Dolphins make the playoffs with a last-second field goal against the Cowboys
As time ran out, the Miami Dolphins’ kicker made a 29-yard field goal to seal a 22–20 win over the Cowboys of Dallas and secure a spot in the playoffs for the second straight year.
Sanders also kicked a 50-yard field goal against the Jets of the NFL in 2022, which helped Miami make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Sanders made all five of his tries, even though he had only made six of his previous sixteen kicks about at least 50 yards. His best performances were on kicks of 57, 54, and 52 yards.
“Not every year can be a all-pro year, so I believe I’m still making kicks,” Sanders said. Sanders is 22-for-26 this season on field goal tries.
“I’m still right where I should be—a couple blocks here as well as there; I don’t think there’s something to worry about.”
The Dolphins’ first win of the season came against an outfit with a good record. This was something that was talked about a lot in the locker room.
When it comes to his team’s success against winning teams, head coach Mike McDaniel has always acknowledged that it is a problem and pushed his players to fix it.
The boss for the second year said he was proud of how his team dealt with the negative things said about them.
“With the advent while heavy push in social media, I think it’s extremely difficult to ignore the noise, so to say something or not hear it,” he stated.
“I believe you will hear it… And I thought that it was a big win to this team as it’s always a big deal when you do a thing you know you can do. It’s pretty exciting when it works out.
Tua Tagovailoa threw to 293 yards and a score for the Dolphins, but even though they were ahead for much of the second period, they couldn’t get ahead of the other team.
At the end for the second quarter, he threw a score to Raheem Mostert. It was their only touchdown of the game.
In the third quarter, both teams traded field goals. Then, Dallas scored 10 straight points to take a 20–19 lead with approximately three minutes left in the game.
The Miami Dolphins beat the Dallas Cowboys 22–20 on Sunday, and Jason Sanders kicked his sixth field touchdown of the game, a 29-yarder, as time ran out. The win clinched the Dolphins’ spot in the playoffs.
The Dolphins (11-4), who are in first place in the AFC East, beat a team with a winning record for the initial time this season. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 293 yards and a score.
On the winning drive, which went 64 yards and took 3:27 off the clock, he connected with Tyreek Hill twice.
Before last week’s win over the New York Jets, Hill missed because of an ankle injury. This week, he had nine grabs for 99 yards.
There were 20 completions for 253 yards and two scores by Dak Prescott for the 10–5 Cowboys. They are now 10–5 and in first place in the NFC East, one half-game behind Philadelphia.
The Cowboys had trouble in the red zone early in the game. Prescott’s fumble in first-and-goal from within the 1 on Dallas’ first drive was a big example of this.
Sanders kicked his first field goal, which was a 57-yarder in the opening quarter. He made extra kicks from 52, 54, and 35 yards to give the Dolphins a 19–10 lead late in the third.
Prescott inspired the Cowboys by making some great plays. On the drive that gave them the lead, he threw a pass to Michael Gallup while Duke Riley, a Miami defender, was pulling him into the ground at the 2.
Prescott threw the football to Cooks, who caught it over All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. This happened on fourth-and-goal after Miami safety DeShon Elliott had been penalized for holding the ball in the end zone.
Linebacker Damone Clark grabbed the running back De’Von Achane’s face mask, which led to a penalty on the first play of possession. The ball was then moved to the Dolphins’ 46.
Next, Tagovailoa completed one of two important third downs. On third-and-2, he hit Hill with a quick screen pass that gained 10 yards and put the offense in a position to score.
Prescott scored a touchdown from 8 yards out to Brandin Cooks, who jumped and caught it in the corner of the end zone. This put Dallas ahead 20–19.
On the next three plays, running back Jeff Wilson Jr. ran through the Dallas defense and gained six yards on third-and-2.
This made the Cowboys use their last timeout and let Miami run out the clock before Sanders’ try.