THE MIAMI DOLPHINS produced a sensational finish to beat the New England Patriots on a miraculous final play on Sunday.
Miami trailed the Patriots by five with seven seconds to play and the ball on their own 30-yard line.
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill received the snap and completed a pass over the middle to Kenny Stills.
The Patriots defence converged on Stills before he pitched the ball to DeVante Parker, who quickly flicked it to Kenyan Drake.
Dolphins running back Drake then broke a tackle, turned up field and ran into the end zone to give his team a remarkable 34-33 victory.
Tannehill threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns in the game, while Tom Brady completed 358 yards and three scores through the air for the Patriots in the losing effort.
The Dolphins moved to 7-6 for the year with the win, while the Patriots fell to 9-4.
IT'S A MIAMI MIRACLE! 😱😱😱 #FinsUp#NEvsMIA pic.twitter.com/qvzsiI9a5g
— NFL (@NFL) December 9, 2018
The New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs, meanwhile, punched their playoff tickets — the Saints locking up the NFC South division crown with a 28-14 victory over the Buccaneers in Tampa and the Chiefs securing a playoff spot with a 27-24 overtime triumph over the Baltimore Ravens.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected on a stunning cross-body fourth-down pass to Tyreek Hill to keep a game-tying fourth-quarter touchdown drive alive.
Kansas City’s Harrison Butker missed a 43-yard field goal as time expired in regulation, but made a 36-yarder in overtime that proved the difference after the Chiefs stopped the Ravens on fourth down in the extra period.
While the Chiefs clinched a playoff spot, the AFC West title will be in the balance when they face division rivals the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday.
The Saints, coming off a shock loss to the Dallas Cowboys, had to rally to beat the Buccaneers.
New Orleans trailed 14-3 at halftime, but their potent offence led by quarterback Drew Brees came alive in the second.
Brees completed 24 of 31 passes for 201 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Brees also plunged over for the one-yard touchdown that put the Saints up 18-14 in the fourth quarter — a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Elsewhere, the Indianapolis Colts halted the Houston Texans’ nine-game winning streak with a 24-21 triumph in Houston.
The Texans lead the AFC South division at 9-4 with the Colts and Tennessee Titans tied at 7-6.
Andrew Luck completed 27 of 41 passes for 399 yards and two touchdowns as the Colts bounced back from their ugly 6-0 loss to Jacksonville.
The Green Bay Packers, who sacked coach Mike McCarthy after last week’s embarrassing loss to the Arizona Cardinals, also rebounded, beating the Falcons 34-20.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 21 of 32 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
Rodgers passed New England quarterback Tom Brady for the NFL record for most consecutive passing attempts without an interception, his record-breaking 359th straight pass without an interception a 24-yard touchdown to Randall Cobb that put Green Bay up 27-7 in the third quarter.
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