Gaskin on Vegas Win: 'Probably Most Fun Game I Ever Played'

In the Miami Dolphins' miraculous 26-25 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday night, the long line of heroes stretched from the Nevada desert to South Beach.

There were more than a few.

Fill-in Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, as one NFL Network analyst and movie buff so astutely put it, "went all Linda Blair" on his neck-flexible play.

Wide receiver Mack Hollins was all concentration and tiptoes as he caught Fitzpatrick's blind and fluttering 34-yard heave to put Miami in field-goal range.

With one second remaining, placekicker Jason Sanders calmly stepped up and drilled the 44-yarder through that adroitly decided things in the Dolphins favor.

Oh yeah, Myles Gaskin did his thing the way University of Washington football fans are accustomed and those Miami loyalists are still finding out. There's a reason he generated 5,878 all-purpose yards and scored 62 touchdowns for the Huskies.

As the nation looked on, Gaskin came off the COVID reserve list, this after bouncing back from a knee injury, to pile up 169 yards rushing and passing and score a pair of touchdowns — both on receptions.

In Las Vegas, he ran for 14 yards the first time he touched the ball.

Gaskin sprinted 59 yards to the end zone the last time he had it.

"Probably the most fun game I ever played in my life," he said in a postgame virtual interview session. "I think that’s what sports and competing, all that stuff is really about. It’s coming down to the wire, who is going to make the play.”

Gaskin, back after missing a couple of games while on the COVID-19 list, made his share. He rushed for 87 yards and had 82 receiving yards, giving him 895 yards of total offense for the season.

And after his two-game absence dealing with the pandemic, he didn't even start, giving way to one-time Husky teammate Salvon Ahmed.

One of the endearing photos of the game that made the rounds nationally was that of Gaskin and Ahmed, the former and current football teammates, smiling and shaking hands on the field.

It's a painful game that's hard on the mind and body, which Gaskin and Ahmed both can attest after having to bounce back from their recent health issues, but the rewards are incalculable when something so totally unexpected happens in a positive way.

“That’s what football is all about," Gaskin said. "That’s what you love about football, especially in the NFL. Ain’t anybody weak, ain’t anybody an easy win, especially in football in December. You play that all the way out. I love this atmosphere. I love this game."

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