FOXBORO — 

Since being drafted by the Patriots last month, Jake Bequette has taken a local approach whenever a New Englander asks how his last name is pronounced.

“I say, ‘It’s just like Josh Beckett,’ ” the affable Arkansas native said with a smile Friday during a break in the Patriots’ two-day rookie minicamp at Gillette Stadium.

Bequette recently turned 23, so you can forgive him for not knowing any better. And while he has a few things in common with Beckett — namely, a fondness for golfing, hunting and fishing — it appears (thankfully) that’s where the similarities end.

It doesn’t take long to realize saying and, more importantly, doing the right things matter a great deal to this Bequette.

“I’m just working as hard as I can and I’m just going to try to establish myself,” he said. “For me, it’s exciting. It’s been a lifelong dream to play in the NFL, especially for a great organization like the Patriots. It’s just awesome and exciting. Like I said, I can’t wait to get started.”

Judging by that comment, Bequette had no trouble acing Patriots 101. He and the team are hoping the rest of the transition from the University of Arkansas to the pros will be equally seamless.

The Patriots drafted Bequette in the third round with the 90th overall selection, one acquired from Green Bay in a trade that saw them drop back 28 spots and still get their player. He was the fourth of six straight picks made with the intention of fortifying a defense that ranked both 31st overall and against the pass last season.

Like Chandler Jones, the Patriots’ first overall pick, the 6-foot-4, 264-pound Bequette excelled as a pass-rushing defensive end in college while also playing some outside linebacker. When it comes to a Bill Belichick-coached team, you can’t go wrong with being multi-positional.

“That’s a tremendous point of pride for me,” Bequette said. “Versatility is about helping the team any way you can. That’s a big part of this organization, I’ve been told, and that’s hopefully something I can bring to the table.”

Being able to play two positions is a valued trait. But the one thing the Patriots are banking on is Bequette displaying a knack for pressuring — and taking down — the quarterback.

That’s something he consistently did at Arkansas, finishing his career with 23-1/2 sacks in 48 games, including 10 in 10 games as a senior. He improved his sack total in each of his four seasons.

But you should know better if you expected Bequette to talk about a quick first step, explosiveness, high-end speed, or a relentless motor. No, his top attribute is being a diligent worker.

“That’s something I’m trying to prove starting today, not just to the coaches but to the veterans in the locker room,” he said. “That I’m willing to come in here and work and get better every day and just prove that I’m willing to do the things (needed) to be a part of the team.”

The Bequette family certainly knows all about being part of a team, specifically the one that the entire state of Arkansas passionately follows. Jake’s grandfather (1954-56), father (’80-82) and uncle (’84-87) all played for the Razorbacks before he completed the third generation triple play.

“Well, that was great,” Bequette said. “Playing at Arkansas was another goal of mine from when I was young, and to be able to accomplish that and play at the same place as my father, grandfather and uncle was great.”

Bequette did the family name proud both on and off the field. He was a second-team All-SEC selection as a junior and made the first team as a senior while also being selected as an academic All-American.

Bequette earned a degree in finance in three years and is currently working on his master’s. He has given a lot of thought to attending law school someday.

“My dad is an attorney and I’ve always been interested in law school, so hopefully I can pursue that some time after football or even while playing,” Bequette said. “If I can pursue that, it would be great. But for right now, I’m worried about football 100 percent. I’m lucky and blessed to be a Patriot and I’m going to work hard every day.”

Now, if they can only get that Beckett over at Fenway Park to start thinking and acting that way, it might not be such a lost summer after all.

The New England Patriots won eight of the last nine AFC East championships, missing only when Tom Brady was lost for the 2008 season. That should tell you something.

If Brady plays, everyone else plays for second place.

That’s comforting news for a club that just won the AFC, but the Patriots have holes that must be plugged. That’s the bad news. The good: They’ll have the opportunity. They have four of the first 62 picks in this year’s draft.

QB: There’s nothing wrong with Brady other than advancing age. The guy turns 35 this season, is still at the top of his game and is the reason the Patriots always are a threat to win the Super Bowl. Brady has been the starter for 10 seasons (he was hurt after one game in 2008), and the Patriots went to the Super Bowl in five of those years. Follow the bread crumbs, people. The guy is one of the game’s best quarterbacks ever, and as long as he’s upright the Patriots have nothing to worry about.

RB: With the departure of Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis, the Patriots have … what? Danny Woodhead? Stevan Ridley? Ridley, who averaged over 5 yards a carry last season, looks like the starter here, with Woodhead in a familiar role as relief pitcher. But I wouldn’t forget about Shane Vereen, the second-round draft pick who was bothered by a hamstring injury most of 2011. The Patriots are thin here, but they have been in recent years. These guys throw the ball and run it effectively when they have to — which isn’t often. Nevertheless, they’re looking for help at this position.

WR: For the second straight season, the Patriots tried to operate without someone who could stretch the field, and for the second straight season it hurt them in the playoffs. Now they’ve added Brandon Lloyd, and maybe he’s the solution. He’s not a burner but can get behind the secondary. Anthony Gonzalez and Donte Stallworth are additions, too, with Gonzalez the more significant — provided, of course, he can stay healthy — and Stallworth another possibility as a deep threat. With the re-signing of Deion Branch, the restructuring of Chad Ochocinco’s contract and the retention of Wes Welker, the Patriots have options — lots of options — where they did not a year ago.

