The Patriots went into Miami with their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. They didn't need to be perfect against an up-and-coming but still-flawed division rival. They just needed to be sound. Offensively. Defensively. Sound.
They had to -- as one of the longest-standing Patriots mantras goes -- first not lose the game, then try to go win it.
You know by now that they couldn't.
Let's get to the grades for Week 15 . . .
Phil Perry's Week 15 Patriots Report Card