The Miami Dolphins turned in a dominant 34-15 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium, improving to 5-6 on the season ahead of a quick turnaround for a Thanksgiving night game in Green Bay later this week.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led the day, completing 29-of-40 passes, throwing for 317 yards and recording his first four-touchdown performance since Week 3 of the 2023 season.
The aerial attack got a boost from wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who turned in a season-high 144 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions (18.0 avg.). Tight end Jonnu Smith also had an active day, totaling a team-high nine receptions for 87 yards (9.7 avg.) and a touchdown, and wide receiver Tyreek Hill added five catches for 48 yards (9.6 avg.). Running back De'Von Achane found the end zone twice, as he tallied 56 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on the day.
After both teams traded punts on their opening drives, New England rookie quarterback Drake Maye orchestrated a 12-play sequence that gave the Patriots a chance to strike first. This lengthy drive, which took up 7:26 of game time, ended without points as kicker Joey Slye hit the uprights on a 45-yard field goal attempt.
The Dolphins quickly went to work, with Tagovailoa commanding an eight-play, 65-yard touchdown drive. The quarterback connected with Smith on three occasions for 26 yards – most notably on a seven-yard completion in the red zone, which Smith ran in for the game's first score. This gave Miami a 7-0 lead with 14:10 left in the second quarter – a lead which they would not surrender for the rest of the game.
After rookie linebacker Chop Robinson's third career sack forced a Patriots three-and-out on the ensuing drive, Miami drove downfield and scored once again. This nine-play, 68-yard drive, which included completions of 14 and 17 yards to Waddle, was capped off by an nine-yard swing pass to Achane, who ran into the end zone to stretch the Dolphins' lead to 14-0.
Tagovailoa continued to dominate in the second quarter, leading two more scoring drives, as Achane added another touchdown on an 11-yard pass and kicker Jason Sanders drilled a 21-yard field goal just before the half. The team entered the locker room with a 24-0 lead, thanks to another strong showing from the defense, who forced three consecutive Patriots three-and-outs in the stanza.
The Dolphins' 24 first-half points are the most the team has scored in a half this season and the first time they have scored 20 points in a quarter since Week 6 of the 2023 season, when Miami scored 21 in the second quarter against Carolina.
The Dolphins extended their lead in the third quarter, after Miami's defense forced a turnover, leading to the first points of the second half. On a third-and-3 from the 50-yard line, defensive tackle Zach Sieler sacked Maye, forcing a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Jordyn Brooks and returned to New England's 25-yard line.
Two plays later, Tagovailoa found Waddle in the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown to give Miami a 31-0 lead with 1:37 left in the third quarter.
Despite Miami's 31-point lead entering the fourth quarter, the Patriots continued to battle. With 13:43 remaining in the game, Maye found tight end Austin Hooper on a fourth-and-15 play to get New England on the board with a 38-yard touchdown. The Patriots continued to chipped into the lead, as cornerback Christian Gonzalez scooped up a fumble on a botched Miami handoff two drives later, returning it 63 yards for a touchdown. A converted two-point try by the Patriots brought the lead to within two scores, as the Dolphins held a 31-15 advantage with 10:10 to play.
New England's momentum was short-lived, however, as on their next offensive drive, Maye was picked off by linebacker Tyrel Dodson, who corralled the takeaway with one hand. Sanders nailed the 51-yard field goal that followed, extending Miami's lead back up to three scores and cementing the win.
Miami will travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin to take on the Packers on Thanksgiving night. Thursday night's kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. on NBC.
