The game at Dolphin Stadium was the only one this regular season that New England will play on natural grass. … Boston native and die-hard Red Sox fan Matt Damon was at the game. On the field during warm-ups, Damon was wearing a green Sox hat, but as he strolled with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Kraft had him switch to a Pats hat. … Donte Stallworth's 30-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown on New England's first possession kept alive the team's streak of scoring on its initial drive of every game this season (four touchdowns, three field goals) … Ty Warren's first-quarter fumble recovery was the fourth of the season for New England and the third of Warren's career. … Miami's Patrick Cobbs, who spent the preseason with New England last year, got his first career touchdown on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter. Cobbs was in the game thanks to a knee injury to starter Ronnie Brown and cramps for Jesse Chatman, which had him on the bench for several minutes. … The 49 points scored by New England are the most ever for a Dolphins opponent in Miami, eclipsing the 48 Kansas City had in a 48-3 win on Sept. 28, 1968. … New England came into the game 6-0 and Miami 0-6, the first time since Oct. 28, 1984, an unbeaten team faced a winless team this late in the season. That day, the 8-0 Dolphins beat the 0-8 Bills.

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The Patriots' inactives for the game were: Matt Gutierrez, third quarterback, safety Mel Mitchell (groin), tight end Benjamin Watson (ankle), linebacker Eric Alexander (knee), defensive lineman Mike Wright (knee), running back Sammy Morris (chest), offensive lineman Wesley Britt and defensive lineman Kareem Brown. ... Miami's key inactives were defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday and safety Travares Tillman. … The Dolphins placed quarterback Trent Green on season-ending injured reserve Saturday night. Green suffered a Grade III concussion on Oct. 7 in Houston, his second severe concussion in little more than a calendar year.