The Miami Dolphins again failed to put together a complete game, but the way they finished was enough to earn a 24-21 win over the Seattle Seahawks at Sun Life Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday. Miami (5-6, 1-2 AFC East) twice trailed by a touchdown in the second half as rookie QB Ryan Tannehill led the team on several long scoring drives.
Tannehill cemented the victory by leading the team on a 65-yard drive, which started at his own 10 yard line, to set up a 43-yard game-winning field goal by K Dan Carpenter. Every yard on the drive was crucial as Carpenter had struggled with long field goals this season, missing five attempts from 47 yards or longer.
Meantime, the Seahawks (6-5, 0-3 NFC West) routinely hurt themselves with silly penalties, drawing a whopping 10 yellow flags for 59 yards. Seattle also struggled to establish the run as RB Marshawn Lynch totaled just 46 yards on 19 carries. This kept the team’s bootlegs and play-action game from working effectively.
When the game turned: Starting at their own 10-yard line, the Dolphins elected to try to drive the ball for a winning field goal with 1:32 left. The team had opted for the conservative approach most of the season with Tannehill, but instead took off the training wheels.
The rookie completed three passes for 51 yards and scrambled for another 15 on the deciding drive. Even more important, the eighth-overall pick from April’s draft twice got his team to the line and spiked the ball to stop the clock, allowing the Dolphins to save a crucial timeout that proceeded Carpenter's kick.
Highlight moments: RB Reggie Bush broke several tackles and barreled his way into the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown run. Bush has seen his workload decrease the past few games. … Seahawks RB Leon Washington returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. It is the eighth kickoff return for a touchdown in Washington’s career, tying him with Browns KR Joshua Cribbs for the most in league history.
Key stat: Before the crazy finish to the fourth quarter, the Dolphins had scored only two offensive touchdowns in the previous 12 quarters. Miami amassed 17 points in the final frame against the Seahawks.
Top-shelf performances:
- Tannehill: Completed 18 of 26 passes for 253 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
- Dolphins WR Davone Bess: Targeted nine times, he caught seven passes for 129 yards.
- Seahawks QB Russell Wilson: Completed 21 of 27 passes for 224 yards with two touchdowns. He also rushed for 38 yards on five carries.
- Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner: Made a team-high nine tackles to go with an interception.
What they said:
- Carpenter to the Palm Beach Post on his first game-winning kick since 2010: "It feels like it's been forever."
- Dolphins RB Daniel Thomas to the Palm Beach Post on the mood in the locker room: "Everybody was partying. It was like a club -- Club Liv in here."
- Bush to the South Florida Sun Sentinel on looking ahead: "We're in no position to be talking about playoffs. We've got a monster coming in here (Patriots) and we need a full week to prepare for them."
Injury update: Seahawks -- Seattle appeared to come out of the game relatively healthy. LB LeRoy Hill did get his ankle taped in the second half, but returned to the game. OG James Carpenter also suffered a knee injury. Dolphins -- S Chris Clemons suffered leg cramps in the second half, but returned to the game. FB Jorvorskie Lane also suffered an ankle injury and his status is unclear.
Going forward: Seahawks -- This isn’t the way the Seahawks wanted to start their road trip. The team now must play at Chicago, return to the Pacific Northwest to host the Cardinals and then fly to New York to face the Bills. All the games are winnable, but Seattle is a mere 1-5 on the road. Dolphins -- A wildcard berth is on life support, but still in play for the erratic squad. The team must now face New England and San Francisco in consecutive weeks and needs at least a split to keep its postseason dream alive.
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Miami Dolphins from blogger Dave Carey, follow @CBSDolphins