FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady threw for four touchdowns and Dion Lewis became the first New England running back to go over 100 yards this season as the Patriots won their seventh consecutive game, a 35-17 decision over the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium.

Brady completed 18 of 28 passes for 227 yards and the four touchdowns, two going to tight end Rob Gronkowski, of 5 and 15 yards. He also threw short touchdown passes to Rex Burkhead and Brandin Cooks. It was the 28th time in his career that Brady has thrown for four touchdowns in a game, moving him into third place all-time.

Lewis, meanwhile, rushed for a career-high 112 yards. New England improved to 9-2 while Miami, considered a top threat to the Patriots in the AFC East, dropped to 4-7 with its fifth consecutive loss.

The Patriots defense was involved as well, forcing three turnovers, including interceptions by Stephon Gilmore and Duron Harmon. New England sacked Matt Moore seven times.

Miami cut New England’s lead to 28-17 early in the fourth quarter on an 8-yard pass from Moore to Kenyan Drake. But the Patriots defense stopped the Dolphins on a fourth-and-11 from the Miami 38 with 8:41 left.

The Patriots then moved in for a clinching 5-yard shovel pass touchdown from Brady to Cooks with 6:31 left. That was set up by a 25-yard run by Lewis.

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New England extended its halftime lead to 28-10 early in the third quarter when Brady completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Gronkowski, their second scoring hook-up of the game.

The Patriots controlled most of the first two quarters, which ended with New England ahead 21-10.

New England took the opening drive and went 75 yards in eight plays, the biggest a 14-yard fake punt run by Nate Ebner on fourth-and-8, to immediately go ahead 7-0 on a 2-yard touchdown run by Rex Burkhead and Stephen Gostkowski’s PAT kick.

Ebner suffered a knee injury on his run and did not return.

After forcing a Miami punt, the Patriots drove 88 yards in nine plays, scoring on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Rob Gronkowski.

The Dolphins didn’t run a play in New England territory until the second quarter started. They got back into the game when back-up center Ted Karras snapped the ball past Brady, who wasn’t looking. Miami’s Reshad Jones scooped it up and went in for the touchdown, bringing the Dolphins within 14-7.

But New England responded with another long drive, culminated by a 1-yard pass from Brady to Burkhead. Gostkowski made it 21-7 with 8:29 left in the half.

Miami got a 28-yard field goal from Cody Parkey to cut it to 21-10. The Dolphins then drove to the Patriots 15 in the final seconds of the first half, but Matt Moore was intercepted by Stephon Gilmore in the end zone to end that threat.

This story will be updated.


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