The Dolphins have hardly a world-beating passing offense, and the Patriots didn’t make it look any better than it is, which helped the defense as a whole. The coverage in the back end was a major contributing factor to the seven sacks of Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill, the highest total in over five years. The Dolphins posted four passing plays of 20 yards or more, but three of those came in Dolphins territory. Few would say Sunday’s performance will translate into a tighter pass defense in the playoffs, but it was a step in the right direction after a rough outing in Jacksonville.