TE: Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez combined for 169 catches, 2237 yards and 24 touchdowns. Any questions? Well, yes, one: How does free-agent Daniel Fells fit in. Answer: He could serve as the second tight end if Hernandez is moved to wide receiver. I’m not saying it happens; I’m just saying it’s a possibility.

OL: Veteran guard Brian Waters played better than anyone expected, but he might retire. So where does that leave the Patriots? In better shape than you think. First of all, they’re set at tackle, with Sebastian Vollmer, Matt Light and Nate Solder. There is no guarantee Light returns, either, but let’s say he doesn’t. The Pats are set with Vollmer, who can start on the right side, and Solder, last year’s first-round draft pick. Logan Mankins is a franchise left guard, but he’s coming off a torn ACL that may affect his availability for the coming season. Maybe that’s why the Patriots signed Robert Gallery, better suited as a guard than tackle. The bigger question is: What happens at center? Dan Connolly looks like the starter there, but he could move to right guard if Dan Koppen is OK. If not, there could be a vacancy on the right side New England has to fill.

DL: The Patriots’ top two pass rushers last year were Mark Anderson and Andre Carter, and they may lose both. Anderson already is gone to Buffalo, and Carter is a free agent coming off a season-ending injury. Subtract them, and you subtract half of the team’s 40 sacks. Vince Wilfork and Kyle Love are solid inside, but the Patriots could be vulnerable on the outside. But that’s where free-agent acquisition Jonathan Fanene comes in. He can play inside or out and can rush the passer. He can also defend the run … provided he’s healthy. When he was OK the past two of the past three years he had 12.5 sacks, but he played more than 60 percent of the snaps only once (2009) in his career. Former Raider Trevor Scott could be in the mix, too, but he could translate as an outside linebacker, too.

LB: With the potential departures of the Patriots’ top two pass rushers, there’s a feeling that New England could go back to a 3-4 setup — which would move Scott to outside linebacker. No matter who plays there New England must be able to pressure the pocket from the outside, and maybe Scott is that guy; maybe not. My guess: Not. Rob Ninkovich and Jerod Mayo are the outside backers in New England’s 4-3 scheme, with Mayo the better of the two. Ninkovich had a solid season, but he’s more of an overachiever than a rising star. Brandon Spikes anchors the middle, and while he wasn’t spectacular, he did excel late in the season, particularly in the playoffs.

DB: There were holes galore here, and opponents took advantage — one reason New England ranked 31st vs. the pass. Cornerback Devin McCourty took such a giant step backward that by the end of the season he was taking turns at safety in certain packages. But, then again, everyone seemed to be, including wide receiver Julian Edelman. I mention Edelman because some think he might have a future as a defensive back. Nobody knows where McCourty’s next stop is — cornerback or safety –and Ras-I-Dowling’s return might factor into the decision. He was lost for last season but could be the second or third cornerback here. Kyle Arrington made a lot of interceptions, but he also made a lot of big mistakes — and it’s a tossup which need is bigger, cornerback or safety. All I know is that Patrick Chung is the only reliable safety and could use help — thought Sterling Moore was a pleasant surprise, especially in the playoffs. Newcomer Steve Gregory adds depth but little more.

The New England Patriots are stocking up on wide receivers who have experience in their complex offensive system.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations said yesterday that wide receiver Donté Stallworth has agreed to a one-year contract to return to the Patriots.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

The Patriots also reportedly reached agreement last week with Brandon Lloyd, who played for current Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels when he was head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009 and the first 12 games in 2010. The Patriots have not officially announced signing Lloyd.

Meanwhile, Michael Lombardi of NFL.com reported that the Patriots signed veteran offensive lineman Robert Gallery.

The 31-year-old Gallery started 12 games at left guard for the Seahawks last season; prior to that he spent seven years with Oakland.

Gallery, listed at 6-7, 325 pounds, was the second overall pick in the 2004 draft out of Iowa, where he played for former Bill Belichick assistant Kirk Ferentz. When he was drafted, Gallery was a tackle, but has since been kicked inside.

Stallworth spent one season with the Patriots in 2007 when they went 18-0 before losing the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. He had 46 catches during the regular season. He had 17 receptions with Cleveland in 2008, two with Baltimore in 2010 and 22 with Washington last year.

He was suspended for the 2009 season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league’s personal conduct policy for a DUI vehicular manslaughter charge.

New England also has signed wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts.

All three moves could spell the end of Chad Ochocinco’s career with the team. He signed a two-year contract before last season but struggled trying to learn the offense and finished with 15 catches in 15 regular-season games. The Patriots also have Deion Branch and Wes Welker, but neither is the deep threat they lacked last season.

Welker is a free agent, but was given the franchise tag and would bring compensation to the Patriots if another team signs him.

The Patriots announced yesterday the signing of two free agents: defensive end Trevor Scott from the Oakland Raiders and cornerback Marquice Cole from the New York Jets.

