The Miami Dolphins came out sharp but fell short in a back-and-forth game, as the Carolina Panthers rallied for a 27-24 win Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium.
Miami started the game strong, as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led an 11-play, 48-yard drive that chewed up nearly six minutes of clock, highlighted by a 34-yard completion to tight end Darren Waller. Kicker Riley Patterson capped the series with a 43-yard field goal to put Miami ahead, 3-0.
Moments later, linebacker Bradley Chubb swung momentum further in the Dolphins' favor. At the 6:37 mark of the first quarter, Chubb strip-sacked Panthers quarterback Bryce Young at the Miami 36-yard line and recovered the fumble himself — the team's fourth recovery in the last five quarters.
Tagovailoa turned the takeaway into points. He orchestrated a 14-play, 58-yard march that ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass to running back De'Von Achane in the back right corner of the end zone, extending Miami's lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter.
Carolina's next drive stalled when safety Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Young at the Miami 44-yard line. The pick from Fitzpatrick marked his first of the season and set up a short field for the offense. Tagovailoa capitalized again, connecting with Waller on a 21-yard strike to move Miami into the red zone. The duo connected once more, as Tagovailoa found Waller up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown to extend Miami's lead, 17-0.
The Panthers responded late in the half. Young hit wide receiver Xavier Legette in the back of the end zone to cut the deficit to 17-7, and kicker Ryan Fitzgerald added a 35-yard field goal before halftime to make it 17-10.
Carolina opened the second half with a promising drive, but Miami's defense held firm. On third down, linebacker Jaelan Phillips burst through the line and sacked Young for a 9-yard loss, forcing the Panthers to settle for a 49-yard field goal that cut the Dolphins' lead to 17-13 with 12:35 remaining in the third quarter.
Later in the quarter, linebacker Jordyn Brooks and defensive tackle Kenneth Grant split a key sack with 57 seconds remaining, stalling another Carolina possession and helping Miami carry its lead into the final frame.
The Panthers' rushing attack, led by running back Rico Dowdle, took over in the fourth quarter. Dowdle powered a 7-play, 85-yard drive capped by his 1-yard touchdown run, giving Carolina its first lead, 20-17, with just over six minutes to play.
Miami answered immediately. Wideout Malik Washington returned the kickoff 40 yards to near midfield, then three plays later, Tagovailoa found wide receiver Jaylen Waddle racing downfield for a 46-yard touchdown. Patterson's extra point reclaimed the lead, 24-20, with 4:50 left in the contest.
Carolina responded with an 8-play, 83-yard scoring drive that ended in a touchdown pass to tight end Mitchell Evans, giving the Panthers a 27-24 lead with 2:03 left in the game. Miami could not capitalize on the ensuing possession, sealing Carolina's victory.
Tagovailoa finished 27-of-36 for 256 yards and three touchdowns. Waddle led all receivers with six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown, while Waller added five receptions for 78 yards and a score. Achane totaled 46 scrimmage yards and a touchdown reception.
On defense, Brooks again anchored the unit with 13 tackles (four solo) and 0.5 sack, while Fitzpatrick added eight total tackles (six solo) and an interception. Phillips and Chubb each recorded a sack, with Chubb's early strip-fumble marking Miami's sixth takeaway in the past two games.
Young completed 19-of-30 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns, while Dowdle's 206-yard rushing performance and a score set the tone for Carolina's comeback.
Miami will look to get back in the win column next week when it returns home to face the Los Angeles Chargers (3-1) on Sunday, Oct. 12 at Hard Rock Stadium. The game will air on CBS at 1:00 p.m. ET.
