FitzMagic strikes again as Dolphins stun Raiders, but Tua Tagovailoa remains Miami’s starter
Fitzpatrick delivered a throw with his face mask being yanked by a defender, producing an improbable completion that, along with a roughing-the-passer penalty, set up a last-second field goal that beat the Raiders, 26-25.
“When I threw it, I didn’t see it,” Fitzpatrick told the NFL Network soon after. “As you saw, my face mask got basically ripped off. I didn’t know he caught it. And everybody on the sideline was all excited. … It was pretty incredible.”
Indeed it was. Kicker Jason Sanders’s 44-yard field goal with one second remaining won it for the Dolphins. They improved to 10-5 and will remain ahead of the Baltimore Ravens for the third and final wild-card spot in the AFC. The Ravens (9-5) host the New York Giants on Sunday. The Raiders officially were eliminated from playoff contention.
“It’s hard to swallow right now,” Raiders Coach Jon Gruden said. “That’s a terrible way to lose a game.”
The final game of the NFL’s Saturday triple-header turned frantic in the late stages.
Fitzpatrick took over for Tagovailoa and immediately led a field goal drive for the Dolphins that tied the game at 16 with just more than four minutes remaining. The Raiders got an 85-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Derek Carr to wide receiver Nelson Agholor with a little more than 3-1/2 minutes left but missed the extra point. The Dolphins moved in front, 23-22, with just less than three minutes to play on a 59-yard catch and run by tailback Myles Gaskin and the extra point.
But a key pass interference penalty called on Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones put the Raiders on their way to what appeared to be a game-winning field goal by kicker Daniel Carlson. The Raiders chose not to try to score a touchdown, opting instead to run down the clock and force the Dolphins to use all their timeouts. Tailback Josh Jacobs tumbled to the turf at the 1-yard line. Carr took a knee on third down. Carlson connected from 22 yards with 19 seconds to play.
The Dolphins got the ball at their 25-yard line. Fitzpatrick, with his head being turned as Raiders pass rusher Arden Key grabbed the quarterback’s face mask, flung a pass toward wide receiver Mack Hollins along the sideline. The Raiders blew a coverage and left Hollins open. Hollins had a key drop at the goal line earlier on a pass from Fitzpatrick. But he made the catch this time for a 34-yard gain. The 15-yard penalty on Key moved the ball to the 26-yard line with 12 seconds to go.
“We had no choice: Mack was getting that ball no matter what,” Fitzpatrick said. “I just let him know before it happened, ‘I’m coming to you.’ He’s a guy that has a lot of confidence. … I didn’t have any worries about that. But I wanted to let him know I was going to give him a chance to win this game for us. And he came through.”
One incompletion later, the Dolphins kicked their field goal. One lateral-filled kickoff return by the Raiders later, the Dolphins were left to celebrate. And the Raiders were left with could-have-beens to ponder as they fell to 7-8 in Year 3 of Gruden’s return to coaching.
“I really admire the way we compete,” Gruden said in a postgame video news conference. “But until we start closing out games, we’ll continue to be disappointed. That’s a reflection on me, obviously. I don’t regret taking a knee. We wanted to give the Dolphins the ball with as little time left as possible with no timeouts. I thought we did that — 19 seconds left on their own 25-yard line. They made a desperation play and we had a penalty on top of that. Inexcusable.”
Flores announced afterward that Tagovailoa remains the Dolphins’ starter. Flores said he went to Fitzpatrick because it “felt like we needed a spark,” and added: “If we have to go to a relief pitcher in the ninth, that’s what we’ll do.”
It was the second time that Flores has used Fitzpatrick in relief since turning to Tagovailoa, the fifth overall selection in this year’s NFL draft, as the starter. Fitzpatrick also made one fill-in start with Tagovailoa hurt. Each time, Flores has gone back to Tagovailoa as the starter.
The education of Tagovailoa continues, even on a night when he heads to the bench in crunch time of a must-win game.
