Patriots Miss Out on Bye, Face Wild-Card Game

The New England Patriots have never won a Super Bowl when having to play a wild-card game. But that's what they'll have to do this season to defend their title.

New England let the No. 2 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye slip away with a 27-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

The Patriots won their first eight games but went 4-4 in the second half of the season to fall behind the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC.

The Patriots will be playing on wild-card weekend for the first time since 2009.