The hapless Patriots finished with 3 wins and 11 losses yesterday after a 45-21 defeat by the Denver Broncos, while the Miami Dolphins, in other AFC Eastern Division play, retained an undefeated record and a playoff berth with a win over the Baltimore Colts, 5-9.

New England's Carl Garrett scored two of the Pat T.D.s on runs of one and five yards.

With 1:48 remaining in the contest, backup quarterback Brian Dowling hit Tom Reynolds for a 28-yard touchdown for the last Patriot scoring of the season.

Miami will host Cleveland (10-4) next week in one of four NFL playoff games. The Browns earned their place with a 26-10 triumph over the Jets in New York.

Brown QB Mike Phipps fired a pair of second-half touchdown passes to Frank Pitts--one of them an 80-yard tiebreaker--to spearhead the victory.

Elsewhere in the American Conference. Oakland sloshed through the mud and the Chicago Bears, 28-21, yesterday en route to a 10-3-1 record and a playoff game with the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3).

In the NFC next week. San Francisco (8-5-1) will host Dallas (10-4), and Green Bay Packers (10-4) will visit Washington (11-3).