In a game where both teams seemed determined to outdo each other in mistakes, the Miami Dolphins managed to eke out a 15-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Week 5 of the NFL season. Miami’s performance was a mix of crucial plays and blunders that would have doomed them against a more formidable opponent. Yet, against a struggling Patriots team, it was just enough.
The game’s story can be summed up by Miami’s special teams struggles and a disjointed offense. Miami’s special teams were a nightmare: they suffered a blocked punt, missed two field goals (one off the upright, the other due to a botched snap), and even saw a high snap soar over the quarterback’s head, knocking them out of field goal range on another drive. Despite these missteps, the Dolphins’ defense and just enough offensive production kept them in the contest.
The Patriots (1-4) capitalized on some of these errors. After intercepting Miami’s Tyler Huntley in the third quarter, New England managed to punch in their only touchdown of the game. Yet, their own errors and inefficiencies kept them from taking control. The touchdown that would have given them a lead late in the fourth quarter was overturned on replay, with Ja’Lynn Polk’s second heel barely grazing the end line. Moments like these summed up New England’s offensive struggles throughout the night.
For Miami (2-3), fullback Alec Ingold provided the game’s pivotal moment with a 3-yard plunge into the end zone with four minutes remaining. It was his only carry of the night, but it capped a laborious 15-play, 80-yard drive that was bogged down by penalties—95 yards of gain when flags were accounted for. After a failed two-point conversion, Miami clung to their narrow lead as their defense stepped up when it mattered most.
New England had two more chances to mount a comeback. The first ended in disappointment as Polk’s apparent go-ahead score was wiped out. The second saw them run out of time after a well-executed pass to Kayshon Boutte at the Dolphins’ 36-yard line. Without timeouts and with poor clock management, the Patriots couldn’t set up a final play to the end zone after reaching Miami’s 11-yard line.
Miami’s offense was inconsistent throughout the game. Huntley, making just his second start as the team’s fourth quarterback of the season, completed 18 of 31 passes for 194 yards, throwing one interception. While he struggled at times, he found a reliable target in Tyreek Hill, who caught six passes for 69 yards. On the ground, Jaylen Wright and Raheem Mostert combined for 166 yards, with Wright running for 86 and Mostert adding 80.
Jason Sanders was responsible for nine of Miami’s points, hitting three field goals to counterbalance the multiple special teams miscues. His kicking proved critical in a game where neither offense could consistently find the end zone.
This victory snapped Miami’s three-game losing streak and was the first since Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion sidelined him in Week 2. While the Dolphins were far from polished, they did just enough to take advantage of the Patriots’ struggles and close out a game that they nearly let slip away.
New England will be left ruing missed opportunities, from the overturned touchdown to the failure to stop the clock when it mattered most. Despite flashes of potential, they couldn’t capitalize on Miami’s many errors and dropped their fourth game of the season.
As both teams move forward, the Dolphins will need to clean up their game to compete with stronger opponents, while the Patriots must find ways to turn close games into wins. In this clash of two struggling teams, it was Miami that stumbled less, emerging with a win that might feel more like a missed chance than a triumph.