This task involves creating answers to complex questions, from a given passage. Answering these questions, typically involve understanding multiple sentences. Make sure that your answer has the same type as the "answer type" mentioned in input. The provided "answer type" can be of any of the following types: "span", "date", "number". A "span" answer is a continuous phrase taken directly from the passage or question. You can directly copy-paste the text from the passage or the question for span type answers. If you find multiple spans, please add them all as a comma separated list. Please restrict each span to five words. A "number" type answer can include a digit specifying an actual value. For "date" type answers, use DD MM YYYY format e.g. 11 Jan 1992. If full date is not available in the passage you can write partial date such as 1992 or Jan 1992. If you find multiple spans, please add them all as a comma separated list. Please restrict each span to five words.
Q: Passage: Following the national attention from the previous week, the Patriots found themselves playing mainly for home-field advantage in the playoffs against a Dolphins team that had already been eliminated from playoff contention and could gain pride as their only consolation. Early on, the Dolphins struck first, putting a field goal through the uprights to open scoring. In the second quarter Matt Moore raced the Dolphins downfield and connected on touchdowns to Brandon Marshall and Charles Clay for a 17-0 halftime lead. The Patriots crossed the 50-yard line in the first half only once, but after a Stephen Gostkowski field goal the Patriots forced a Moore fumble, leading to a Deion Branch touchdown catch. Moore was sacked on Miami's next possession and the Dolphins had to punt; the Patriots drove down and Tom Brady ran in a quarterback sneak touchdown that tied the game. Devin McCourty intercepted a deep Moore pass and the Patriots booted a 42-yard field goal for their first lead of the game. A second Brady quarterback sneak score and a late Davone Bess touchdown catch put the score at 27-24, and the Patriots were able to keep the ball the final 1:48 for the win as the team improved to 12-3 and secured them a playoff bye.
Question: How many points were the Dolphins leading by halftime?
Answer type: Number
A:
17.