Gold Stars, Penalty Flags: Big Honor For Gostkowski vs. Dolphins
BOSTON (CBS) -- Just another win for the Patriots, and this one got them the AFC East crown for the sixth straight year. The Dolphins were in it for the first half, but then the Pats flipped the switch and this one was over.
Here are your gold stars and penalty flags:
Gold Stars
- Chandler Jones gets a gold star. Coming off a hip injury, Jones was able to get into the game for 55 snaps and make a huge statement. He got after the passer and recorded one and a half sacks. He said after the game that he was emotional suiting up for the Dolphins, his first game since Week 7, and those emotions showed on the field. He was in Miami's backfield all game long. The Pats need a solid pass rusher, and Chandler is that guy.
- Jonas Gray gets a gold star. The rook got 11 carries and ran for 62 yards -- all in the second half. He immediately boosted the Pats running game, but more importantly though, afterwards he said nothing to the media and stayed away from social media. The Patriots will need Gray as a change of pace runner with cutback skills. Hopefully, his growing pains are behind him.
- Stephen Gostkowski gets a gold star. He became the Pats all-time leading scorer on Sunday, and afterwards he thanked everyone who has helped him get here. From Lonnie Paxton to Zoltan Mesko to Danny Aiken and more. After the Pats let Adam Vinatieri go in 2006, many people thought they would not be able to replace him. But Gostkowski has become just as automatic.
Penalty Flags
- The secondary assignments at the end of the first half get a penalty flag. A defensive breakdown before the half happened in the Green Bay game and again against the Dolphins on Sunday. It was poor situational football and it ended up leading to a Miami touchdown. The defense played well in this game, but that was the play that stood out. They have to find the issue with that and eliminate it. That's two mistakes and it cost them 14 points.
- All those tipped passes get a penalty flag. I don't know whose fault they were, be it Tom Brady or the offensive line, but there were way too many. I counted four tipped passes at the line, and the Pats missed out on plays because of them. The Miami defense wasn't rushing the QB as much as they were focused in filling the lanes. The Pats offensive lineman have to find a way to keep the defensive players engaged, of those tips will continue to happen.
MORE PATRIOTS COVERAGE FROM CBS BOSTON