Scott, Oakland’s sixth-round draft choice out of Buffalo in 2008, had 13 1/2 sacks in 58 games, including 16 starts, in four seasons with the Raiders.

Cole, who spent the last three seasons with the Jets, was undrafted coming out of Northwestern in 2007. He signed as a rookie free agent with Oakland, then moved on to Tennessee and New Orleans. In 37 games, including one start, he has two interceptions, including a 35-yard touchdown return.

Jets sign safety Landry

LaRon Landry is bringing his bone-jarring hits to Rex Ryan’s defense.

The free-agent safety signed a one-year deal with the Jets, filling one of New York’s most pressing needs.

With starter Eric Smith the only experienced safety on the roster, the Jets focused on addressing the position in free agency. Landry visited with New York on Sunday, and had a number of other teams interested in him despite finishing last season for Washington on injured reserve with an injured left Achilles tendon.

ESPN reported that the deal was for $4 million.

Panthers add RB Tolbert

The Carolina Panthers have added more depth to their already deep stable of running backs.

The Panthers announced yesterday they’ve signed free agent Mike Tolbert from the San Diego Chargers. Tolbert spent three seasons with Ron Rivera, who was the Chargers defensive coordinator before becoming the Panthers head coach.

“Mike is a very versatile player who can do a lot of different things for us,” Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said in a release. “He plays fullback, catches the ball well out of the backfield, plays running back, and is an outstanding special teams player.”

Tolbert’s agent Joel Turner said his client signed a four-year contract, but would not disclose the financial terms of the deal.

Bengals get Allen, keep Nelson

The Bengals signed free agent cornerback Jason Allen from Houston and agreed to a four-year deal with safety Reggie Nelson, who was one of their unrestricted free agents.

The moves bolster a secondary that was one of their main concerns in the offseason. Top cornerback Leon Hall is recovering from a torn left Achilles tendon.

Allen played in all 18 games for the Texans and their first-round playoff victory over Cincinnati, getting four interceptions overall last season. Nelson started every game for the Bengals last season and led the team with four interceptions.

Browns’ Dawson signs franchise tag

Browns kicker Phil Dawson has signed his one-year tender as the club’s franchise player.

It’s the second straight year the steady Dawson, who has been with the Browns since its 1999 expansion rebirth, has been tagged. General manager Tom Heckert recently said the team would like to sign the 37-year-old Dawson to a long-term contract.

Dawson, who will make $3.8 million next season, is coming off one of his best years. He converted 24 of 29 field goals, making seven beyond 50 yards.

Kosier released by Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys released starting guard Kyle Kosier, a 10-year veteran who spent six seasons in Dallas.

The move wasn’t a big surprise. The Cowboys last week signed a record seven free agents, including offensive guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau to multiyear contracts.

Kosier started all 80 games he played in Dallas since arriving from Detroit in 2006. The 33-year-old guard played one season for the Lions after opening his career with three seasons in San Francisco.

Lions re-sign punter Graham

The Detroit Lions re-signed punter Ben Graham to a one-year contract.

Graham was the team’s punter for the final seven games of last season, putting 10 of 28 punts inside the 20-yard line with only three touchbacks. He replaced Robert Malone, who filled in for one game for the injured Ryan Donahue, and had a kick returned for a touchdown by Chicago’s Devin Hester. Graham then signed and punted the rest of the year.

Raiders sign cornerback Spencer

The Oakland Raiders signed cornerback Shawntae Spencer to a one-year deal in their latest move to bolster their depleted secondary.

Spencer was released last week after eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and quickly found a new home across the bay with the Raiders.

Spencer is already familiar with Oakland’s new defensive coordinator, Jason Tarver, who was a defensive assistant for most of Spencer’s tenure with the 49ers.

Spencer started 72 games his first seven years for San Francisco, including all 32 in 2009-10. But he lost his job in training camp last year and spent most of his final season with the 49ers as a reserve.

Brandon Lloyd in 2010. (AP)

The New England Patriots’ desperate need for a deep receiver was never more pronounced than in Super Bowl XLVI, when the New York Giants got away with lining up their two-safety sets closer to the line of scrimmage than they ever would have in Randy Moss’ (or even Deion Branch’s) best days. Former 49ers, Redskins, Bears, Broncos and Rams receiver Brandon Lloyd became Bill Belichick’s latest veteran receiver reclamation project when he signed a three-year, $12 million deal with New England on Saturday.

New England struck out with Chad Ochocinco last season, but the Lloyd factor could be far more impactful, and his history with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is the key. McDaniels was Denver’s head coach in 2010, when Lloyd led the NFL in “air yards” with 16.47 per catch. That season, he ranked second in Football Outsiders’ cumulative efficiency rankings, and sixth in FO’s per-play metrics, among all receivers. In 2011, Branch led the Patriots with 7.27 air yards per catch, while Lloyd picked up 11.97 in St. Louis’ woeful passing offense with McDaniels as offensive coordinator.

