First Quarter
The Dolphins opened on offense at the 35-yard line after a touchback.
De’Von Achane opened up with a 10-yard run. Not ideal. The Dolphins reached the 45-yard line with a 15-yard pass completion to Waddle, and then things went wrong — Achane ran for 23 yards on the third play of the game. So far, the DQ defense looks a lot like the Joe Whitt defense.
On 3rd & 2 at the 24-yard line, Achane was stopped short; the Dolphins offense lined up for 4th & 1, but the officials flagged Miami for delay of game. The field goal kicker — one of the hundreds of guys who kicked for Washington last year — Riley Patterson hit the 46-yard attempt to make the score 3-0 with 10:35 left in the first quarter. The drive covered 52 yards in 7 plays.
Washington’s first offensive drive started at the 21-yard line following a short return by Chase Edmonds.
Chris Rodriguez started at running back; the drive opened with a pass to Chris Moore followed by a couple of runs by CRod. A pass to Deebo left the team facing 3rd & 1 on the 5th play of the drive — a run by Rodriguez that was stuffed at the line of scrimmage.
On 4th & 1, Mariota faked the handoff to Rodriguez and hit Colson Yankoff for a 4-yard gain to midfield.
Another big play came on a completion to Jaylin Lane on a crossing pattern for a gain of 13 yards to the 36-yard line.
McNichols came into the game and was the immediate recipient of a screen pass that not only went for 6 yards, but had a personal foul penalty against Miami added on, moving the ball to the 15-yard line.
A pass interference flag on the next play moved the ball to the 11-yard line. Rodriguez returned to the field of play. Miami’s nose tackle Benito Jones was shaken up on the 1st down play.
A pair of Rodriguez runs led to 3rd & 1 at the 2-yard line, and the Commanderw went to the jumbo package.
On 3rd down, it was a QB keeper left that was never close to working (a bad play call).
On 4th & 2, Rodriguez was flagged for a false start on what was going to be a pass play.
Matt Gay came in to attempt the tying field goal — nailing the 26-yard kick. 3-3 with 2:36 left in the first quarter. The drive covered 77 yards in 11 plays, but should have ended in a touchdown instead of a field goal.
Miami’s offense was back on the field at the 23-yard line for its 2nd drive of the game after a good tackle by Yankoff on the kickoff.
Miami is using a lot of motion on offense, but this time I don’t see it affecting the defense. Despite that, the Dolphins earn 19 yards on 2 plays to reach the 42-yard line.
Achane got buried on a 1st down screen, then broke a run for 15 yards wide right to bring the quarter to an end.
Second Quarter
The Dolphins have the ball 1st & 10 at Washington’s 43-yard line to open the second quarter. The crowd has seemed pretty subdued for most of the game so far.
Two plays later, the Dolphins faced 3rd & 3. On 3rd down, Tua hit Malik Washington for 18 yards on the right sideline. Tua faced no pass pressure at all.
From the 18-yard line, the Dolphins run for 8 yards, and then Tua missed the tight end for his first incompletion of the day. On 3rd & 2 at the 10 yard line, Jacob Martin sacked Tua for an 11-yard loss!!
Patterson came on to kick the 39-yard field goal — it’s been a lot of bending but no breaking so far for Washington’s defense. The score is 6-3 with about 11 1/2 minutes remaining in the half.
Washington’s offense looked good on the first drive right up until the penalty on 4th & 2; let’s see if they can put together a touchdown drive here to take the lead.
The Commanders offense started their 2nd drive of the game at the 28-yard line after another Chase Edmonds return.
Rodriguez continues to be the lead back.
On 2nd & 10, Mariota hits Zach Ertz on the left sideline for a 15-yard gain — easy throw and catch. On the next play, Rodriguez had a beautiful jump cut at the line of scrimmage and broke for 17 yards - one of his best runs of the season.
