Miami was down by three in the final minute of regulation but strung together the game's final nine points to come away with a 32-26 victory in overtime over the N.Y. Jets on Sunday afternoon.
The win was Miami's first overtime victory since they defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 38-35, on Dec. 22, 2019, and first overtime game played since Sept. 26, 2021 at Las Vegas.
This was Miami's fourth consecutive win over New York, dating back to the Dolphins' 11-6 win
to close out the 2022 regular season on Jan. 8, 2023. It marks the seventh time the Dolphins have won at least four consecutive games against the Jets. Dating back to the 2016 season, Miami is 14-3 against the Jets, including Sunday's win.
We go Inside the Numbers, presented by BDO, to take a look at the most notable team stats, individual metrics, milestones and more from Miami's Week 14 win.
Tagovailoa Enters Elite Company
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed 33-of-47 pass attempts (70.2 pct.) for 331 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. With his 331-yard performance, Tagovailoa became the fourth quarterback in Dolphins history to pass for 15,000 yards.
With his third consecutive 300-yard passing performance, Tagovailoa joined Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks in Dolphins history to record three consecutive games with 300 yards; Marino completed the feat on four occasions, last in 1998. Tagovailoa joined Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow and Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield as the only quarterbacks in the NFL this season with a streak of three such games (through Sunday's 1 p.m. slate).
Tagovailoa recorded his seventh consecutive game with a completion percentage of 70.0 or better, tying the third-longest streak in NFL history (Joe Montana, 1989 & Drew Brees, 2017-18 – eight games). Within a single season, it is tied for the second-longest streak in NFL history (Joe Montana, eight games – 1989). Tagovailoa broke a tie with Detroit quarterback Jared Goff for the longest such streak in the NFL this season.
With his four-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyreek Hill in the fourth quarter, Tagovailoa extended his streak of consecutive games with a passing touchdown to 13, the second-longest active streak in the NFL (Lamar Jackson, 20). Tagovailoa has now thrown at least one touchdown pass in 34 of his last 35 games played. His two touchdown passes marked his fourth consecutive game with at least two passing touchdowns. The streak is the longest of his career and is currently tied for the longest active streak in the NFL (through Sunday's 1 p.m. games).
The game was Tagovailoa's first career overtime appearance. In the period, Tagovailoa completed 6-of-7 passes (85.7 pct.) for 67 yards and a touchdown with a passer rating of 146.1. His overtime passer rating of 146.1 is the second-best overtime performance by passer rating in franchise history (Cleo Lemon, 158.3 – Dec. 16, 2007 vs. Baltimore).
Sanders Comes Up Clutch
Kicker Jason Sanders nailed a 52-yard field goal to tie the game at 26-26 with seven seconds remaining to force overtime. It marked his second game-tying or game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter this season – the first coming in Week 1 against Jacksonville – and the 10th such kick of his career.
He converted on all four of his field goal attempts, from 39, 24, 57 and 52 yards. His 57-yard field goal, with two seconds remaining in the opening half, gave Miami a 15-13 lead. The kick tied his career long, which he had set in Miami's win over Dallas on Dec. 24, 2023. The game marked the fifth time in his career that Sanders has made two 50-plus yard field goals and the second time this season (Nov. 11, 2024 at L.A. Rams).
Sanders is one of two kickers to make at least one field goal in each game played this season (Brandon Aubrey, Dal.). His 13 consecutive games with a field goal is the second-longest active streak in the NFL and the longest streak of his career. It marked the eighth time in his career that Sanders has made four field goals in a game and the first time since knocking down five in against Dallas on Dec. 24, 2023.
Hill and Waddle Lead Wide Receivers
Hill had his second 100-yard receiving performance this season, catching 10 passes for 115 yards (11.5 avg.) and a touchdown. Hill's 10 catches pushed him over 300 during his tenure with the Dolphins, passing Brian Hartline to move into 11th in franchise history. The performance marked his 39th career game with 100 receiving yards and his 17th since joining Miami in 2022. His seventeen 100-yard receiving performances only trail Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson's 19 games since 2022.
Hill's touchdown, the fifth of his season, set up a game-tying two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. Hill has now caught five touchdowns in all nine seasons of his career, tied with Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans for the longest active streak in the NFL. It marked the 29th time in his career that Hill has had 100 yards and a touchdown and the 13th since being acquired by Miami. His 13 such performances are the most in the NFL during that span.
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle caught a season-high nine passes for 99 yards (11.0 avg.), surpassing 300 career receptions and 4,000 receiving yards in the process. Waddle's 4,085 career receiving yards are the most in a player's first four seasons in Dolphins history, while his 305 receptions are second behind wide receiver Jarvis Landry.
In the fourth quarter, Waddle connected with Tagovailoa on a two-point conversion to tie the score at 23. Waddle, who had a two-point conversion at Green Bay on Nov. 28, 2024, is the first Dolphins player to score on a two-point conversion in back-to-back weeks since at least 2000.
Multiple Sacks for Sieler
Defensive tackle Zach Sieler had one of the best performances of his career on Sunday afternoon, recording four tackles (two solo), 2.0 sacks, three quarterback hits and two tackles for loss. The 2.0 sacks mark the third time in his career he has had two sacks in a game and the first since Oct. 8, 2023 vs. the N.Y. Giants.
Sieler became the first Dolphins player this season to have 2.0 sacks in a game and now leads the team with 6.0 sacks. Since 2023, his 16.0 sacks are the second-most by an interior defensive lineman in the NFL, trailing Baltimore's Nnamdi Madubuike (18.0 sacks).
Smith Delivers in Overtime
Tight end Jonnu Smith did not have any catches in regulation but came up big for Miami on the lone possession of overtime. Smith, who is on pace to record the best season by a Dolphins tight end in franchise history, caught three passes for 44 yards (14.7 avg.) and the game-winning 10-yard touchdown in the overtime period. The touchdown catch pushed him to five this season, which marks the second time in his career he has had five or more touchdown catches in a season (eight touchdowns, 2020).
Smith has the fifth-most receiving yards (692), fifth-most receptions (61) and is tied for seventh with five touchdowns among tight ends in a single season in franchise history. His 61 receptions through Week 14 are the most by a Dolphins tight end in that span, while his 692 receiving yards rank second (Randy McMichael, 2004 – 698) and his touchdowns are tied for fifth.
Individual/Team Stats and Milestones
Running back De'Von Achane totaled 69 scrimmage yards with 45 receiving yards and 24 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on the afternoon. Achane's two-yard rushing touchdown on Miami's opening possession was his 10th total touchdown of the season (four rushing, six receiving). In doing so, Achane became one of eight players in the NFL to record at least 10 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons. His 21 total touchdowns are the most by a Dolphins player in the first two seasons of their career.
WR Malik Washington's 45-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter was the longest return of his career and helped set up Sanders' game-tying 52-yard field goal. It was the longest kickoff return by a Dolphin since Jakeem Grant returned a kickoff 45 yards against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 1, 2020.
Linebacker Jordyn Brooks had a team-leading nine tackles (four solo), a sack, a quarterback hit, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Brooks' sack came on a big third down play, forcing a loss of five yards and New York to kick a field goal. The sack was his second of the season and marks 8.5 in his career.