Lloyd’s catch rates aren’t always great (51 percent in 2010, and 48 percent in 2011), but that’s fairly common among deep receivers. If he can force enemy defenses to commit up top, that will provide more opportunities for receiver Wes Welker, as well as super tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. Don’t expect the Pats to deviate from their league-leading percentage of 2-TE sets (it’s their bread and butter now), but the addition of Lloyd should at least make safeties play them honest in 2012.

Based on his career splits, Lloyd appears poised for big things in New England. His totals from 2003 through 2009: 164 catches for 2,370 yards and 15 touchdowns. His totals in 2010-2011: 147 catches in 31 games for 2,414 yards and 16 touchdowns. He might not be able to do what Moss did in 2007, but all signs point to this move as a stroke of near-genius for a team in desperate need of precisely what Brandon Lloyd can provide.

“I’m ready for work,” Lloyd said on Sunday. “The time for talking is done. I couldn’t be more excited.”

As Moss did in 2007, Lloyd comes to Foxboro with a reputation for headache-inducing attitude shifts, but he’s turned his career around to a large degree. Selected in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL draft by the 49ers, Lloyd underachieved in the Bay Area for three seasons and was then traded to Washington. There, he ran afoul of team officials, landed squarely in Joe Gibbs’ doghouse, and continued to produce at a level far below his alleged talent. He was released in February 2008 and signed by the Chicago Bears in March. After a 26-catch season in the Windy City, Lloyd followed quarterback Kyle Orton to Denver and had his breakout year in 2010 after another disappearing act during the 2009 season.

The New England Patriots signed former Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez on Saturday.

Later ESPN.com reported, citing unidentified league sources, the Patriots also reached an agreement with free agent wide receiver Brandon Lloyd.

The 27-year-old Gonzalez was a first-round draft pick in 2007 out of Ohio State. In five seasons with the Colts, he had 99 receptions for 1,307 yards and seven touchdowns, but has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. He has been active for only 11 games since the 2008 season.

Gonzalez missed all but the first game of 2009 and all but two games in 2010 with knee injuries. He did not make a reception in eight games last year.

The 30-year-old Lloyd was traded by Denver to St. Louis during last season. He Lloyd caught 51 passes for 683 yards and five touchdowns for the Rams.

In 2010, Lloyd led the league with 1,448 yards receiving, when he caught 77 passes and scored 11 touchdowns while playing for then-Denver coach Josh McDaniels.

McDaniel has returned to New England as offensive coordinator.

New England’s All-Pro receiver Wes Welker is a free agent and the Patriots gave him the franchise tag, meaning they will be owed compensation if anyone signs Welker.

(Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) The New England Patriots signed former Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez on Saturday.

Later ESPN.com reported, citing unidentified league sources, the Patriots also reached an agreement with free agent wide receiver Brandon Lloyd.

The 27-year-old Gonzalez was a first-round draft pick in 2007 out of Ohio State. In five seasons with the Colts, he had 99 receptions for 1,307 yards and seven touchdowns, but has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. He has been active for only 11 games since the 2008 season.

Gonzalez missed all but the first game of 2009 and all but two games in 2010 with knee injuries. He did not make a reception in eight games last year.

The 30-year-old Lloyd was traded by Denver to St. Louis during last season. He Lloyd caught 51 passes for 683 yards and five touchdowns for the Rams.

In 2010, Lloyd led the league with 1,448 yards receiving, when he caught 77 passes and scored 11 touchdowns while playing for then-Denver coach Josh McDaniels.

McDaniel has returned to New England as offensive coordinator.

New England’s All-Pro receiver Wes Welker is a free agent and the Patriots gave him the franchise tag, meaning they will be owed compensation if anyone signs Welker.

The Dolphins gained just 21 yards in the third quarter and blew a 17-0 lead in less than 15 minutes as the New England Patriots rallied for a 27-24 win on Sunday.

“This one’s pretty tough,” said Reggie Bush, who ran for 113 yards on 22 carries.

Bush also surpassed 1,000 yards rushing in a season for the first time in his career, yet was in no mood to celebrate.

After gaining 255 yards in the first half, Miami (5-10) had just 126 in the second half and 80 of those came during a late touchdown drive as the Dolphins desperately tried to recover after bumbling their way through the third and most of the fourth quarters.

“We felt like we had the right game plan. We knew what we had to do, we just didn’t execute it for four quarters,” Bush said. “We made some mistakes on offense. That gets you beat playing against good teams like this.”

Both of Miami’s turnovers came in the second half and the pressure it had gotten on New England’s Tom Brady early was gone.

Brady shook off a poor start and passed for 304 yards and a touchdown. He also had a pair of 1-yard TDs rushing as the Patriots once again looked like contenders for the top seed in the AFC with one scoring drive after another.

“We stalled there a little bit in the second half. You can’t do that against a team like this,” said Matt Moore, who completed 17 of 33 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns for Miami.

New England opened the second half with a drive for a field goal to cut Miami’s lead to 17-3, then got the ball right back when Moore fumbled a snap and Vince Wilfork pounced on it for the Patriots.

That led to a touchdown pass from Brady to Deion Branch to get New England within 17-10 with 7:10 left in the third quarter and New England’s defense kept up the pressure.

