Belichick takes blame for Patriots' breakdown on final play vs. Dolphins
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is shouldering the blame for his team's breakdown on the final play of the 34-33 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
"It starts with me," Belichick said, according to NFL.com's Herbie Teope. "We've got to play better situational football. We'll work to try to achieve that."
Trailing by five points with seven seconds remaining, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill - from his own 31-yard line - opted for a 14-yard throw to Kenny Stills instead of a toss to the end zone.
Stills lateraled to DeVante Parker, who then lateraled to Kenyan Drake. The running back cut through the Patriots' defense, including tight end Rob Gronkowski, for the game-winning touchdown.
IT'S A MIAMI MIRACLE! #FinsUp#NEvsMIA pic.twitter.com/qvzsiI9a5g
- NFL (@NFL) December 9, 2018
Belichick explained his decision to put in Gronkowski, who was unable to catch Drake in open space, instead of safety Devin McCourty in the prevent Hail Mary defense.
"It would be his ability to play the deep, long throw," Belichick said.
Tannehill, who missed five games earlier this season with a shoulder injury, would've had to throw the ball 69 yards for a Hail Mary attempt.
"I think it was a little too far to get to the end zone, but certainly a deep pass in that situation is a possibility," Belichick said. "I wouldn't rule that out."
The longest air pass thrown in the NFL in the last 12 seasons was Michael Vick's 67-yard incompletion against the Carolina Panthers in 2006, according to Football Outsiders' Scott Kacsmar. Tannehill's career longest throw is 57 yards.
"I think there were a lot of things that could've been better in the entire game," Belichick said. "I think the game was about a lot more than that play, but certainly that play wasn't a good one for us."
With the win, the Dolphins improve to 7-6, keeping them in the hunt for an AFC wild-card spot, while the 9-4 Patriots have now lost five of their last six games in Miami.
Copyright (C) 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.