Christian Barmore
3
3
1
1
0
2
Carlton Davis III
3
3
0
0
1
0
Cory Durden
3
2
0
1
0
0
K’Lavon Chaisson
3
1
1
1
0
2
Marcus Jones
2
2
1
2
0
1
Jaylinn Hawkins
2
1
0
0
1
0
Milton Williams
2
1
0
1
0
0
Marte Mapu
2
1
0
0
0
0
Leonard Taylor III
2
0
0
0
0
1
Eric Gregory
2
0
0
0
0
0
Elijah Ponder
1
1
1
1
0
1
Austin Hooper
1
1
0
0
0
0
Charles Woods
1
1
0
0
0
0
Dell Pettus
1
1
0
0
0
0
Julian Ashby
1
0
0
0
0
0
Team
62
34
4
10
4
9
New England recorded four sacks — Christian Barmore, K’Lavon Chaisson, Marcus Jones, and Elijah Ponder — and nine quarterback hits. Hawkins’ interception in Miami’s end zone, on Ewers’ first pass of the third quarter, ended any chance of a second-half Dolphins response.
Interceptions
Team
Player
INT
YDS
TD
New England
Jaylinn Hawkins (#21)
1
0
0
Miami
—
0
—
—
Fumbles
Team
Player
FUM
LOST
REC
Miami
Jaylen Wright (#5)
2
1
0
Miami
Julian Hill (#89)
0
0
1
New England
Elijah Ponder (#91)
0
0
1
Kicking
Team
Player
FG
PCT
LG
XP
PTS
Miami
Riley Patterson (#47)
1/1
100%
52
1/1
4
New England
Andy Borregales (#36)
1/2
50%
59
5/5
8
Borregales’ 59-yarder as the first half expired was the third-longest field goal in Patriots history, behind Joey Slye’s 63-yarder at San Francisco (September 29, 2024) and Stephen Gostkowski’s 62-yarder against the Raiders in Mexico City (November 19, 2017). His earlier attempt in the second quarter was blocked.
Punting
Team
Player
NO
YDS
AVG
TB
In-20
LG
Miami
Jake Bailey (#16)
6
245
40.8
0
0
50
New England
Bryce Baringer (#17)
3
155
51.7
0
3
56
Returns
Kick Returns
Team
Player
NO
YDS
AVG
LG
TD
Miami
Malik Washington (#6)
2
54
27.0
27
0
New England
D’Ernest Johnson (#34)
2
51
25.5
29
0
Punt Returns
Team
Player
NO
YDS
AVG
LG
TD
Miami
Malik Washington (#6)
1
2
2.0
2
0
New England
—
—
—
—
—
—
Injury Report
Miami Dolphins – Inactive: LB Chop Robinson (concussion), S Minkah Fitzpatrick (calf), TE Darren Waller (groin), WR Jaylen Waddle (ribs), OT Austin Jackson (back/groin)
Miami Dolphins – In-Game: WR Malik Washington (thumb, exited Q2); WR Theo Wease Jr. (concussion evaluation, Q4); QB Quinn Ewers (knee, stable — replaced by Zach Wilson, Q4)
Game Officials
Position
Official
Referee
Clay Martin
Umpire
Steven Woods
Down Judge
Jerod Phillips
Line Judge
Brian Perry
Field Judge
Dave Hawkshaw
Side Judge
Alonzo Ramsey III
Back Judge
Greg Wilson
Miami finished 7–10, its second consecutive sub-.500 season under Mike McDaniel. New England closed at 14–3 — the most wins by the franchise since the 2016 Super Bowl title run — as AFC East champions and the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs. The arithmetic between these two teams on January 4 was plain: 457 total yards to 180, 243 rushing yards to 63, four sacks allowed to zero.
Bobby A. Smith is a Senior Sports Analyst with over nine years of professional experience, specializing in forensic analysis of game strategy and player performance.
His work provides a definitive lens on a broad spectrum of professional sports, delivering expert commentary on the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Soccer, Boxing, Cricket, F1, and NASCAR. Unlike surface-level reporting, Bobby’s analysis is known for identifying the critical, game-deciding patterns that raw statistics often obscure. Every article is grounded in rigorous, fact-based research and an unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity.
