Dolphins beat Rams 23-15 as LA fails to score touchdown

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Tyreek Hill caught a short touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa in the third quarter, and the Miami Dolphins snapped their three-game losing streak with a gritty 23-15 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night.

Rookie receiver Malik Washington rushed for his first NFL touchdown on the opening possession of a much-needed turnaround game for the beleaguered Dolphins (3-6), who had lost three games by a combined 10 points since their last victory Oct. 6. Miami had lost six of seven since its opener, all but ruining a season that began with Super Bowl aspirations.

The Dolphins' solid defense stepped up impressively at SoFi Stadium, forcing two turnovers and keeping the Rams out of the end zone despite yielding 327 yards.

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 major offensive regression. Los Angeles failed to score a touchdown for only the eighth time in coach Sean McVay's eight seasons, and it couldn't score an offensive touchdown for only the second time in four years when Stafford was in uniform.

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is tackled by Miami Dolphins linebacker Quinton Bell, Nov. 11, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif.
AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Tagovailoa passed for only 207 yards, but he made a series of big throws while the Dolphins converted six third downs, most of them at key moments. Tagovailoa was 9 of 12 for 137 yards on third downs alone.

Hill had three receptions while playing through a wrist injury, and Jason Sanders kicked three field goals.

After scoring 76 points in its three straight wins, Los Angeles failed to score a touchdown for the first time since Nov. 5, 2023, at Green Bay while Stafford was injured.

Puka Nacua had nine catches for 98 yards, and Cooper Kupp made seven receptions for 80 yards.

Miami needed less than three minutes to score first. After Tagovailoa hit Jaylen Waddle for 36 yards on third and long, Washington - a sixth-round pick from Virginia - took a pitch 18 yards for a score on his second career rushing attempt.

Los Angeles' offense managed just 27 yards on its first five drives, and Stafford threw an interception in his sixth straight game when Anthony Walker Jr. dived to catch a tipped ball right before the first quarter ended.

Tagovailoa threw his first interception since Sept. 12 to Christian Rozeboom in the second quarter, but Kyren Williams fumbled on the Rams' next play. Rams rookie Jared Verse sacked Tagovailoa and recovered the fumble at the Miami 36 four plays later, but the Rams could only manage a field goal.

After Karty missed a 57-yard field goal attempt when a false start wiped out his successful 52-yarder in the third quarter, the Dolphins drove from midfield for Hill's 1-yard TD catch and a 17-6 lead.

Los Angeles drove to the Miami 4 in the fourth quarter, but McVay settled for a fourth field goal that made it a one-score game with 6:31 to play.

Miami's Odell Beckham Jr. then made a key catch for a first down in the stadium where he badly injured his knee while winning the Super Bowl with the Rams three seasons ago, and the Dolphins drove for Sanders' 50-yard field goal with 2:38 left.

Saving Florida

Miami's win saved the state of Florida from what would have been an unprecedented 0-12 weekend by its NFL and college teams at the FBS and FCS levels.

It also meant that the Dolphins, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville didn't combine to go 0-3 for a third consecutive week for what would have been the first time since Florida became a three-team NFL state in 1995.

The state's FBS teams went 0-6 this weekend, and Florida's three FCS schools all lost as well.

Injuries

Dolphins: CB Kendall Fuller got hurt on the fourth play of the second half and went into the concussion protocol. ... RT Austin Jackson (knee) went on injured reserve hours before kickoff. The Southern California product shouldn't be out for the season, coach Mike McDaniel said.

Rams: With Rob Havenstein (ankle) sidelined, RT Joe Noteboom (ankle) started in his first appearance since the season opener, but struggled against Miami rookie Chop Robinson.