Finally, the Patriots may have lost their air of invincibility. Finally, the demise of quarterback Tom Brady allowed an opponent to penetrate their championship aura.

The Dolphins, of all teams, blew up Bill Belichick’s team. Miami dusted off elements of the old “single wing” offense and snapped the ball directly to running back Ronnie Brown, who ran for four touchdowns and threw for a fifth.

“I don’t know why in the world we couldn’t stop that play. They just came in and beat our butts,” Patriots hit man Rodney Harrison said. “You’ve got a bitter taste in your mouth. The only way to get rid of that bitterness is to come in and work hard. You get bitter and you get better.”

(Words to live by, for sure. Can somebody explain that concept to the Rams?)

Miami’s 38-13 victory in Foxborough snapped New England’s 21-game regular season winning streak. Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy had this take:

“Pigs can fly. Massachusetts might vote Republican. A sportswriter will turn down a free meal. We live in an alternative universe today. Anything is possible. We know this because of what we witnessed yesterday at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots lost. Actually, it was more than that. The Patriots were humiliated in their crib of domination. They were routed by the moribund Miami Dolphins . . .They were booed off their own field.”

So if you’re at a drug store today, you might want to pick up a sympathy card for Belichick. It’s a been a while since he felt how the other half lives.

MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE

Questions to ponder while waiting for the Rams to reel in Julius Jones:

• Did the Seahawks spray their running backs with Pam? Why was it so impossible to wrap those guys up?
• If the Rams couldn’t cover the emergency fill-in receivers, what are they going to do against Lee Evans, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin?
• Is it possible that there really wasn’t life after Brandon Chillar for the Rams?

QUIPS ‘R US

Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:

Pat Forde, ESPN.com, on the Ryder Cup: “The sport’s supercilious image was dealt a populist blow by this American Ryder Cup team, specifically (Boo) Weekley and his country cousins, Kenny Perry and J.B. Holmes. Ain’t a silver spoon among ‘em, except in their tackle boxes. The combined population of Weekley’s hometown (Milton, Fla.), Perry’s hometown (Franklin, Ky.) and Holmes’ hometown (Campbellsville, Ky.) is roughly 28,000. Their combined record in this Ryder Cup: a dominant 6-1-3. Their combined record on Sunday, with the Cup up for grabs: 3-0. They grew up small-town humble, and went on to become three guys who can hit the hell out of the golf ball. Bring them together, wrap them in the flag, put them on Southern soil and watch them turn this hillbilly hoedown into an international beatdown.”

Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle: “Whatever happens to the 49ers the rest of the season, they must find a way to keep Mike Martz next year. Call it the Curse of Martz, look what happened to the last two teams that fired the man.”

Dan Daly, Washington Times: “Did you see Michael Beasley has been fined for that hotel room episode at the NBA’s rookie symposium, the one reportedly involving women, the smell of marijuana and fellow first-round picks Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur? What, the league just discovered now that Beasley was there? Nobody noticed the gigantic pair of sneakers sticking out from underneath the bed?”

Mike Lupica, New York Daily News: “It turned out that Padraig Harrington filled the major-champion void in golf that Mickelson was supposed to, well, Phil.”

Greg Cote, Miami Herald: “Parting thought: Syracuse unveiled a bronze statue honoring 1950s football star Ernie Davis, the first black Heisman winner. One problem. Davis is shown in a modern uniform, including cleats with a Nike swoosh. Cannot confirm the sculptor is working on a statue of Abraham Lincoln listening to an iPod.”

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: “Incredibly, Dallas Mavericks star Josh Howard was caught on a cellphone video saying he doesn’t respect our national anthem for racial reasons. While attending a charity flag football game hosted by Allen Iverson, the national anthem was being played when Howard said indignantly into the camera, ‘The Star Spangled Banner is going on. I don’t celebrate this [expletive]. I’m black.’ As long as we’re talking color, Mr. NBA multi-millionaire, I hope you’re happy with all that green you make in America for being able to bounce a stupid ball.”

Norman Chad, syndicated columnist, on Lance Armstrong’s comeback: “If you’re out there listening, Lance, I have two words for you: We just don’t care that much. (Okay, that’s six words.) You’re riding a bike, across France, in a doped-up sport, on a network nobody’s ever heard of. Good luck and God speed.”

MEGAPHONE

“I feel like a dog that somebody done stuck a needle to and it juiced me up like I’ve been running around a greyhound track chasing one of them bunnies.”

The great Boo Weekley, on his Ryder Cup antics.

MORE BOO WEEKLEY