Another 9-yard completion to Ertz was followed by another 5-yard gain by CRod to the Miami 27-yard line. The Commanders offense is on the move.
Mariota was under pressure on the next play and scrambled for several seconds before trying (but failing) to hit Ertz in the end zone. On 3rd & 10, Mariota tried to scramble, but was tackled by Dotson for a 6-yard sack.
Time for another field goal — Gay sent the 51-yard attempt wide to the right by a yard or two. The score stays at 6-3; the 9-play drive covered just 39 yards.
Miami will start its 3rd drive of the game with good field position at the Commanders 41-yard line with about 7 1/2 minutes left in the half.
The Dolphins ran a busted running play on 2nd & 3; on 3rd & 3, Tua spun right into a sack by blitzing cornerback Jonathan Jones to end the drive — 3 & out. Maybe the change to DQ is making a difference!
After a punt, a return and a flag, the Commanders take the field backed up to their own 6-yard line with about 5 1/2 minutes remaining in the half. They need to move down the field and finish this drive.
Bill Croskey-Merritt makes his first appearance in the game and loses a yard on 1st down.
On a play action pass, it appears as if Mariota missed Deebo badly, but the defense is flagged for DPI that was a total bullshit call. Commanders get a fresh set of downs at the 20-yard line.
Washington gets 11 yards on two pass completions (Deebo & Bill), then Mariota came close to an interception on a miss targeting Ertz.
Then, Mariota hit a wide-open Chris Moore for 19-yards in the middle of the feild. A good play.
Bill carries the ball across midfield at the clock hits 3 minutes.
A play action pass is completed to Zach Ertz for 15 yards; the TE immediately slides to end the play instead of running towards the end zone.
At the 2-minute warning, the Commanders have the ball 1st & 10 at the MIA 32-yard line.
After the time out, a run by Bill and a scramble by Mariota brings up 3rd & 1 at the 23-yard line with about 72 seconds left on the clock for the half. On 3rd down, CRod came back on the field behind the jumbo package and ran for 6 yards to the 17 yard line with the clock ticking.
1st down — 2 yard run by CRod
2nd down — Mariota throws the ball away after several seconds of moving in the pocket (no one open; not a lot of pressure)
3rd down — Offensive pass interference against Deebo moves the ball back 10 yards.
3rd & 18 - Screen pass to Deebo, who runs to the 11 yard line.
Matt Gay comes out with 3 seconds on the clock to attempt a 30-yard field goal to tie the game.
The kick is good. Tied at 6-6 at halftime.
It feels like the Commanders have (slightly) had the better team in the first half though not on the scoreboard.
Washington will get the ball to open the 2nd half.
Halftime Stats
Statistics via ESPN
Third Quarter
Incredibly, each team had just 3 drives each in the first half, scoring two field goals apiece. Washington’s two sacks feel like the two biggest plays of the game at this point.
Washington sets up for its 4th offensive drive of the day at the 41-yard line after a good return by Edmonds.
Rodriguez is back in the game and Mariota hits him on a check down (6 yards) to open the half. CRod goes deep into Miami territory with a 12-yard run. He’s running hard; on 1st down, he gets hit 2 yards in the backfield and breaks that and another tackle to go for 4 yards. After a completion to Deebo, on 3rd & 1, at the 32-yard line, Rodriguez goes up the middle for a 12 yard gain. The safety made a TD-saving tackle at the 20-yard line!
Deebo caught a pass near the line of scrimmage and ran the 20 yards to the end zone, getting tackled right at the goal line to give Washington its first lead of the game!
After the PAT, Washington led 13-6 after a 6-play, 59-yard drive that lasted just 3:36.
It’s the first time Washington has had the lead on the scoreboard in a long time!
Miami starts its 4th offensive drive at the 35-yard line after the touchback (ball went through the end zone).
The first play of the drive is a huge one — a 31-yard catch and run by Waddle to Washington’s 34-yard line. So much for that good DQ defense!
