Studs and duds from Patriots' 38-10 victory over Dolphins

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The New England Patriots handled their business in Sunday's finale against the visiting Miami Dolphins by delivering a lopsided beatdown and cruising to a 38-10 victory.

It didn't come without a minor scare in the first half of the game as the Dolphins put up a better fight than expected. At one point, Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers was 8-of-9 passing for 71 yards and one touchdown. But just when the race started to tighten, the floodgates opened in the final two quarters.

The Patriots' defense held the Dolphins scoreless in the second half, and the offense scored 21 unanswered points. Quarterback Drake Maye was solid on the day, but he didn't have to do the heavy lifting this week with the team combining for 243 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

The Dolphins got mowed over more times than fresh grass, and they had no way to stop the bleeding. For a second straight week, a game ended with Maye smiling from the sidelines and veteran backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs taking the fourth-quarter snaps.

Here were the studs and duds from the Week 18 game:

DUD: CB Carlton Davis III

This wasn't a great game for Carlton Davis in coverage. He got beaten on multiple plays by a Dolphins offense that showed up to play. On one particular play, Davis was beaten so badly that he purposely grabbed the receiver to keep from giving up a huge play on the backend of the defense. That clearly wasn't the kind of performance he was looking to have in the final game of the regular season.

STUD: LB Jack Gibbens

Linebacker Jack Gibbens has been working in for the injured Robert Spillane, and he had an impressive outing on Sunday. The veteran defender helped break up a potential touchdown pass early in the game, and then he forced a fumble later on Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright.

He almost forced a second interception on Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers by going up and nearly coming down with a pass. The veteran linebacker finished the game with five tackles and two pass deflections.

STUD: RB Rhamondre Stevenson

Whether it's on the ground or through the air, it doesn't matter for Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson. The veteran continued to show off his do-everything value by racking up 131 rushing yards and two touchdowns, along with 22 receiving yards and one touchdown against the Dolphins. So much has been made about TreVeyon Henderson's versatility that people have forgotten that Stevenson can be equally as dangerous.

STUD: K Andy Borregales

The Dolphins left too much time on the clock before halftime, and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye drove the team down the field and gave kicker Andy Borregales the chance he needed to kick a 59-yard field goal through the uprights. It marked a career-high NFL kick for the rookie sixth-round draft pick. Borregales has steadily proven throughout the season that he has a leg the team can depend on in clutch moments.

DUD: Special teams

The special teams unit gave up a blocked field goal late in the second quarter that put the Dolphins in position to add more points on the board before halftime. It's a good thing that the unit hustled back to the ball to keep Miami's special teams from scoring a touchdown on the other end. Fortunately, it wasn't a persistent problem, and the Patriots' special teams responded with a 59-yard field goal by Andy Borregales before halftime.

STUD: EDGE Anfernee Jennings

Anfernee Jennings has quietly made the most of his opportunities with Harold Landry III sidelined with an injury. The veteran defender stepped up for the team by providing solid run defense on the edge and reliable tackling, while also generating quarterback pressure.

Like Rhamondre Stevenson, many questioned if Jennings had a long-term role on Patriots coach Mike Vrabel's roster earlier in the year. However, the former third-round draft pick has continued to prove himself to be a solid depth option for the team.

STUD: RB TreVeyon Henderson

Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson didn't lead in the rushing yards total, but he did carry the ball into the end zone twice. Henderson showed off some tough running for the team throughout the game, along with Rhamondre Stevenson. The duo has created one of the best one-two punch running back tandems in the NFL.

STUD: OT Will Campbell

It's no coincidence that the running game popped off when Patriots' offensive tackle Will Campbell returned to the lineup. The rookie offensive lineman was a bulldozer in the trenches against the Dolphins. There were plays when he fought his way to the second level and helped open massive rushing lanes for the Patriots' running backs. His block on this play in particular helped spring Rhamondre Stevenson forward for a 35-yard touchdown run.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Studs and duds from Patriots' 38-10 victory over Dolphins

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