It was a wild football game in Las Vegas.
Unfortunately, the Miami Dolphins we on the losing end.
In the final seconds in overtime, Daniel Carson connected on a 22-yard field goal to give the Raiders a 31-28 win over the Dolphins.
The Raiders (3-0) are off to their best start since 2002, Dolphins (1-2) have lost two in a row.
Dolphins were up 14-0 to start the game; the momentum shifted when the Dolphins, from their very own 1-yard line, cornerback Casey Hayward Jr tackled Miami receiver Jaylen Waddle on a screen pass in the end zone for a safety.
There was no blocking scheme to help Waddle; moreover, the pass was a bit high from quarterback Jacoby Brissett leading him to extend high for the catch.
“Bad play for us; we had some momentum going,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said. “It kind of shifted the game a little bit, again one or two plays in the game. We may have a different outcome; we have to play better.”
For the second time, in the Raiders’ first three games — both at home — they overcame a two-touchdown deficit to win in overtime.
“You finish; we talk about it a lot, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said. “You just find a way to finish; I am proud of our coaches and players for doing that.”
Las Vegas is the first team to open 3-0 against teams that won 10 or more games last season.
Derek Carr completed 26 of 43 pass attempts for 386 yards and two touchdowns. He completed passes to nine different receivers, moreover against a very talented Dolphins defense.
Carr threw an interception on the Raiders’ opening drive that led to a pick-six when Elandon Roberts returned the turnover for 85 yards.
The turnover extended an NFL-best streak of 25 games with a takeaway for the Dolphins. Defense is the strength of this football team that made a lot of great plays.
The final time frame leading into overtime is what the Dolphins should take into week four.
Dolphins shared Tua Tagovailoa is dealing with multiple fractures on his ribs suffered in the home-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills. The earliest Tagovailoa can return week six in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“We felt like it would take that long; at the end of the day, that is how we felt,” Flores added. “There is nothing more important than the health of a player. We thought that was the best decision for him and our team.”
Brissett has been the starting quarterback for at least three weeks now that Tagovailoa is on injured reserve. Brissett sent a message to his teammates in the locker room after this game. It was an impressive performance. He finished 32 of 49, 215 yards, and zero interceptions.
Brissett’s touchdown run and two-point conversion completion to William Fuller V were huge late in the fourth quarter. It gained the respect of the locker room. Minus the safety in the end zone, he made convincing throws, scrambled well when he needed to. The Dolphins were on the road against an undefeated team that beat the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburg Steelers; they deserve his credit.
“There are no moral victories; we have a lot of guys on this team that are willing to fight,” Dolphins defensive lineman Christian Wilkins said. “When we are down late third or fourth quarter, guys did not give up; guys did not hang their heads, guys did not point fingers. We stuck together.”
Waddle led Miami with 12 catches for 58 yards, while Mike Gesicki helped his fantasy numbers by catching ten passes for a team-high 86 yards, including a 27-yard reception on 4th and 20 from the Miami 15 yard line.
The beat goes on.
The NFL rule is a team has 24 hours to flush a loss.
Dolphins host the 0-3 Indianapolis Colts next.
Dolphins should feel good going against the Colts. They accomplished more positives than negatives against the Raiders.
The Colts are a talented team; they were a playoff team last year. They are dangerous and will be desperate for a win. Carson Wentz is frustrated with the injuries, but he played through their recent loss to the Tennessee Titans. The Colts have one of the best offensive lines in football. Defensively they are in a funk, but they are getting good play from linebacker Darius Leonard and defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad.
The Raiders take their talents to Los Angeles to play the Charger on October 4th.