TE Julian Hill goes for 14 yards to Washington’s 20-yard line on the next play. After an offsides penalty on Kinlaw and an 8-yard run, Miami had 1st & goal at the 7-yard line. It’s time for the “don’t break” part of the defense.
After a 3-yard run by Gordon and a 2-yard run by Achane, on 3rd & goal at the 2, Gordon was stuffed for no gain by Frankie Luvu with help from two other Commanders defenders.
On 4th & goal at the 2, Bobby Wagner knocked down Tua’s pass to Waddle at the goal line — a beautiful bit of pass defense — to end the drive! Not bad for an old slow linebacker who can’t play pass defense.
Marcus Mariota and the offense have 98 yards of green grass in front of them, but with a 7-point lead and about 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.
Rodriguez is still in at RB. Brandon Coleman jumps on the hard count to move the ball back to the 1-yard line.
On 1st & 11, CRod runs for 2 yards; on 2nd & 9, Mariota throws the ball away out of bounds. A flag for interference was correctly picked up because the ball was uncatchable.
On 3rd & 9, Jeremy McNichols caught the ball at the 2-yard line and then ran for the first down to the 13.
Croskey-Merritt comes in and gets stuffed — he now has 4 carries for 6 yards. CRod has 14 for 79 yards.
On 2nd & 15, Mariota is almost tackled in the end zone; he spins and heaves the ball for what turns out to be a legal pass…incomplete. It was a pretty wild play.
Mariota was hurt on the play and backup Josh Johnson came on the field for the 3rd down play. That play was a handoff to McNichols for 8 yards to bring Tress Way on to punt. The special teams tackle was a thing of beauty, but just beyond midfield. Marcus Mariota went to the blue tent.
With under 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Dolphins have the opportunity to cut into the lead or tie the game.
Tua, on 1st down, targeted Waddle inside the 10 yard line, and Mikey Sainristil dropped what looked like an easy interception at about the 6-yard line. Mariota is out of the tent and warming up wearing a baseball cap.
On 3rd & 6, Malik Washington earns the 1st down with a 13-yard reception to the WAS 37-yard line.
The drive continued with a run and a completion to reach the end of the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
The fourth quarter opens with Miami at the Washington 20 yard line, 1st & 10. Although the Commanders did well to stop the Dolphins at the goal line on their previous drive, the shift in field position has benefited the Miami offense.
The Dolphins run a play that I saw Logan Paulsen break down on one of his podcasts this week, and the Commanders had apparently seen the same show because they sniffed it out. Unfortunately, instead of a 4-yard tackle for loss, they let Achane break loose for a 3-yard run and a 1st down at the 8 yard line.
On 3rd & goal at the 1 yard line following a good 2nd down tackle by Wagner (seems like we’ve been here a lot today), Washington’s defense finally breaks — Gordon runs inside for an easy touchdown.
Following the PAT, the score was tied 13-13 with about 12 1/2 minutes left in the game.
It will be interesting to see who comes out to quarterback the offense.
Washington’s 6th drive of the game starts at the 30-yard line after another Edmonds return.
Mariota comes back onto the field. So does Bill.
Running from a heavy formation, Bill Croskey-Merritt has his first good run of the day, going for 10 yards and a first down at the 40-yard line.
A short run by Bill and then a busted screen to Deebo forces 3rd & 9; on the play, Mariota scrambles immediately and looks a lot like Jayden Daniels as he runs for 43 yards!!!
Bill stays in the game (maybe CRod is injured?) and runs twice. On 3rd & 3, Deebo lines up in the wildcat and runs to the 5 yard line — first & goal!!
McNichols runs to the 1-yard line on 2nd down.
Cosmi was shaken up and Brandon Coleman came onto the field ahead of the 3rd down play.
On 3rd & goal from the 1-yard line with just under 7 minutes on the clock, Chris Rodriguez is stuffed for no gain.
