The Miami Dolphins faced the Washington Commanders on Dec. 3, 2023 in Week 13 of the 2023 NFL season. Here are takeaways and highlights from the game.
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Final Score: Dolphins 45, Commanders 15
Entering Sunday’s game, this matchup was not expected to be a closely-contested matchup. Indeed, the Dolphins went up 17 in the opening frame and never looked back en route to an easy victory.
Tyreek Hill’s 78-yard catch-and-run five minutes into the action effectively decided the outcome of this game before it truly began. After a Jason Sanders field goal with 3:39 left in the opening quarter, an Andrew Van Girkel pick-six brought the Dolphins their 17-0 first-quarter lead.
Sam Howell got the Commanders on the board with a one-yard run with 11:18 left in the half. Soon after, though, a 60-yard catch-and-run from Hill gave Miami a 24-7 lead. Hill finished with 157 yards and two touchdowns on just five catches. A Raheem Mostert one-yard run brought the Dolphins over 30 just before halftime, and the teams headed to the locker room with Miami up 31-7.
The sides traded touchdowns in the third as rookie De’Von Achane continued his excellent rookie campaign with his first of two touchdowns on the day. Howell scored his second touchdown of the day.
Achane notched his second score just after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter. The clock struck zero and Miami left Washington with a 30-point blowout win.
Highlights
.@cheetah takin' us on a ride early 🎢😂 pic.twitter.com/UlLryxhHkM
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 3, 2023
.@AndrewVanGinkel said SEE YA 👋 pic.twitter.com/eFkrvM7of3
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 3, 2023
1 & 10 individually? Elite.
1 & 10 together? UNSTOPPABLE. pic.twitter.com/cVnDGPuOE5— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 3, 2023
📺: #MIAvsWAS on @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/gQcBxWDP3m
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 3, 2023
Looking Forward
The Dolphins cruised to an easy win and improved to 9-3. Meanwhile, the Commanders fell to 4-9. Tagovailoa and Hill’s prospects for winning MVP remain as solid as they’ve ever been, and their connection will continue to be one to watch as we close in on the postseason.
With five games of this season still to go, Hill’s chances of breaking Calvin Johnson’s decade-old record are as likely as they’ve ever been. He is already closing in on 1,500 yards receiving. The Dolphins are now scoring an even 32 points per game, and their offensive masterclass this season should absolutely continue into the final weeks.
With the Chiefs having lost during the nightcap, Miami moves into a tie with Baltimore for the No. 1 seed in the AFC at 9-3, one game ahead of Kansas City in the hunt. To close out this year, the Dolphins have games against the Titans, Jets, Cowboys, Ravens (to potentially decide AFC home-field advantage), and Bills.
The Commanders fall to 4-9 with this blowout loss, and with it, their playoff chances have effectively fallen to zero. Despite the defensive changes that included the firing of Jack Del Rio, the Commanders still gave up 45 points for the second consecutive outing. Their final four games following the Week 14 bye will include matchups against the 49ers and Cowboys in which they will likely struggle just as much as they did versus Miami.
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