SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 7, 2014
Dolphins 33, Patriots 20: Knowshon Moreno ran for 134 yards and a touchdown in his team debut as Miami dominated the second half and pushed past visiting New England.
Ryan Tannehill completed 18-of-32 passes for 178 yards and two TDs for the Dolphins (1-0), who overcame three first-half turnovers. Mike Wallace caught seven passes for 81 yards and a score while Lamar Miller added a receiving TD for Miami.
Tom Brady was under pressure all afternoon and went 29-of-56 for 249 yards and a touchdown while absorbing four sacks and losing a fumble. Tight end Rob Gronkowski (knee) got into the game and caught the lone TD pass for Patriots (0-1), who were held to 67 yards in the second half.
The Dolphins blocked a punt on the opening possession and turned it into a TD on Tannehill’s 4-yard pass to Miller before the offense started getting loose with the ball. New England turned two fumbles and an interception into 10 points and took a 20-10 lead into the half.
It was the Patriots' offense in the second half that could not get going, sandwiching two fumbles around four punts. Miami tied it up on Tannehill’s 14-yard pass to Wallace before grabbing the lead on a 22-yard field goal and putting it out of reach with Moreno’s 4-yard TD run with 3:29 to play. Brady was 10-of-27 for 62 yards in the second half.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Dolphins LBs Koa Misi (ankle) and Dannell Ellerbe (hip) both left in the first quarter and did not return. … Brady (49,398) passed Warren Moon (49,325) to move into sixth place on the all-time list in passing yards. … The Patriots last lost an opening game at Buffalo in 2003.