Overtime Loss Ends Dolphins’ Season : AFC: Bledsoe passes for four touchdowns as New England eliminates Miami from the playoffs, 33-27.

Five weeks after having the NFL’s best record, the Miami Dolphins ended their regular season Sunday in a tailspin as they were eliminated from the playoffs.

Drew Bledsoe’s fourth touchdown pass of the game, with 4:44 gone in overtime, gave the New England Patriots a 33-27 victory over Miami.

The Dolphins’ fifth consecutive loss condemned them to waiting to see if they could back into an AFC wild-card spot. They couldn’t. The Raiders’ overtime victory over the Denver Broncos saw to that.

“After having the season that we had going for us, and then not being able to win--especially these last two weeks when we knew we had to win to clinch and not being able to do it--is just a disappointment that we’re going to have to live with,” Miami Coach Don Shula said, “and that’s something that’s going to be tough to handle.”

Miami (9-7) was 9-2 after winning in icy Dallas on Thanksgiving, but went into a collapse that included three home defeats. The five-game losing streak matches the Dolphins’ longest during Shula’s 24 years as coach.

Bledsoe, who was 27 for 43 for 329 yards, completed a 36-yard scoring pass to Michael Timpson for the winning score as the Patriots (5-11) won their fourth in a row. It was only the third time in the 1990s that New England has defeated a team with a winning record.

The Dolphins couldn’t stop Bledsoe, who finished his rookie season with 2,494 passing yards and 15 touchdowns despite missing three games.

“That was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever coached in,” Patriot Coach Bill Parcells said. “Miami wouldn’t die easily. They had too much at stake.”

The winning touchdown was set up by a freaky play. Vincent Brisby fumbled after catching a 13-yard pass, but Russell picked up the loose ball and rumbled another 22 yards to the Miami 36.

The Dolphins rallied several times in the second half to send the game into overtime. Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 24-yard field goal with six seconds left.

The teams combined for 27 points in a wild fourth quarter. Trailing, 17-10, the Dolphins tied the score when Mitchell completed a nine-yard pass to Mark Ingram after a blocked punt by Darrell Malone.

New England regained the lead on Matt Bahr’s 37-yard field goal, but Miami went ahead, 24-20, on Terry Kirby’s 15-yard run. Bledsoe responded with an 11-yard pass to Ben Coates to put the Patriots ahead, 27-24, with 1:14 left in regulation.