In the midst of a season marked by heartbreaking defeats, significant injuries, and frustratingly inconsistent performances, the Miami Dolphins managed to pull it together on Monday night. Although their preseason hopes of reaching the Super Bowl seem distant, their hard-fought 23-15 win over the Los Angeles Rams showed that they might still have a chance to salvage a challenging year. Tyreek Hill caught a short touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa in the third quarter, ending the longest scoring drought of his career. The Dolphins (3-6) held Los Angeles scoreless in the end zone, snapping their three-game losing streak with just their second victory in eight games.
"When we're playing our best, we can still beat anyone," said defensive tackle Calais Campbell. "We just need to keep believing, keep fighting. The margin for error is zero. This is just one game, but we need to keep it going. To achieve our goals, we must continue to fight and believe." Rookie receiver Malik Washington rushed 18 yards on the opening drive, providing a much-needed boost for the struggling Dolphins (3-6), who had lost three games by a combined 10 points since their last victory on October 6.
Miami's defense was impressive at SoFi Stadium, forcing two turnovers and keeping the Rams off the scoreboard despite allowing 327 yards. Tagovailoa passed for only 207 yards, but he made several crucial throws, helping the Dolphins convert six third downs, most of them at critical moments. Tagovailoa was 9 of 12 for 137 yards on third downs alone.
"We've come a long way through however many losses in a row," Tagovailoa said. "The resilience of this team, with all the external noise and people counting us out, hopefully this is an opportunity we won't waste. Hopefully, we can build on this win and find our rhythm." Hill had three receptions, including his first touchdown catch since the season opener, while playing through a wrist injury. Jason Sanders kicked three field goals.
"This kind of game can spark a run," Campbell said. "But it means nothing if we don't win the next one... The hard part is, how do you sustain this momentum? But as we said in our pregame meetings, to start a wildfire, all it takes is one spark. So we keep believing, keep fighting, and make a run for it."
The Rams' winning streak came to a halt. Matthew Stafford passed for 293 yards, and rookie Joshua Karty kicked five field goals for the Rams (4-5), whose three-game winning streak ended with a significant offensive decline. Los Angeles failed to score a touchdown for only the eighth time in coach Sean McVay's eight seasons.
"Defensively, I was pleased with our performance," McVay said. "Ultimately, we weren't able to capitalize on offense. There wasn't any complementary football... There have been instances where we haven't been consistent enough. Sloppy? Yes. We need to play better and be more consistent." After scoring 76 points in their three straight wins, Los Angeles failed to score a touchdown for the first time since November 2023, in Green Bay while Stafford was injured. Puka Nacua had nine catches for 98 yards, and Cooper Kupp made seven receptions for 80 yards.
Los Angeles drove to the Miami four-yard line in the fourth quarter, but McVay opted for a fourth field goal, making it a one-score game with 6:31 left. Miami's Odell Beckham Jr. then made a crucial catch for a first down at the stadium where he suffered a severe knee injury while winning the Super Bowl with the Rams three seasons ago. The Dolphins drove for Sanders' 50-yard field goal with 2:38 remaining.
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