Moore was sacked for a loss of 10 on the first play after the kickoff, then sacked again at the 10-yard line on third down. The Dolphins’ punt from their end zone gave New England the ball at Miami’s 41 and the Patriots continued their surge, scoring on Brady’s 1-yard run to tie it at 17l with 2:17 still left in the third quarter.

“We put our defense on the short field too many times, which made it easy for them,” Bush said.

The Dolphins didn’t score at all in the second half until Moore threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Davone Bess, pulling Miami within a field goal with 1:48 left to play. The Dolphins still had all three timeouts, but that no longer mattered when Brady converted on third-and-5 with a pass to Wes Welker, who had 12 catches for 138 yards.

New England (12-3) won its seventh straight game. After the Houston Texans lost to the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night, the Patriots needed a win or a tie to lock up one of the top two spots in the AFC.

Miami lost for the third time in eight games after opening 0-7 and is 1-1 under Todd Bowles, who took over when Tony Sparano was fired.

“The guys fought, but we didn’t finish,” Bowles said. “We didn’t stop them and we didn’t get points.”

The Dolphins seemed headed for a victory and got a break even before the game started when Patriots left tackle Matt Light hurt his ankle in warm-ups and didn’t play. Left guard Logan Mankins took his spot, but he left with a knee injury suffered on New England’s second series.

Their absence showed as the Dolphins kept pressuring Brady. He completed just 7 of 19 passes for 87 yards and was sacked three times in the half. But once the third quarter began, Brady and the Patriots — both their offense and defense — looked completely different starting with the very first play, a 22-yard completion to Rob Gronkowski.

Bush had another outstanding game for Miami with his fourth straight rushing day of at least 100 yards. He finished with 113 on 22 carries one week after gaining a career-high 203 yards.

The Dolphins had taken a 3-0 lead on Dan Carpenter’s 47-yard field goal 4:01 into the game and made it 10-0 with 1:15 gone in the second quarter on Moore’s 19-yard pass to Brandon Marshall.

They stretched that to 17-0, the Patriots’ biggest deficit of the season, on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Moore to Charles Clay. The 89-yard drive was helped by two defensive pass interference penalties on third down.

The Patriots punted on their first six possessions, then wasted a chance to score when Stephen Gostkowski’s 51-yard field goal attempt on the next to last play of the half went wide to the left.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

-FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP)—The Miami Dolphins were halfway to an upset that
could have jumbled the AFC playoff picture.

Then came the second half.

The Dolphins gained just 21 yards in the third quarter and blew a 17-0 lead
in less than 15 minutes as the New England Patriots rallied for a 27-24 win on
Sunday.

“This one’s pretty tough,” said Reggie Bush, who ran for 113 yards on 22
carries.

Bush also surpassed 1,000 yards rushing in a season for the first time in
his career, yet was in no mood to celebrate.

After gaining 255 yards in the first half, Miami (5-10) had just 126 in the
second half and 80 of those came during a late touchdown drive as the Dolphins
desperately tried to recover after bumbling their way through the third and most
of the fourth quarters.

“We felt like we had the right game plan. We knew what we had to do, we
just didn’t execute it for four quarters,” Bush said. “We made some mistakes
on offense. That gets you beat playing against good teams like this.”

Both of Miami’s turnovers came in the second half and the pressure it had
gotten on New England’s Tom Brady early was gone.

Brady shook off a poor start and passed for 304 yards and a touchdown. He
also had a pair of 1-yard TDs rushing as the Patriots once again looked like
contenders for the top seed in the AFC with one scoring drive after another.

“We stalled there a little bit in the second half. You can’t do that
against a team like this,” said Matt Moore, who completed 17 of 33 passes for
294 yards and three touchdowns for Miami.

New England opened the second half with a drive for a field goal to cut
Miami’s lead to 17-3, then got the ball right back when Moore fumbled a snap and
Vince Wilfork pounced on it for the Patriots.

That led to a touchdown pass from Brady to Deion Branch to get New England
within 17-10 with 7:10 left in the third quarter and New England’s defense kept
up the pressure.

Moore was sacked for a loss of 10 on the first play after the kickoff, then
sacked again at the 10-yard line on third down. The Dolphins’ punt from their
end zone gave New England the ball at Miami’s 41 and the Patriots continued
their surge, scoring on Brady’s 1-yard run to tie it at 17l with 2:17 still left
in the third quarter.

“We put our defense on the short field too many times, which made it easy
for them,” Bush said.

The Dolphins didn’t score at all in the second half until Moore threw a
15-yard touchdown pass to Davone Bess, pulling Miami within a field goal with
1:48 left to play. The Dolphins still had all three timeouts, but that no longer
mattered when Brady converted on third-and-5 with a pass to Wes Welker, who had
12 catches for 138 yards.

New England (12-3) won its seventh straight game. After the Houston Texans
lost to the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night, the Patriots needed a win or a
tie to lock up one of the top two spots in the AFC.

Miami lost for the third time in eight games after opening 0-7 and is 1-1
under Todd Bowles, who took over when Tony Sparano was fired.

“The guys fought, but we didn’t finish,” Bowles said. “We didn’t stop
them and we didn’t get points.”

