The Dolphins are who we thought they were. Which is to say: A good defensive team still searching for an offensive identity. And the Patriots remain the team we thought they were, at least over the last two months of the season: A high-powered offense and an underrated, ever-improving defense.

On Sunday, both teams played like we expected, the Patriots prevailed 41-13, and wrapped up the AFC East in the process.

Of course, the Dolphins had beaten New England in the two previous meetings, and according to reports, Miami players said they should have scored more points in the Week 1 meeting. Those quotes were plastered around the Patriots' facility this week to serve as a reminder of how important Sunday's game was. The message was received loud and clear.

“There was a lot of talk … those guys were chirping," Darrelle Revis said, via ESPN.com. "The Miami Dolphins were chirping this week about [how] they should have beaten us by 50 and all of those type of things the first game,” he said. “If that's what they want to do, then that's what they want to do. The one thing you have to understand is you get a second stab at it because we're in the same [division]. You might need to watch what you say.”

Meanwhile, Tom Brady finished 21 of 35 for 287 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Run of the mill numbers for Brady, but he did have a 17-yard scramble which, frankly, took everybody by surprise.

“It was the slowest 17 yards I’ve ever seen in my life," wideout Julian Edelman said. “It’s always fun seeing the Clydesdale run,” he joked. “I call him Brady Vick.”

The second-most surprising development: Brady didn't slide at the end of the run.

“I was going to, but I was pretty pissed off that time,” he said. “If he was a bigger guy, I would have thought really hard about sliding, but once I was in the secondary, things happen pretty quickly for me out there. I’m not the fastest guy out there so things close down pretty quick.”

The Patriots, currently the No. 2 team in the AFC, have two weeks left in the regular season to make a push for the top seed.