Dolphins swarm Giants for fifth straight win
The Miami Dolphins’ defense was swarming once again, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the offense did enough while a pair of rookies set team records Sunday.
The Dolphins continued their surge that started halfway through the season, defeating the ailing New York Giants, 20-9, at Hard Rock Stadium and extending their winning streak to five games.
The five consecutive victories match the Dolphins’ longest streak under coach Brian Flores. With Miami now 6-7, the Dolphins are putting themselves in the AFC playoff picture before their bye week with four games remaining in the regular season.
Tagovailoa was 30 of 41 for 244 yards and two touchdowns.
The Miami defense kept New York (4-8) out of the end zone, intercepting journeyman backup Mike Glennon once and holding him to 23-of-43 passing for 187 yards. Glennon was playing for injured starter Daniel Jones, and he was also without such playmakers as receivers Sterling Shepard and Kadarius Toney.
The Dolphins’ two first-round picks each set rookie records in the win. Receiver Jaylen Waddle had nine receptions for 90 yards against the Giants, which now gives him 86 on the season, surpassing Jarvis Landry’s club record of 84 set in 2014.
Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips added two sacks to his season total, and the 8 1/2 he now has on the season also established a Miami franchise mark.
The Dolphins scored a touchdown with 26 seconds left in the first half to go into halftime leading, 10-3.
Tagovailoa threw a pass up to Mack Hollins in the corner of the end zone from 5 yards out for Hollins’ team-leading fourth touchdown catch. The drive went 14 plays for 89 yards and took 3:52.
Miami increased its advantage to two possessions, 17-6, when Tagovailoa rolled out and found receiver Isaiah Ford tip-toeing by the pylon for a touchdown from third-and-goal at the 2-yard line.
With Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders missing a 52-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and Giants’ Graham Gano hitting from 51 with 4:59 left, New York crept back within one possession. Miami then put it away with a 48-yard field goal by Sanders with 1:11 remaining after extending the drive with a pair of first downs, one an acrobatic catch by DeVante Parker as he returned from injured reserve on Sunday.
Aside from the first touchdown, Miami’s other big first-half play came on an Xavien Howard interception the first quarter. Glennon threw deep into double coverage between Howard and safety Jevon Holland, and Howard came down with the interception at the Miami 3-yard line. He was ruled down by contact at the spot upon but originally had a lengthy return that would’ve started the Dolphins in Giants territory.
Before the touchdown, Miami and New York exchanged second-quarter field goals. Gano connected from 39 yards out, and the Dolphins’ Jason Sanders was good from 48 yards.
Gano also hit a 34-yard field goal in the third quarter after the Giants got into range for it on back-to-back Saquon Barkley and Devontae Booker runs. Safety Eric Rowe’s pressure on a blitz forced Glennon into a rushed, errant third-down pass to the end zone.
Along with Phillips’ two sacks, Adam Butler had another for the Dolphins. Giants rookie outside linebacker Quincy Roche, a Miami Hurricane last year, also had a sack in his first game back at Hard Rock Stadium.
Barkley finished with 11 carries for 55 yards and six receptions for 19. Giants tight end Evan Engram had four receptions for 61 yards.
Sunday’s game marked just the fourth time the Dolphins hosted the Giants. Miami lost the previous three, games in 2015, 1996 and 1993. The teams’ 2007 meeting, a scheduled home game for the Dolphins, was played in London.
The Dolphins now have their bye week with four games remaining on the other side of it, beginning with hosting the other New York team, the AFC East-rival Jets, on Dec. 19.
This story will be updated.