Pats clinch AFC East with 41-13 win over Dolphins

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, left, celebrates a touchdown by running back Shane Vereen, right, in the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, left, celebrates a touchdown by running back Shane Vereen, right, in the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

By Associated Press December 14, 2014 1 min read

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) – The New England Patriots clinched the AFC East title for the sixth straight season as Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes in a big third quarter that carried them to a 41-13 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Leading just 14-13 at halftime, the Patriots scored on four consecutive series while piling up 24 points, the most in any third period in team history.

New England (11-3) can secure home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs by beating the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. Miami (7-7) saw its slim postseason hopes dwindle further.

The Dolphins cut the lead to one point at halftime on Ryan Tannehill’s 32-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace with five seconds left.

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