Halfway by a season of heartbreaking losses, main accidents and maddeningly inconsistent play, the Miami Dolphins largely put it collectively on Monday evening.
Whereas their preseason Tremendous Bowl aspirations nonetheless look unlikely, the Dolphins’ gritty 23-15 victory over the Los Angeles Rams demonstrated that they nonetheless could have a shot to make one thing out of a really making an attempt yr.
Tyreek Hill caught a brief landing move from Tua Tagovailoa within the third quarter to finish the longest scoring drought of his profession, and the Dolphins (3-6) stored Los Angeles out of the tip zone whereas snapping their three-game shedding streak with simply their second victory in eight video games.
“Once we’re enjoying our greatest ball, we are able to nonetheless beat anyone,” defensive sort out Calais Campbell stated. “We’ve simply obtained to proceed to consider, proceed to combat. And clearly the margin for error is zero. So it’s one sport, however we’ve obtained to maintain it going. For us to go the place we wish to go, we’ve obtained to maintain preventing and consider.”
Rookie receiver Malik Washington rushed 18 yards on the opening possession of a much-needed turnaround evening for the beleaguered Dolphins (3-6), who had misplaced three video games by a mixed 10 factors since their final victory on 6 October.
Miami’s strong protection stepped up impressively at SoFi Stadium, forcing two turnovers and maintaining the Rams touchdown-less regardless of yielding 327 yards.
Tagovailoa handed for under 207 yards, however he made a collection of massive throws whereas the Dolphins transformed six third downs, most of them at key moments. Tagovailoa was 9 of 12 for 137 yards on third downs alone.
“We’ve come a good distance by nonetheless many losses in a row,” Tagovailoa stated. “The resilience of this workforce with the exterior noise, everybody counting us out, hopefully this is a chance to not waste. Hopefully we are able to go on a run with this win and discover our rhythm.”
Hill had three receptions – together with his first TD catch because the season opener – whereas enjoying by a wrist harm, and Jason Sanders kicked three discipline targets.
“That is the sort of sport that may spark a run,” Campbell stated. “Nevertheless it doesn’t imply something if we don’t win the subsequent one … The exhausting half is, how do you proceed this? However like we stated within the [pregame] conferences, to create a wildfire, all it takes is one spark. So we maintain believing, maintain preventing and make a run for it.”
The Rams’ run was stopped in its tracks.
Matthew Stafford handed for 293 yards and rookie Joshua Karty kicked 5 discipline targets for the Rams (4-5), whose three-game profitable streak ended with a significant offensive regression. Los Angeles failed to attain a landing for under the eighth time in coach Sean McVay’s eight seasons.
“Defensively, I used to be happy with the best way we performed,” McVay stated. “Finally we weren’t capable of capitalize on offense. There wasn’t any semblance of complementary soccer … There have been cases the place we haven’t been constant sufficient. Sloppy? Yeah. We now have to have the ability to play higher and be extra constant.”
After scoring 76 factors of their three straight wins, Los Angeles failed to attain a landing for the primary time since November 2023, at Inexperienced Bay whereas Stafford was injured.
Puka Nacua had 9 catches for 98 yards, and Cooper Kupp made seven receptions for 80 yards.
Los Angeles drove to the Miami four-yard line within the fourth quarter, however McVay settled for a fourth discipline purpose that made it a one-score sport with 6:31 to play. Miami’s Odell Beckham Jr then made a key catch for a primary down within the stadium the place he badly injured his knee whereas profitable the Tremendous Bowl with the Rams three seasons in the past, and the Dolphins drove for Sanders’ 50-yard discipline purpose with 2:38 left.
