The Miami Dolphins put together a strong performance Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20–10 behind timely playmaking on both sides of the ball. Miami leaned on its rushing attack, capitalized on takeaways and delivered key contributions from young players to secure the win.
Miami opened the game on offense as quarterback Quinn Ewers made his second consecutive NFL start. The Dolphins ran three plays on their opening drive before punting, with Ewers connecting with tight end Greg Dulcich early — a sign of the role Dulcich would continue to play in Miami's passing attack throughout the afternoon.
Tampa Bay struck first on its next possession, marching 68 yards on a 14-play drive capped by a five-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to wide receiver Chris Godwin, giving the Buccaneers a 7–0 lead midway through the first quarter.
It took only 58 seconds for Miami to respond.
On third-and-eight, Ewers found rookie wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. down the left sideline, and Wease Jr. turned the catch into a 63-yard touchdown, evening the score at 7–7 late in the first quarter. It was Ewers's first career touchdown pass and the first career receiving score for Wease Jr.
Miami seized momentum in the second quarter behind its rushing attack. Running backs De'Von Achane and Jaylen Wright combined for several chunk gains, including a 32-yard run by Wright that set the Dolphins up deep in Buccaneers territory. Miami settled for a 29-yard field goal from kicker Riley Patterson, taking a 10–7 lead following a 10-play, 76-yard drive that chewed up more than five minutes.
The Dolphins' defense continued to create opportunities. Rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. recorded the first interception of his NFL career, leaping to snag a deep pass intended for Bucs wide receiver Jalen McMillan and returning it to midfield. Miami capitalized once again, marching 76 yards over nine plays. Ewers capped the drive with a perfectly placed 11-yard touchdown pass to Dulcich on third-and-goal, giving the Dolphins a 17–7 advantage with under two minutes remaining in the half.
Tampa Bay threatened late in the half, driving into field goal range, but defensive tackle Zeek Biggers blocked a 55-yard attempt by kicker Chase McLaughlin, preserving Miami's 10-point halftime lead.
The Buccaneers opened the second half with a three-and-out, but later trimmed the deficit with a 33-yard field goal after a lengthy drive that consumed more than eight minutes of play. Miami answered in the fourth quarter by extending its lead. Patterson drilled a 31-yard field goal through the uprights to make it 20–10 following an eight-play drive that kept the Buccaneers' offense on the sideline.
Miami's defense took over from there. Safety Ashtyn Davis intercepted Mayfield at the Dolphins 5-yard line midway through the fourth quarter, his first interception of the season and ninth of this career, halting a promising Tampa Bay drive. Moments later, Chubb delivered another game-changing play, recording his second sack of the afternoon and forcing a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Quinton Bell, effectively sealing the outcome.
Ewers finished 14-of-22 for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Achane led the ground attack with 83 rushing yards and added 29 yards through the air, while Wright chipped in 56 rushing yards. Dulcich led all Dolphins receivers with five catches for 58 yards and a touchdown, marking his first score since 2022. Wease Jr. finished with one reception for 63 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Miami dominated at the point of attack. Chubb recorded two sacks and two tackles for loss, while Davis finished with seven tackles (five solo), two pass deflections and an interception. Marshall Jr. added his first career pick, and Biggers's blocked field goal proved pivotal. Additionally, cornerback Jack Jones contributed a team-leading 10 tackles (eight solo). Miami held Tampa Bay to just 53 rushing yards and outgained the Buccaneers on the ground by nearly 100 yards.
The Dolphins will travel to Gillette Stadium for their season finale against division rival New England. The game will take place on either Saturday, Jan. 3 or Sunday, Jan. 4. The exact date, time and television network will be determined by the NFL after the Week 17 slate of games. Stay tuned and follow the Dolphins on social media @MiamiDolphins for more information.
