RYAN TANNEHILL

By Michael Vega Globe Staff

FOXBOROUGH — Like the rest of the nation, Bill Belichick watched football over the holiday weekend. And with a game at Miami Sunday, the Patriots coach focused his attention on the Dolphins’ 24-21 home victory over the Seahawks, in particular the performance of rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

“It was a good win for the Dolphins,” said Belichick, whose team seized control of the AFC East with a 49-19 romp over the Jets Thanksgiving night at MetLife Stadium to improve to 8-3. “We know what kind of team Seattle is, very good. Great effort by Miami in the fourth quarter at the end of the game to come back and make the plays they needed to make to win it.’’

Tannehill, a first-round pick (eighth overall) from Texas A&M, rallied the Dolphins to 17 fourth-quarter points against the Seahawks. With the game tied at 21, and 92 seconds remaining, Tannehill drove his team 65 yards in six plays to set up a winning 43-yard field goal by Dan Carpenter.

“He played good for them,’’ Patriots safety Steve Gregory said of Tannehill, who has completed 197 of 334 passes for 2,373 yards, 7 TDs, and 12 interceptions. “He’s a smart football player. He can throw the ball really well and he can move around in the pocket, so we definitely have some challenges.’’

Belichick was impressed by what he saw of Tannehill against the Seahawks, a team that pinned the Patriots with a 24-23 setback in Seattle Oct. 14. It was the last time the Patriots lost; they’ve won five in a row, a streak that began with a 29-26 overtime triumph against the Jets Oct. 21.

With his team trailing, 14-7, in the fourth quarter Sunday, Tannehill completed 7 of 9 passes for 156 yards to record the first fourth-quarter comeback of his nascent NFL career.