Tom Brady has sprained ankle, MRI reveals

After having the opportunity to win against the Miami Dolphins and clinch home-field advantage in the AFC, the Patriots made a decision to lose and secure the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

After winning the first 10 games to spur talk of a second undefeated season, the mounting injuries have taken their toll on the defending National Football League champions.

“I’ve had worse”, Brady said of the injury.

Brady, who was hit in the leg in the second quarter Sunday by the Dolphins’ Ndamukong Suh, was limping noticeably after a 20-10 loss and said he was “pretty sore”.

Peyton Manning rallied Denver in the second half to give the Broncos the top seed in the AFC playoffs and finalize the pecking order in the conference.

All of New England’s losses have come in the past six games. Nothing over the last six weeks is going to matter.

Miami (6-10), despite the surprising win, finished its seventh straight season out of the playoffs. Expect Cameron, who is due to count $9.5 million against the cap, to restructure or be released. The Super Bowl won’t be played in Foxboro anyway, so it will ultimately come down to how they’re playing, not where. “I go out there and execute the plays, and we didn’t do a good job”.

When the Patriots’ offense took the field for its final drive on Sunday, Tom Brady was on the sideline and without his helmet.

Quarterback Tom Brady completed only 12 passes, and none of his receivers caught more than two of them.

“We’re trying to be effective and move the ball down the field and score points”, Brady said. “That was across the board”.

Despite Brady’s ankle sprain, the Patriots, who are the Super Bowl co-favorites, along with the Arizona Cardinals, at 7-2, are getting healthier just in time for the playoffs. He threw only five passes in the first half, the lowest halftime total in any game he has started, according to STATS. Maybe they wouldn’t have been good enough to win had they kept their normal offensive philosophy in place, but I would’ve like to see them try.

Tannehill bested Tom Brady in the first half as he was 13-of-21 for 142 yards and 1 touchdown.

The Miami Dolphins have requested permission to speak with New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia for their head-coaching vacancy. And their 196 yards of offense marked the first time since 2010, and third time since 2002, that a Brady-led offense has failed to gain at least 200 yards in a contest.

Since his rookie season in 2012, Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill is the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL.

NOTES: Dolphins WR Kenny Stills left the game with a hamstring injury….

Patriots outside linebacker Geneo Grissom sacks Tannehill.

New England tied the game midway through the second quarter on a field goal by Stephen Gostkowski. Brady achieved a career high in completions….