LIVE: Patriots vs. Dolphins score, updates

As wacky and unpredictable as the NFL has been at times throughout the 2017 season, few expect the Dolphins, entering Monday night's game as 11 1/2-point underdogs, to delay what feels like an inevitable Patriots division championship for the ninth consecutive season.

The Patriots have won eight consecutive games and can clinch the AFC East with a win Monday night. New England has won at least 10 games in 15 consecutive seasons, the second-longest streak in NFL history (16, San Francisco, 1983-98).

Miami's biggest challenge Monday night will be trying to figure out a way to slow down Tom Brady. The New England quarterback has won 55 games in December in his career, the most by a starting quarterback in any calendar month in NFL history.

Patriots vs. Dolphins: Score, live updates

Patriots: 17
Dolphins: 27

Q4

10:52 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, Patriots: New England kept itself alive early in the fourth quarter with a quick touchdown drive. Tom Brady on a rollout to the right found James White for a 3-yard touchdown pass. The drive lasted six plays and covered 53 yards in just 2:29. Stephen Gostkowski made the PAT. 27-17, Patriots

10:47 p.m.
: End of third quarter.

10:31 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, Dolphins
: That was easy. Jarvis Landry found a hole in the Patriots' zone coverage in the red zone, and Jay Cutler found Landry for a 4-yard touchdown pass in the middle of the field. The score capped another impressive drive for Miami — eight plays, 82 yards. Cody Parkey made the PAT. 27-10, Dolphins

10:24 p.m.
: Patriots defensive tackle Alan Branch was ruled out with a knee injury.

10:13 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, Dolphins
: Miami came to play Monday night. The Dolphins extended their lead over the Patriots with a beauty of a 25-yard Jay Cutler touchdown pass to Jakeem Grant, the first TD reception of his career. The drive immediately following New England's turnover lasted five plays and covered 46 yards. Cody Parkey made the PAT. 20-10, Dolphins 10:07 p.m.: Turnover. Xavien Howard made an absurd play on a deep ball thrown by Tom Brady intended for Brandin Cooks. The Dolphins corner tracked down Brady's pass and caught it before Cooks had a chance to do so himself. It was Howard's second pick of the game; he began the second half exactly how he began the first half. Howard returned the interception 29 yards to the New England 43.9:50 p.m.: Halftime.

9:48 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, Patriots
: Despite a solid start to the drive with a 23-yard Tom Brady screen pass to Rex Burkhead, New England stalled at Miami's 28-yard line. From there, Stephen Gostkowski nailed a 46-yard field goal to cut the Dolphins' lead to three just before halftime. 13-10, Dolphins

9:36 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, Dolphins
: What a possession for Miami. A few plays after a 16-yard Jarvis Landry touchdown catch was nullified by a holding penalty, Jay Cutler found Landry on a rollout to the right for a 5-yard TD. The score was made possible thanks to Cutler avoiding what looked like a sure sack on the play prior, then finding Kenyan Drake for a third-down conversion. Speaking of Drake, he caught a 47-yard pass from Cutler to get the Dolphins in scoring position. Miami's drive lasted seven plays and covered 80 yards. Cody Parkey made the PAT. 13-7, Dolphins

9:26 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, Patriots
: New England finally got on the board with a 3-yard touchdown run by Rex Burkhead to cap a five-play, 51-yard drive. New England got in scoring position thanks to a questionable pass interference call on Xavien Howard, which occurred at the goal line. On the second play of the drive, Tom Brady and Dion Lewis connected on a beauty of a 20-yard completion. Stephen Gostkowski made the PAT. 7-6, Patriots

9:07 p.m.
: End of first quarter.

8:53 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, Dolphins
: Miami's second drive ended the same way its first drive ended, with a Cody Parkey field goal, this time a 44-yarder to cap an eight-play, 34-yard possession after New England's interception. 6-0, Dolphins

8:45 p.m.
: Turnover. Well then. The Patriots' first third-down conversion attempt of the game failed miserably when Tom Brady's pass to Brandin Cooks on a corner route was picked off by Dolphins corner Xavien Howard. Brady underthrew the route just enough for Howard to snag the ball. It was the QB's fifth interception of the season. Miami took over on its own 40-yard line.

8:40 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, Dolphins: Miami earned points on its impressive opening drive via a 30-yard Cody Parkey field goal, but it felt like a win for New England. The Dolphins had driven deep into Patriots territory on a possession that included a fourth-down conversion at the 36-yard line. The drive lasted 13 plays and covered 69 yards. 3-0, Dolphins

8:30 p.m.
: Kickoff.

8:27 p.m.
: The Patriots won the coin toss and deferred their choice to the second half. The Dolphins would receive to begin the game.

7:28 p.m.
: In addition to the throwback uniforms the Dolphins wore Monday night, the end zones and midfield logo in Miami were painted with an old-school theme