Defense and DeBerg Give Dolphins a Win : AFC: Miami quarterback completes two fourth-quarter touchdown passes and defense holds off New England in 17-13 victory.

The New England Patriots’ first four scoring threats produced only two field goals, and Steve DeBerg completed two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in his debut for the Miami Dolphins as they rallied to win Sunday, 17-13.

Miami, forced by injuries to start their third quarterback in the past six weeks, remained tied for the AFC East lead with Buffalo at 8-2. No NFL team has a better record. The Dolphins are 5-1 since quarterback Dan Marino’s season-ending injury.

Coach Don Shula’s 326th victory ranked among his most impressive. DeBerg, at 39 the NFL’s oldest player, joined Miami as a free agent less than two weeks ago and moved into the lineup because of an injury to Marino’s replacement, Scott Mitchell.

“Needless to say, Steve DeBerg got a game ball,” Shula said. “What a job he did in a short period of time with us. There aren’t many people who could come in and pick up our offense the way he did.”

DeBerg completed 16 of 27 passes for 252 yards with no interceptions. The 16-year veteran improved to 52-83-1 as a starter.

“This is probably one of the biggest wins of my career,” DeBerg said. “It’s been one of my bigger challenges to try to learn our offense in a week and a half.”

DeBerg has merely three days to prepare for his next test at Dallas on Thanksgiving.

New England fell to 1-9 with its fifth consecutive defeat and its ninth in a row against Miami. The Patriots have lost their past four games by a total of 11 points.

The Patriots reached Miami’s 20-yard line four times. Once they lost the ball on downs, and three times the Dolphins forced a field goal attempt.

Miami, which trailed 3-0 at halftime, struggled on offense for three quarters before DeBerg got hot. With his team behind 6-3, DeBerg completed passes to convert three consecutive third-down situations, setting up his 11-yard touchdown pass to Keith Byars for a 10-6 lead with 9:28 remaining.

The Dolphins forced a punt and scored again on DeBerg’s 44-yard pass to ex-Patriots receiver Irving Fryar for a 17-6 lead.

New England scored with 1:11 left when Drew Bledsoe passed for 40 yards to Ray Crittenden.