Miami Dolphins Postgame Notes – Week 16 – Las Vegas

MIAMI DOLPHINS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
ALLEGIANT STADIUM
DEC. 26, 2020 | 8:15 PM
POSTGAME NOTES
DOLPHINS IMPROVE TO 10 – 5 AND ONE WIN AWAY FROM POSTSEASON
• The Dolphins’ win tonight gives them a 10-5 record on the season, which is the 23rd time in team history the Dolphins have won at least 10 games in a season.
• This is the 200th regular-season road win in Dolphins history.
• The Dolphins have now won five road games this season, their most since 2010.
• Miami has won nine of its past 11 and 10 of its past 13 games.
• This is just the third time since 2002 the Dolphins have been 10-5 or better after 15 games.
• Miami is 15-9 in its past 24 games, dating back to last season.
• The Dolphins can secure a playoff berth with a victory at Buffalo next week, regardless of other results.
• With a fumble recovery by S Clayton Fejedelem on the final play of the game, the Dolphins extended their takeaway streak to 21 consecutive games, the longest active mark in the NFL. Miami’s 27 takeaways are the most in the NFL at the end of Saturday’s games.
• Miami did not allow a third-down conversion today as Las Vegas was 0-for-10. It lowered Miami’s third-down defense to just a 30.7 conversion rate this season, which is tops in the NFL.
• The Dolphins allowed 25 points today, slightly increasing their points allowed per game total to 18.8 this season. However, the mark is still the best in the NFL at the end of Saturday’s games.
FITZPATRICK LEADS TWO COMEBACK DRIVES IN FINAL THREE MINUTES
• The Dolphins took the lead twice in the final three minutes of the game and scored three times in the final five minutes, ultimately sealing the deal on a 44-yard field goal from K Jason Sanders with one second remaining.
• Miami took possession of the ball at its own 25-yard line trailing 22-16 with 3:37 remaining. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 3-of-3 passes for 75 yards, including a 59-yard score to RB Myles Gaskin to give Miami a 23-22 lead.
• The Dolphins found themselves trailing again – this time 25-23 – at their own 25-yard line with 19 seconds to play. While being facemasked, Fitzpatrick completed a 34-yard pass to WR Mack Hollins. The gain and the penalty moved the Dolphins to Las Vegas’ 26-yard line, where K Jason Sanders kicked the game-winning field goal.
• The last time the Dolphins scored at least 13 points while trailing in the final five minutes of a game was Nov. 20, 2016 at the L.A. Rams, when they scored 14 points in a 14-10 victory.
• It was the 18th game-winning drive of Fitzpatrick’s career and his 13th come-from-behind victory.
• The kick by Sanders was the fifth game-winning kick of his career and second of the season. He kicked a 50-yarder with 3:30 left to beat Arizona in Week 9.
GASKIN RETURNS WITH 169 YARDS FROM SCRIMMAGE
• RB Myles Gaskin had missed six of the past seven games after being on the injured reserve and COVID-19 lists, but returned tonight with the best statistical performance of his career.
• Gaskin totaled a career-high 169 yards from scrimmage. It was the most scrimmage yards by a Dolphins player in a game since RB Kenyan Drake had 193 on Dec. 11, 2017 vs. New England.
• Gaskin had 87 rushing yards on 14 carries (6.2 avg.) and added 82 receiving yards on five receptions (16.4 avg.). He also caught two touchdowns.
o His 82 receiving yards were a career high while his 87 rushing yards were third-most in his career.
• Gaskin’s two receiving touchdowns were the most in a game by a Dolphins running back since RB Reggie Bush had two on Dec. 23, 2012 vs. Buffalo.
• Miami has now rushed for 280 yards in consecutive games (130 today and 250 last week vs. New England). It’s the most rushing yards by the Dolphins in back-to-back games since Weeks 14 and 15 of the 2018 season (vs. New
England and at Minnesota).

SANDERS BOOTS FOUR FIELD GOALS IN VICTORY
• K Jason Sanders was a perfect 4-for-4 in field goal opportunities today, including the 44-yard game-winner with one second remaining. His makes today were from 37, 39, 22 and 44 yards.
• Sanders has now made 34 field goals this season and totaled 136 points. Both totals rank second in Dolphins history.
o Sanders needs five field goals and eight points in next week’s season finale to tie the marks set by K Olindo Mare in 1999.
• Sanders’ 34 field goals and 136 points this season both rank second in the NFL.
• He leads the NFL with 19 field goals from 40+ yards and is tied for the NFL lead with eight field goals from 50+ yards.
• Sanders made the 75th field goal of his career today.
SEVERAL DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS TONIGHT
• LB Jerome Baker led the team with 10 tackles (seven solo) tonight and has now surpassed 100 tackles for the second consecutive season.
• LB Andrew Van Ginkel recorded two sacks in the game, both in the second quarter. He’s the fifth different Dolphins player to have a multi-sack game this season, joining LB Kyle Van Noy (3 vs. Cincinnati), LB Jerome Baker (2.5 vs. Kansas City), DE Emmanuel Ogbah (2 vs. N.Y. Jets) and DE Shaq Lawson (2 vs. Cincinnati).
• CB Xavien Howard had two passes defensed in the game, bringing his total for the season to 19. That is the most in the NFL this season (at the end of Saturday’s games) and is the most by any Dolphins player since 2008, when CB Andre’ Goodman also had 19.


INJURIES REPORTED IN THE PRESS BOX

MIAMI DOLPHINS
• WR Jakeem Grant, third quarter – ankle – questionable
• LB Elandon Roberts, fourth quarter – knee – out

CAPTAINS

MIAMI DOLPHINS
• LB Kyle Van Noy
QUICK HITS
• There were no tickets distributed to tonight’s game.
• TE Mike Gesicki caught four passes for 54 yards (13.5 avg.) today, bringing his season totals to 48 receptions for 656 yards (13.7 avg.). The 656 receiving yards are fourth among all NFL tight ends this season and the most by a
Dolphins tight end since TE Randy McMichael set the franchise record in 2004 (791).
• C Ted Karras played in his 75th NFL game tonight.
• T Julién Davenport played in his 50th NFL game tonight.

-DOLPHINS-