The Dolphins seemed headed for a victory and got a break even before the
game started when Patriots left tackle Matt Light hurt his ankle in warm-ups and
didn’t play. Left guard Logan Mankins took his spot, but he left with a knee
injury suffered on New England’s second series.

Their absence showed as the Dolphins kept pressuring Brady. He completed
just 7 of 19 passes for 87 yards and was sacked three times in the half. But
once the third quarter began, Brady and the Patriots—both their offense and
defense—looked completely different starting with the very first play, a
22-yard completion to Rob Gronkowski.

Bush had another outstanding game for Miami with his fourth straight rushing
day of at least 100 yards. He finished with 113 on 22 carries one week after
gaining a career-high 203 yards.

The Dolphins had taken a 3-0 lead on Dan Carpenter’s 47-yard field goal 4:01
into the game and made it 10-0 with 1:15 gone in the second quarter on Moore’s
19-yard pass to Brandon Marshall.

They stretched that to 17-0, the Patriots’ biggest deficit of the season, on
a 1-yard touchdown pass from Moore to Charles Clay. The 89-yard drive was helped
by two defensive pass interference penalties on third down.

The Patriots punted on their first six possessions, then wasted a chance to
score when Stephen Gostkowski’s 51-yard field goal attempt on the next to last
play of the half went wide to the left.

After a weekend in which every relevant result broke the
New England Patriots
‘ way, their path to the No. 1 seed in the AFC couldn’t be clearer.

It remains murky, however, whether their struggling defense can improve enough to make a playoff run – especially without
their biggest pass-rushing presence.

The Patriots must move on without standout defensive end
Andre Carter
as they try to move closer to securing home-field advantage throughout the postseason Saturday by defeating the
Miami Dolphins
.

Home victories the next two weeks over 5-9 foes Miami and Buffalo would ensure New England (11-3) won’t play anywhere but
Foxborough until either the Super Bowl or next season.

Of course, the Patriots also had the conference’s top seed last postseason, only to be upset by the rival
New York Jets
in the divisional round – the second straight year they’ve dropped their playoff opener at home.

Despite its stellar record, Bill Belichick’s team hardly seems like a safe bet to return to the Super Bowl for the first time
since its bid for a perfect season was spoiled there four years ago.

The
Tom Brady
-led offense is typically potent, having averaged 35.8 points during the club’s six-game winning streak. New England’s defense,
though, has allowed more yards than any other team’s, and the season-ending quadriceps injury Carter suffered last week in
Denver certainly won’t help.

“That’s tough. Andre puts so much in with his leadership alone,” defensive tackle
Vince Wilfork
said. “He hasn’t really won a lot in his career, but now he’s winning, he’s happy here, he’s having fun, he’s playing well.
To see him go down, it’s a blow.”

Playing primarily at end in a newly installed 4-3 scheme, Carter provided the Patriots with a team-high 10 sacks. Without
him, it’s possible the club could return to more of the 3-4 arrangement it has used in past years.

“We used them both at different times for different reasons,” Belichick said. “In the end, it comes back to the players -
beating blocks, making tackles, hitting the quarterback, covering the receivers.”

New England didn’t do much of any of that while allowing 167 yards on the ground in the first quarter Sunday, falling behind
16-7 early in the second. But the offense responded with 27 straight points and the defense tightened to cool down
Tim Tebow
and the Broncos in a 41-23 drubbing.

Not only did the win clinch the club’s ninth AFC East title in 11 years, but the three other teams that had been tied at 10-3
atop the conference – Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Houston – lost.

“I don’t think we’ve got enough time to smile,” cornerback
Devin McCourty
said. “We see that happen, but I think it really (emphasizes) how important it is for us to keep playing well and to be ready
to go on Saturday.”

Saturday’s game seems straightforward enough for the Patriots, who’ve outscored the Dolphins 117-45 in winning all three meetings
over the last two seasons.

Miami has looked like a vastly improved team lately, however, winning five of seven since an 0-7 start. The revival wasn’t
good enough to save Tony Sparano’s job, but the Dolphins won their first game under interim coach Todd Bowles, overcoming
wintry weather for a 30-23 victory at Buffalo last week.

While
Matt Moore
has thrown 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions in the last seven games,
Reggie Bush
‘s renaissance has powered Miami lately, with the former USC star finally fulfilling the lofty expectations placed on him
when he was drafted No. 2 overall by New Orleans in 2006.

With one 100-yard rushing game in five seasons with the Saints, Bush has four for the Dolphins this season – including each
of the last three contests. He posted career highs of 203 yards and 25 carries against the Bills, ripping off a 76-yard touchdown
run in the fourth quarter to all but seal the game.

“I understand the questions,” Bush said. “I was hurt a few years and I wasn’t getting a lot of touches and yards. Rightfully
so, people should be questioning whether I can do it or not. But I know given the opportunity, I can show that I can be a
good back.”

The Patriots limited Bush to 38 yards on 11 carries in the season opener while Brady stole the show, passing for a team-record
517 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-24 victory Sept. 12.

“Embarrassing,” Miami safety
Yeremiah Bell
said. “That can’t happen.”

