Statement game? Absolutely.
One of these teams came into this game determined to prove that it is the clear and obvious favorite to win the AFC East and any conversation about the playoffs must include them because otherwise all the talk is moot. That happened.
And the other team is the Miami Dolphins.
Patriots 38.
Dolphins 7.
The Patriots didn’t just beat the Dolphins on Sunday, they embarrassed Miami.
New England Players that hadn’t made plays all season were suddenly stars in this game. Miami Players who spent last week being cheered for their playmaking ability were noticeably ineffective.