Dolphins Start Slow, Finish Strong In Week 1
Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
For a while, it simply did not seem like the Miami Dolphins’ day. Their Sunday started with Tyreek Hill being detained by police following a traffic violation. As for the first drive of their 2024 season? It ended when the Jacksonville Jaguars stopped the Phins on fourth-and-eight. That would be just the first of Miami’s two failed fourth-down conversions in the first half.
In the meantime, Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars got the jump with a 14-0 lead. Travis Etienne Jr. punched in a 1-yard run late in the first quarter, and Lawrence tossed a 14-yard strike to Brian Thomas Jr with just over six minutes left in the half.
The Dolphins would grind out a 12-play, 70-yard drive, capped with a De’Von Achane score from the one-yard line, but the Jags marched down the field to make it 17-7 at the half.
The Phins couldn’t get things going in the second half, either, booting two punts to start the third quarter. But when your offense is as explosive as Miami’s things can change on a dime.
With 2:19 remaining in the third period, Etienne fumbled at the two-yard line, allowing Jevon Holland to recover the ball in the end zone for a touchback. On the very next play…
Tyreek Hill. 80 yards for a TD!
📺: #JAXvsMIA on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/fNSbBgqRVI— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024
There’s a reason why Hill was ranked the No. 1 player in the NFL before the season. While the Jaguars defense relatively bottled up the explosive wideout otherwise — Hill’s five other catches went for just 50 yards — he only has to get open once for him to really burn a defense. Miami closed the deficit to three points in an instant.
Hill’s memorable celebration suggested that he hadn’t forgotten about the morning’s events.
This photo of Tyreek Hill's TD celebration 💀 pic.twitter.com/pxgU1EwcN2
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 8, 2024
The Dolphins had a golden opportunity for another quick strike when Kendall Fuller and Jalen Ramsey stuffed Etienne on a fourth-and-one that gave Miami the ball on the Jaguars’ 32-yard line. Instead, Jason Sanders’ 42-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.
Miami’s defense would stand tall against the Jaguars twice more, holding Lawrence and company to just one first down in their final two drives. These gave Miami two more opportunities to march down the field, and two more chances for Sanders to redeem himself.
He did, capped by a 52-yarder to give the Dolphins the 20-17 win as time expired.
Jason Sanders drills the 52-yard game-winning FG for Miami! pic.twitter.com/6ndqePzs7q
— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024
The low-scoring affair aside, Miami’s key players got theirs, statistically. Tua Tagovailoa earned 338 yards and a touchdown through the air, and Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Achane all got 100-plus all-purpose yards.
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