Wes Welker
had eight catches for 160 yards in that game, including a 99-yard touchdown. The NFL leader with 104 receptions for a career-high
1,380 yards, Welker has averaged 105.4 receiving yards in eight meetings with the Dolphins, who traded him to New England
in 2007.

The Patriots’ passing attack proved last week that opponents must pick their poison. With Welker and star tight end
Rob Gronkowski
combining for just eight catches and 94 yards, tight end
Aaron Hernandez
stepped up with nine catches for 129 yards and a touchdown.

“You never know who is going to be heavily involved,” Gronkowski said.

After a weekend in which every relevant result broke the New England
Patriots’ way, their path to the No. 1 seed in the AFC couldn’t be clearer.

It remains murky, however, whether their struggling defense can improve
enough to make a playoff run – especially without their biggest pass-rushing
presence.

The Patriots must move on without standout defensive end Andre Carter as
they try to move closer to securing home-field advantage throughout the
postseason Saturday by defeating the Miami Dolphins.

Home victories the next two weeks over 5-9 foes Miami and Buffalo would
ensure New England (11-3) won’t play anywhere but Foxborough until either the
Super Bowl or next season.

Of course, the Patriots also had the conference’s top seed last postseason,
only to be upset by the rival New York Jets in the divisional round – the second
straight year they’ve dropped their playoff opener at home.

Despite its stellar record, Bill Belichick’s team hardly seems like a safe
bet to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since its bid for a perfect
season was spoiled there four years ago.

The Tom Brady-led offense is typically potent, having averaged 35.8 points
during the club’s six-game winning streak. New England’s defense, though, has
allowed more yards than any other team’s, and the season-ending quadriceps
injury Carter suffered last week in Denver certainly won’t help.

“That’s tough. Andre puts so much in with his leadership alone,” defensive
tackle Vince Wilfork said. “He hasn’t really won a lot in his career, but now
he’s winning, he’s happy here, he’s having fun, he’s playing well. To see him go
down, it’s a blow.”

Playing primarily at end in a newly installed 4-3 scheme, Carter provided
the Patriots with a team-high 10 sacks. Without him, it’s possible the club
could return to more of the 3-4 arrangement it has used in past years.

“We used them both at different times for different reasons,” Belichick
said. “In the end, it comes back to the players – beating blocks, making
tackles, hitting the quarterback, covering the receivers.”

New England didn’t do much of any of that while allowing 167 yards on the
ground in the first quarter Sunday, falling behind 16-7 early in the second. But
the offense responded with 27 straight points and the defense tightened to cool
down Tim Tebow and the Broncos in a 41-23 drubbing.

Not only did the win clinch the club’s ninth AFC East title in 11 years, but
the three other teams that had been tied at 10-3 atop the conference -
Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Houston – lost.

“I don’t think we’ve got enough time to smile,” cornerback Devin McCourty
said. “We see that happen, but I think it really (emphasizes) how important it
is for us to keep playing well and to be ready to go on Saturday.”

Saturday’s game seems straightforward enough for the Patriots, who’ve
outscored the Dolphins 117-45 in winning all three meetings over the last two
seasons.

Miami has looked like a vastly improved team lately, however, winning five
of seven since an 0-7 start. The revival wasn’t good enough to save Tony
Sparano’s job, but the Dolphins won their first game under interim coach Todd
Bowles, overcoming wintry weather for a 30-23 victory at Buffalo last week.

While Matt Moore has thrown 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions in the
last seven games, Reggie Bush’s renaissance has powered Miami lately, with the
former USC star finally fulfilling the lofty expectations placed on him when he
was drafted No. 2 overall by New Orleans in 2006.

With one 100-yard rushing game in five seasons with the Saints, Bush has
four for the Dolphins this season – including each of the last three contests.
He posted career highs of 203 yards and 25 carries against the Bills, ripping
off a 76-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to all but seal the game.

“I understand the questions,” Bush said. “I was hurt a few years and I
wasn’t getting a lot of touches and yards. Rightfully so, people should be
questioning whether I can do it or not. But I know given the opportunity, I can
show that I can be a good back.”

The Patriots limited Bush to 38 yards on 11 carries in the season opener
while Brady stole the show, passing for a team-record 517 yards and four
touchdowns in a 38-24 victory Sept. 12.

“Embarrassing,” Miami safety Yeremiah Bell said. “That can’t happen.”

Wes Welker had eight catches for 160 yards in that game, including a 99-yard
touchdown. The NFL leader with 104 receptions for a career-high 1,380 yards,
Welker has averaged 105.4 receiving yards in eight meetings with the Dolphins,
who traded him to New England in 2007.

The Patriots’ passing attack proved last week that opponents must pick their
poison. With Welker and star tight end Rob Gronkowski combining for just eight
catches and 94 yards, tight end Aaron Hernandez stepped up with nine catches for
129 yards and a touchdown.

“You never know who is going to be heavily involved,” Gronkowski said.

The collective tenure of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady has completely overhauled much of New England Patriots history.

But there’s one long-standing aspect of the franchise’s past that Belichick and Brady have done little to change.

Like those that have come before them, they haven’t been able to consistently beat the Denver Broncos.

