First quarter

•  Impact player: Punter Brandon Fields didn’t get off a punt after a low snap, setting New England up in easy range for a touchdown. But he also socked a 58-yarder and a 42-yarder downed on the Patriots’ 3.

•  Highlights: Reshad Jones one-handed interception, Tom Brady’s first in more than 200 passes, set up Dan Carpenter’s 44-yard field goal. Jared Odrick

•  Lowlights: John Denney’s bad snap and Fields’ failure to punt. The unnecessary low block penalties that negated Jones’ touchdown on the interception return. Ryan Tannehill overthrowing a wide-open Brian Hartline for what would have been an easy score.

Second quarter

•  Impact player: New England wide receiver Wes Welker caught seven passes for 54 yards and a touchdown.

•  Highlights: Tannehill’s read option run-and-flip 2-yard touchdown before halftime gave the Dolphins hope at 17-10. A defensive stand held the Patriots to a field goal after a Tannehill fumble gave the Patriots the ball at the Dolphins’ 25.

•  Lowlights: Jimmy Wilson’s roughing-the-punter penalty ruined what should have been the Dolphins’ first three-and-out against the Patriots offense. It also extended what turned out to be a touchdown drive, Welker scoring on a screen against an inside blitz. Tannehill fumbled while preparing to pass.

Third quarter

•  Impact player: Tannehill impacted the game the wrong way — 2 of 7 for 33 yards as the Dolphins offense couldn’t help out the defense, which was holding the Patriots in check.

•  Highlights: The defense held the high-powered New England offensive attack to 69 total yards, no points and handed the offense the ball in great field position at the Patriots’ 49. Fields had a 60-yard punt and another punt that was downed at the Patriots’ 2

•  Lowlights: Tannehill again missed Hartline open on a bomb, this time throwing too long and outside the sideline. He also threw well behind Reggie Bush on a third-down crossing pattern.

Fourth quarter

•  Impact player: New England running back Stevan Ridley ran 10 times for 46 yards, most of it on the long field-goal drive the Patriots used to suck all hope from the Dolphins.

•  Highlights: Sacks by Jones and Koa Misi held the Patriots to a field goal and a 20-10 lead after first-and-goal at the Dolphins’ 2. Daniel Thomas’ 9-yard run through a nice left side hole converted a fourth-and-1 on the way to Carpenter’s 33-yard field goal.

•  Lowlights: After the Dolphins got back within a touchdown, New England ground out a 16-play, 77-yard drive that took up 7:18 and put the Dolphins back down 10 with 1:10 left.