“When I was going in, he’s a very mature guy,” Fitzpatrick said. “It was, ‘Hey, let’s go. Go get ‘em.’ I thought that was a real mature thing. And then after the drive, [with] me coming to the sideline, just talking to him: ‘Hey, this is the kind of game it’s been. These are some of the throws I’m making and why.’ And still teaching, and him sitting there and learning. Even though he didn’t finish out the game, that was a big learning experience for him today. And hopefully he can take a few things out of the end of the game there.”
Tagovailoa had only 94 passing yards on 17 completions in 22 attempts before Flores made the move. The rookie did throw a third-quarter touchdown pass to Gaskin. The Raiders led, 16-13, when Flores went to Fitzpatrick. Carr had scored on a first-quarter quarterback sneak for the Raiders. Mostly, it had been a field goal competition to that point.
Fitzpatrick completed nine of 13 passes for 182 yards in his relief outing. Before Flores announced his latest starting-quarterback choice, Fitzpatrick said he trusted the coach to make the right decision.
“It’s up to Flo,” Fitzpatrick said. “But obviously, as you saw tonight, I love being out there. And any opportunity I get, I really enjoy.”
Raiders take lead on field goal
By Mark Maske
The Raiders took the lead on a 22-yard field goal by kicker Daniel Carlson. A pass interference call on cornerback Byron Jones set up the kick. (Raiders 25, Dolphins 23 with 19 seconds left in the 4th quarter)
Myles Gaskins’s touchdown puts Dolphins in front
By Mark Maske
The Dolphins replied to the Raiders’ big-play touchdown with one of their own. Running back Myles Gaskin reached the end zone with a 59-yard catch and run.
He took a short pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick, broke a tackle, changed direction, reached the right sideline and sprinted to the end zone. The Dolphins took the lead with a successful extra point. (Dolphins 23, Raiders 22 with 2:55 left in the 4th quarter)
Raiders back ahead on 85-yard Carr-to-Agholor touchdown
By Mark Maske
The Raiders have the lead back on an 85-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr to wide receiver Nelson Agholor.
Carr moved to his right and lofted a pass to Agholor along the sideline. Agholor outmaneuvered cornerback Byron Jones to make the catch, perhaps getting away with a slight push-off, and then weaved his way through the secondary to the end zone. Kicker Daniel Carlson missed the extra point. (Raiders 22, Dolphins 16 with 3:37 left in the 4th quarter)
Dolphins get even as Fitzpatrick orchestrates field goal drive
By Mark Maske
Ryan Fitzpatrick gave the Dolphins the spark on offense that Coach Brian Flores was seeking when he went to the veteran quarterback and sat down rookie Tua Tagovailoa. Fitzpatrick completed five of eight passes for 73 yards on his first drive as Miami tied the game with a 22-yard field goal by kicker Jason Sanders.
The Dolphins had a first down at the Vegas 4-yard line but couldn’t reach the end zone. Fitzpatrick threw incompletions on second and third downs. (Dolphins 16, Raiders 16 with 4:01 left in the 4th quarter)
FitzMagic? Dolphins turn to Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB, bench Tua Tagovailoa
By Mark Maske
The Dolphins, trailing in the fourth quarter and sputtering on offense in a game they need to win, have turned to Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa sits down after completing 17 of 22 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. (Raiders 16, Dolphins 13 with 9:47 left in the 4th quarter)
Raiders regain lead with field goal
By Mark Maske
The Raiders moved back in front with a 20-yard field goal by kicker Daniel Carlson. Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow was tackled at the 2-yard line after catching a third-and-goal pass from Derek Carr. Coach Jon Gruden opted for the field goal. Carr had a 22-yard completion to wide receiver Nelson Agholor and a 33-yard strike to tight end Darren Waller on the drive.
(Raiders 16, Dolphins 13 with 2:30 left in the 3rd quarter)
Dolphins squander opportunity after fourth-down stop
By Mark Maske
The Dolphins took possession at the Vegas 46-yard line after the Raiders’ failed fourth-down attempt. They failed to capitalize. The Dolphins went three plays and out and punted. Tua Tagovailoa was sacked on third down.