In his 12th year at the helm of the Patriots, Belichick is just 3-6 against Denver — his worst winning percentage against an AFC squad. Brady, meanwhile, is an unseemly 1-6 facing the Broncos, including the postseason. Brady against everyone else, by the way? 134-34.

In this regard, they’re far from unique in Patriots history. Bill Parcells? Two losses to Denver by an average of 30 points. Raymond Berry? Winless in five tries. Drew Bledsoe? Two wins in six games.

In fact, New England is 4-17 in its last 21 meetings with the Broncos, dating to Nov. 4, 1984.

On one level, it would seem to make sense. Despite some down years of late, the Broncos have been one of the best franchises in the conference since, well, John Elway arrived in 1982. Denver was really New England’s dynastic forerunner in the AFC, having back-to-back championships in the late 1990s behind Elway and Terrell Davis, ending the NFC’s decades-long dominance of the Lombardi Trophy.

But at the same time, this past decade hasn’t been Denver’s best, and it’s stunning that any team — let alone one that has dabbled in mediocrity of late — can boast this kind of sustained success against this Patriots administration. After all, it isn’t like the Broncos have been piling up 12-win seasons and Super Bowl appearances, like the Colts and Steelers, respectively, in the AFC. Yet New England handles those two teams much better than Denver.

Denver has made the playoffs four times while Belichick has been the head coach in New England, but the last trip was in 2005. One more victory this season would give the Broncos their first winning campaign since 2006, or back when Vince Young was the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.

So what gives?

“We just haven’t played very well. We’ve had some very close games against them; we just haven’t pulled it out,” said Brady last week. They’re a good team. They’ve had a good team for a long time — when [Mike] Shanahan was there, and I think we’ve played a bunch of very tight games with them. Hopefully we can start working our way to getting even.”

It’s tempting to pin much of the blame on the difficulty of playing in Denver, what with the trip out west and the thinner air. The Patriots did fly out on Friday, a day earlier than usual, to have an extra day to acclimate to the weather.

“Maybe it’s the mile-high air. Maybe there’s something to that,” said Brady.

But that excuse doesn’t hold much water, not when the Dolphins, Bills and Jets have all won a mile-high since 2009. And not when the Broncos haven’t had a winning season at home since 2007.

“Both teams will be breathing the same air,” Belichick said. “Best thing we can do is play well. We’ve gone out there and played well and won. We’ve gone out there and not played well and haven’t won.”

Denver is the site of Brady’s first playoff loss ever, and Belichick’s first with the Patriots — a game sealed by perhaps the most memorable interception of Brady’s career, when Champ Bailey picked him off in the end zone and returned it to the New England one.

Of course, that was six years ago, and the Patriots don’t suffer the past like a Faulkner character. Asked about his 1-5 regular-season record against the Broncos, Brady didn’t put too much stock in it.

“1-5? Man, that’s pretty bad. Hopefully we get to 2-5 this week,” the quarterback said. “Losing [stinks]; you hate losing, but there’s nothing I can do about those games in the past now. So I’ll just try to win this one. That will make me feel pretty good.”

One of the stranger aspects of Denver’s dominion over the Patriots is its consistency despite the turnover of personnel for the Broncos. Their success against Belichick and Brady has come with different coaches and different quarterbacks. Denver has beaten New England under Mike Shanahan and Josh McDaniels — both eventually fired — and with Brian Griese, Jake Plummer and Kyle Orton under center — all eventually traded or released.

This is a decidedly different Broncos regime, with John Fox in his first season as head coach and Tim Tebow making his first career start against New England. Both bring strong track records — Fox’s just in a larger sample than Tebow’s so far.

“I think it’s been obviously always a tough week to prepare for John’s teams,” said Belichick, who is 3-1 against Fox in his career, including a win in Super Bowl XXXVIII. “They do a good job with their different schemes, give you some different looks, really keep you honest, and we’ve certainly seen that in all three phases this week. There’s a lot to get ready for.”

But the Patriots hope that the changes in personnel for the Broncos lead to a change in their head-to-head history.

“It doesn’t really matter about what happened in other years,” said Belichick. “This is a new team and it’s a new coach out there. They do things differently than they’ve done them in the past, so it doesn’t really matter. They’re good right now. They’re playing well.

“Damn right, they’re a tough team to face. I don’t really think the ’87 team has anything to do with this game, in all honesty. I think it has no bearing on it whatsoever.” PATRIOTS AT BRONCOS TIME : 4:15 p.m. Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. ON TV : CBS (Channel 12 in Providence, Channel 4 in Boston). Jim Nantz play-by-play, Phil Simms color. ON RADIO : WBZ-FM (98.5), WPRO (630 AM), WEAN (99.7 FM), WSAR (1480 AM), WBSM (1420 AM). WEATHER : Sunny, 49 degrees. ALL-TIME SERIES : Denver leads, 27-16, including postseason. The Patriots are 8-18 in Denver. NOTEWORTHY : Tim Tebow is the 11th different quarterback to start for the Broncos since John Elway retired in 1999. Elway was 10-0 against New England in his career; the Broncos are 5-4 against the Pats since Elway retired.

tbritton@providencejournal.com