FOXBORO, Mass., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Super Bowl hero Adam Vinatieri delivered more magic Sunday, but it was the last he will perform this season.
Vinatieri kicked the game-tying, 43-yard field goal with 1:09 left in the fourth quarter and booted a 35-yarder 2:03 into overtime to lead the New England Patriots to a come-from-behind, 27-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
Both the Patriots and Dolphins were eliminated from playoff contention, however, when the New York Jets defeated the Green Bay Packers later in the afternoon.
Miami squandered a 14-point lead when a win would have given the Dolphins the AFC East title. And when the Patriots rallied for the victory, both New England and Miami were left to cheer for the Packers.
A win by Green Bay would have put both the Dolphins and the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots in the playoffs. Instead, those two spots will be taken by the Jets and Cleveland Browns.
Vinatieri kicked the winning field goal on the final play of last season's Super Bowl and at least he gave the New England fans another thrill Sunday.
"He's the best kicker in the league, so if you want anybody in the league kicking, it's him," Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said.
The Dolphins appeared on their way to clinching their second division title in three years under Coach Dave Wannstedt, but squandered a 24-13 lead in the final three minutes.
New England's comeback was aided by a controversial 30-yard pass interference penalty against nickel back Jamar Fletcher, which helped set up a three-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Troy Brown with 2:46 left.
Tight end Christian Fauria made a leaping catch in the end zone for the two-point conversion to pull the Patriots within 24-21.
Belichick decided not to try an onside kick and it turned out to be the right decision when Travis Minor fielded the deep kick at his own two and was tackled at the four by Mike Vrabel.
But instead of running Ricky Williams, who rushed for 185 yards, in an attempt to take time off the clock, offensive coordinator Norv Turner called for two passes and Jay Fiedler threw two incompletions.
On third and 10, Fiedler again faded back to pass and scrambled for seven yards before being tackled by Vrabel at the Miami 11.
With the sellout crowd at Gillette Stadium in a frenzy, Mark Royals shanked a 23-yard punt and the Patriots took over at the Miami 34 with 2:11 left.
After an incompletion by Brady, Kevin Faulk ran around left for nine yards. On third and one, Antowain Smith was stuffed for no gain by linebacker Derrick Rodgers.
But Vinatieri converted a 43-yarder with 69 seconds left.
In the final minute, Dolphins tight end Randy McMichael was penalized 10 yards for holding and Fiedler was sacked for a six-yard loss by defensive end Willie McGinest.
The Patriots won the overtime coin flip and Miami's Olindo Mare contributed to the collapse by sending his kickoff out of bounds, giving New England the ball at the 40.
Two plays later, Faulk took a direct snap and rushed for 15 yards and then got behind Rodgers and caught a 20-yard pass down the right sideline to the Miami 25.
Faulk finished with nine catches for 70 yards and 53 yards on just eight carries.
On third and nine, Brady hit Brown with a seven-yard play to move Vinatieri closer for his winning kick.
But the thrilling comeback was not enough to get the defending Super Bowl champions back into the playoffs. New England became the second Super Bowl champion in three years to miss the playoffs after winning the Super Bowl.
Many of the Dolphins were slumped on the field in stunned disbelief after another disturbing collapse.
Miami usually reserves its late breakdowns for games against the Jets, but added another chapter Sunday against another bitter rival. Two years ago, Wannstedt watched as the Dolphins blew a 23-point,fourth-quarter lead in a 40-37 overtime loss at New York and last season they squandered a 17-point second half lead in a 21-17 defeat.
But at least those losses did not cost Miami a playoff berth. This one did.
In the offseason, the Dolphins acquired Williams from the New Orleans Saints in the hopes he would bring them to a Super Bowl. Williams did his part, winning the NFL rushing title with 1,853 yards and setting a club record with 16 rushing touchdowns.
He punctuated the season with 185 yards on 31 carries against the Patriots.
Williams rushed for 120 yards and both of his touchdowns on 14 carries in the first half, during which when the Dolphins built a 21-7 lead. Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal on the last play of the half to pull the Patriots within 21-10.