Facing 4th & goal from inside the 2-yard line in a tied ball game, the Commanders burn a time out as the playclock approaches zero; when they eventually snap the ball, Mariota throws incomplete to Zach Ertz on his usual goal line play — but Ertz slipped on the route, which almost certainly would have been a touchdown. D’oh!!
The Dolphins, of course, have 98.5 yards of grass in front of them. This is an opportunity for the Washington defense to show that things have changed.
A huge hole opens on 1st down and Ollie Gordon romps through for a 20-yard run. Not good.
Waddle helps by dropping a pass to force 3rd & 13 at the 19-yard line. On 3rd down, the Commanders get heavy pressure on Tua; he escapes the sure sack, then rolls to his left, but is tracked down by Von Miller.
The Dolphins are forced to punt. Sainristil is the return man instead of Jaylin Lane. He muffs the punt and it is recovered by the Dolphins!! A great defensive stop is turned into a disaster!
The complexion of the game changes in one play.
It was Mikey’s first NFL punt return.
Dolphins have the ball at Washington’s 42-yard line with just over 4 minutes left in the game.
Things go badly, with the Dolphins earning a 1st down at the 29-yard line with a ticking clock and a tie game. Things look grim.
The clock stops when Achane goes out of bounds at the 6 yard line with 2:29 on the clock — 1st & goal.
The Commanders use their final time out ahead of 2nd & goal. On the 2nd down play, Achane goes for another 4 yards as the 2-minute warning is given.
After the time out, on 3rd & goal from the 1-yard line Achane is stopped by Kinlaw. Achane was slow to get up after the play. The injury stopped the clock at 1:44.
On 4th down, with the game tied up, Mike McDaniels left his offense on the field. The handoff to Gordon was stuffed by Eddie Goldman and Frankie Luvu for a loss of 2 yards!!!
Mike McDaniel will be answering a lot of questions about his decision not to kick the field goal if Miami doesn’t end up with the win.
Marcus Mariota opens up with a bang, hitting Deebo in the middle of the field for a 28-yard catch & run to the 31-yard line with 69 seconds on the clock.
The Dolphins burn their remaining timeouts with 65 seconds remaining in the clock. Washington faces 3rd & 6 at their own 35-yard line. It was his first career catch!
Mariota hits Jacoby Jones (who I didn’t realize was on the Washington roster) for a 25-yard gain to the MIA 40-yard line.
Mariota throws a dangerous pass on 2nd & 8 that is broken up.
On 3rd & 8 from the 39-yard line, Mariota heaves it to the goal line, where Chris Moore can’t pull the pass in. It hits his right hand at inside the 5-yard line.
Facing 4th & 8, Matt Gay MISSES the 56-yard attempt wide right!! His 2nd miss of the game!
Gay’s problems with kicks over 50 yards continue.
The Dolphins will take over with 10 ticks left on the clock.
The 4th quarter ends with a completion to Achane, who is tackled at Washington’s 32-yard line with no time left on the clock.
For the second time in two international games, Washington will play overtime. Of course, last time, against the Bengals in London, Washington and Cincinnati played to a tie.
Miami won the toss and chose to kick the ball to Washington. The Commanders will have the first opportunity to possess the ball in overtime.
Washington’s offense takes the field at the 35-yard line after the touchback.
Disaster strikes immediately. With good protection, Mariota scans the field for several seconds, then throws to Zach Ertz. The CB covering Ertz, Jack Jones, intercepts the ball easily and returns it to the WAS 33.
It will take a miracle to stop the Dolphins from scoring in what is now a sudden-death overtime.
The game comes to a sudden end when Patterson nails the 29-yard field goal.
It will be a long flight home and a long bye week for a team that muffed a couple of chances in the 4th quarter and overtime to come away with a much needed win, but instead fell to 3-8 in a season full of failures.
The big difference this time is that the big mistakes were made on offense and special teams — the defense actually played well enough to secure the win.
Full Game Stats
Statistics via ESPN
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