Why the conservative game plan for the Patriots?

playNew England's offense is limited to 196 yards while Miami's DeVante Parker makes five catches for 106 yards and a score in a 20-10 win for the Dolphins. (1:01)MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The New England Patriots carried out a conservative game plan in Sunday's 20-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins in the season finale, which naturally sparks the question: Why?

In the first half, they had 21 rushes and just five passes.

"I expected that later in the game," Dolphins interim head coach Dan Campbell said afterward. "I thought they'd come out and throw it, do more empty passes and things of that nature [to] try to open the game up early, and then come out in the second half and do more [running]. They…