MIAMI DOLPHINS AT BUFFALO BILLS
BILLS STADIUM
JAN. 3, 2021 | 1 PM
POSTGAME NOTES
DOLPHINS FINISH 2020 REGULAR SEASON WITH 10 VICTORIES
• Miami ends the 2020 season with 10 wins, marking the 23rd time in team history the Dolphins have won at least 10 games in a season and first since 2016.
• The Dolphins went 9-3 in their final 12 games of the season and 10-4 in the final 14 contests.
• Miami recorded a takeaway in all 16 games this season and has a 22-game takeaway streak, which is the longest active streak in the NFL and tied for the third-longest mark in franchise history.
o The last time Miami had a takeaway streak this long was from Dec. 5, 1982 to Oct. 6, 1985, when they had a takeaway for a franchise-record 42 consecutive games.
o The last time any NFL team had a takeaway streak this long was New England, who had a 36-game streak from Oct. 16, 2011 to Nov. 3, 2013.
• The team’s +66 point differential is the largest by Miami since the 2002 season (+77).
• The Dolphins’ 29 takeaways this season were the team’s most since 2008 (30).
• Miami averaged 339.0 yards per game this season, the team’s most since 2014.
• The Dolphins allowed 21.1 points per game this season, the team’s best since 2013.
• Miami’s third-down defense (31.2 pct.) was the team’s best since 1999 and the second-lowest since records date back to 1991.
• The Dolphins finished the season with 31:16 average time of possession per game, which was the team’s best mark since 2009.
• Miami’s 345 first downs this season were tied for the second-most since at least 1991. The Dolphins had 361 first downs in 2014 and also had 345 in 1995.
• The Dolphins recorded 41 sacks, the team’s most in a season since 2013 (42).
• Miami’s tight ends unit had the most receptions (91) and receiving yards (1,061) by the position group in franchise history. Their 11 receiving touchdowns were tied for the most by the tight end room in team history.
• The Dolphins linebackers unit set a franchise first for having three different players record at least five sacks in a season. LB Jerome Baker had seven, LB Kyle Van Noy had six and LB Andrew Van Ginkel had 5.5.
• Miami had a five-win improvement this season, tied for the third-most in team history:
BIGGEST WIN IMPROVEMENT IN DOLPHINS HISTORY
Rk Year 1 Year 2 Improvement
- 1-15 (2007, Cam Cameron) 11-5 (2008) (Tony Sparano) +10
- 3-10-1 (1969, George Wilson) 10-4 (1970, Don Shula) +7
- 5-11 (2019, Brian Flores) 10-5 (2020, Brian Flores) +5
4-12 (2004 Wannstedt/Bates) 9-7 (2005, Nick Saban) +5
7-2 (1982, Don Shula) 12-4 (1983, Don Shula) +5*
- strike shortened
HOWARD TIES FRANCHISE RECORD WITH 10 INTERCEPTION S
• CB Xavien Howard intercepted Bills QB Matt Barkley in the third quarter, giving him his 10th interception of the season.
• The 10 interceptions ties the franchise record set by CB Dick Westmoreland in 1967.
• Howard’s 10 interceptions this season are the most by an NFL player in a single season in 13 years. The last time an
NFL player had double-digit interceptions was in 2007, when San Diego CB Antonio Cromartie also had 10.
• Howard finished the season with 20 passes defensed, which leads the NFL at the end of today’s early afternoon games. It’s the most by a Dolphins player since 2000, when CB Patrick Surtain had 21 passes defensed.
• It was Howard’s 22nd career interception, which moves him into a tie for 10th place in team history with Curtis Johnson and Tim Foley.
• Howard has more interceptions than any NFL player since 2017:
NFL’S INTERCEPTION LEADERS (2020)
Rk Name Team Interceptions
- Xavien Howard MIA 10
- J.C Jackson NE 9
- Tyrann Mathieu KC 6
- Quandre Diggs SEA 5
Harrison Smith MIN 5
INTERCEPTION LEADERS (SINCE 2017)
Rk Name Team Interceptions - Xavien Howard MIA 22
- Kevin Byard TEN 18
- Marcus Peters KC/LAR/BAL 17
J.C. Jackson NE 17 - Harrison Smith MIN 16
SANDERS TIES FRANCHISE POINTS RECORD
• K Jason Sanders made both of his field goal attempts (49 and 32 yards) and both of his extra point attempts, to complete one of the statistically best seasons by a kicker in team history.
• Sanders’ eight points today give him 144 for the season, tying the franchise record set by K Olindo Mare in 1999.
• He finishes the season converting 36-of-39 field goals (92.3 pct.), which is the best field goal percentage in a season in Dolphins history.
• His 36 field goals made are second-most in the NFL this season at the end of the 1 p.m. games, and also second most in team history behind Mare’s 39 in 1999.
• Sanders was also a perfect 36-of-36 on extra point attempts this season. He’s one of just two NFL kickers to play in all of his team’s game and not miss an extra point this year.
• He finishes the season with 20 field goals made from 40+ yards, the most in the NFL this year.
INJURIES REPORTED IN THE PRESS BOX
MIAMI DOLPHINS
• None
BUFFALO BILLS
• S Siran Neal, third quarter – being evaluated for a head injury (returned)
CAPTAINS
MIAMI DOLPHINS
• LB Kyle Van Noy
QUICK HITS
• There were no tickets distributed to today’s game.
• TE Mike Gesicki caught five passes for 47 yards (9.4 avg.). He finished the season with 703 receiving yards, which is the second-most in a single season by a tight end in franchise history.
o His 703 receiving yards are fourth in the NFL at the end of today’s 1 p.m. games.
• WR DeVante Parker totaled 116 receiving yards on seven receptions (16.6 avg.), which is his third 100-yard game of the season and 11th of his career.
• RB Myles Gaskin totaled 77 scrimmage yards today. It gives him a season average of 97.2 scrimmage yards per game played, which ranks ninth in the NFL (min. 10 games played) at the end of today’s 1 p.m. games.
• QB Tua Tagovailoa set single-game rookie records today for pass attempts (58) and completions (35). The totals are the fifth and third most overall in Dolphins history, respectively.
o Tagovailoa finished the season with five interceptions on 290 attempts, giving him an interception rate of 1.72, which is the second-lowest in a season in team history (1.47, Chad Pennington, 2008).
o Tagovailoa’s 186 completions this season are second-most in Dolphins history by a rookie (282, Ryan Tannehill, 2012) and his 64.1 completion percentage is a rookie franchise record.
• DT Raekwon Davis had two tackles (one solo) today. His 40 tackles this season were the second-most by any NFL rookie defensive lineman behind Washington DE Chase Young (42), who was the No. 2 overall pick of the draft.
• CB Byron Jones intercepted Buffalo QB Josh Allen on the first possession of the game. The interception was Jones’ second of the season, a new career high.
• WR Malcolm Perry caught his first career touchdown on a 25-yard pass from Tagovailoa in the fourth quarter.
• WR Marcus Kemp made his Dolphins debut.
-DOLPHINS-
