Dolphins Continue Rolling Into Their Bye
The Miami Dolphins again took care of business against the New York Giants, using a familiar formula to record their fifth consecutive victory.
The defense dominated a short-handed Giants offense — missing starting QB Daniel Jones and its top two wide receivers — and Tua Tagovailoa threw two touchdown passes in a 20-9 victory at Hard Rock Stadium that moved the team's record to 6-7 heading into its bye.
The Giants became the fourth team the Dolphins held to 10 points or less during the winning streak.
The day was highlighted by a couple of players setting Dolphins rookie records, Jaylen Waddle breaking Jarvis Landry's receptions record and Jaelan Phillips coming up with sacks on back-to-back plays to set the team rookie record with 8.5.
The touchdown passes both came on third down and went to Mack Hollins near the end of the first half and to Isaiah Ford in the fourth quarter.
Jason Sanders added a 48-yard field goal in the first half and sealed the victory with another 48-yard kick with 1:11 left in the fourth quarter, though he was wide right on a 52-yard attempt in the third quarter.
Graham Gano accounted for all the Giants' points with three field goals, including a 51-yarder with 4:59 left in the fourth quarter to cut Miami's lead to 17-9.
Waddle ended his day with nine catches for 90 yards and gave the home fans a scare when he left the field hobbling and went to the locker room, though later reports indicated he was suffering from cramps and he went back into the game.
Running back Patrick Laird did leave the game in the first half with a knee injury and was quickly ruled out, an ominous sign in terms of the severity of the injury.
Cornerback Xavien Howard came up with his fourth interception of the season, and his second in two weeks, when he picked off a long attempt into double coverage.
Along with Phillips, Adam Butler had a sack.
Wide receiver DeVante Parker returned after missing four games and had five catches on five targets, including a 17-yard pick-up off a back-shoulder throw that was the longest gain on the first-half touchdown drive. He also made a key 16-yard catch on a third-and-6 after the Giants had cut Miami's lead to 17-9.
Tua threw a beautiful strike to Mike Gesicki later on that drive for a 17-yard gain that converted a third-and-4 situation and put the Dolphins in position to put the game away with Sanders' second field goal.
The Giants tried a 56-yard field goal with 14 seconds left but Gano was wide
Tua finished the game with 30 completions in 41 attempts for 244 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and a passer rating of 104.1.
Center Michael Deiter also was back in the lineup and was in the starting lineup after missing nine games with foot and quad injuries.
Along with Waddle and Phillips setting records, other highlights included:
-- Michael Palardy had a career-long 65-yard punt in the first half.
-- Tua's 21 first-half completions were the most by a Dolphins QB since at least 2000.