(Dolphins 13, Raiders 13 with 6:51 left in the 3rd quarter)
Jon Gruden’s gamble backfires
By Mark Maske
Raiders Coach Jon Gruden gambled and lost on his team’s opening possession of the second half. Gruden left his offense on the field on fourth and two from the Vegas 46-yard line. The Dolphins stopped Raiders tailback Josh Jacobs for no gain and take possession in Vegas territory. (Dolphins 13, Raiders 13 with 8:31 left in the 3rd quarter)
Tua Tagovailoa’s touchdown pass pulls Dolphins even
By Mark Maske
The Miami offense finally reached the end zone on the opening drive of the second half. Tua Tagovailoa threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Myles Gaskin.
The Dolphins, after managing only a pair of field goals in the first half, moved 75 yards on nine plays. On the touchdown, Gaskin took a short pass from Tagovailoa and broke a couple of tackles on his way to the end zone. (Dolphins 13, Raiders 13 with 10:31 left in the 3rd quarter)
Raiders lead, 13-6, at half as Dolphins struggle on offense
By Mark Maske
The Dolphins are attempting to hold on to the third and final wild-card spot in the AFC but trail the Raiders, 13-6, at halftime in Las Vegas.
Derek Carr scored the lone touchdown of the half on a one-yard quarterback sneak for the Raiders, who are trying to keep their own faint playoff hopes from being extinguished. Kicker Daniel Carlson added a pair of field goals, with the second one coming 11 seconds before halftime.
Carr, back in the lineup after suffering a groin injury in the Raiders’ previous game, completed 11 of 20 first-half passes for 129 yards. He was sacked twice.
The Dolphins have done little on offense. Rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a mere 45 passing yards on 10-for-13 throwing accuracy. The Dolphins managed only a pair of field goals by kicker Jason Sanders, one of which was set up by a successful fake punt.
With the Dolphins needing this victory, there’s room to wonder whether Coach Brian Flores would consider a second-half quarterback switch to Ryan Fitzpatrick if the Miami offense remains so ineffective. (Raiders 13, Dolphins 6 at halftime)
Raiders get field goal just before halftime
By Mark Maske
The Raiders added to their lead just before halftime. Kicker Daniel Carlson provided a 38-yard field goal. (Raiders 13, Dolphins 6 with 11 seconds left in the 2nd quarter)
Dolphins get field goal after fake-punt success
By Mark Maske
The Dolphins used a successful fake punt to set up kicker Jason Sanders’s second field goal of the game, this time from 39 yards. Reserve safety Clayton Fejedelem ran for 22 yards out of punt formation on fourth-and-one from midfield.
That gave the Dolphins a first down at the Vegas 28-yard line. They got nine yards on a first-down running play but went backward from there, losing a total of two yards on running plays on second and third downs. (Raiders 10, Dolphins 6 with 1:42 left in the 2nd quarter)
Raiders add to lead with field goal
By Mark Maske
The Raiders got their field goal, after all. Kicker Daniel Carlson connected from 23 yards. The Raiders, after losing a field goal attempt on their previous possession when Derek Carr took a sack that pushed them back and forced them to punt, pinned the Dolphins deep, made a stop on defense and got the ball back via a punt.
Carr was sacked again and the Raiders faced a third-and-19 predicament. But they got an 18-yard run by Jalen Richard and converted on fourth and one. The Raiders reached the Miami 5-yard line but the drive stalled there on a pair of incompletions thrown by Carr. (Raiders 10, Dolphins 3 with 6:46 left in the 2nd quarter)
Sack costs Raiders a field goal attempt
By Mark Maske
Derek Carr is back in the lineup after suffering a groin injury in the Raiders’ previous game. His mobility presumably could be affected, and he took a sack on a third-and-eight play from the Miami 33-yard line.
That knocked the Raiders out of field goal range and they punted. Earlier on the drive, Carr had a 29-yard completion to tight end Darren Waller.
(Raiders 7, Dolphins 3 with 12:55 left in the 2nd quarter)
