# 2018 Miami Dolphins season

The 2018 season was the Miami Dolphins' 49th in the National Football League (NFL), their 53rd overall and their third and last under head coach Adam Gase. During the offseason, the Dolphins tweaked their uniforms' orange color to better align with their classical past and history. For the second straight season, they also brought back their throwback uniforms from the Shula/Marino eras and wore them for three games.
With quarterback Ryan Tannehill playing for the first time since 2016, the highlight of the Dolphins' season came during a memorable Week 14 win against division rival and defending back-to-back AFC champion New England Patriots, which prevented the Patriots from clinching the AFC East that week. However, the Dolphins would lose all of their remaining games and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The 7–9 finish was also the team's second consecutive losing season, with all 7 wins decided by one possession scores.

## Roster changes
### Signings

| Position | Player | Age | 2017 Team | Contract |
| WR | Danny Amendola | 32 | New England Patriots | 2 years, $12 million |
| RB | Brandon Bolden | 28 | New England Patriots | 1 year, $850,000 |
| RB | Frank Gore | 35 | Indianapolis Colts | 1 year, $1.015 million |
| QB | Brock Osweiler | 27 | Denver Broncos | 1 year, $880,000 |
| G | Josh Sitton | 31 | Chicago Bears | 2 years, $18 million |
| WR | Albert Wilson | 25 | Kansas City Chiefs | 3 years, $24 million |

### Departures

| Position | Player | Age | 2018 Team | Contract |
| DT | Ndamukong Suh | 31 | Los Angeles Rams | 1 year, $14 million |
| C | Mike Pouncey | 29 | Los Angeles Chargers | 2 years, $15 million |

## Draft

2018 Miami Dolphins Draft :
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 1 | 11 | Minkah Fitzpatrick | FS | Alabama | |
| 2 | 42 | Mike Gesicki | TE | Penn State | |
| 3 | 73 | Jerome Baker | OLB | Ohio State | |
| 4 | 123 | Durham Smythe | TE | Notre Dame | From Carolina via Cleveland |
| 4 | 131 | Kalen Ballage | HB | Arizona State | From New England via Philadelphia |
| 6 | 209 | Cornell Armstrong | CB | Southern Miss | From Kansas City |
| 7 | 227 | Quentin Poling | LB | Ohio | From San Francisco |
| 7 | 229 | Jason Sanders | K | New Mexico | |
Draft trades
* The Dolphins traded wide receiver Jarvis Landry to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's fourth-round selection they acquired from Carolina (123rd overall), and a 2019 7th round pick Cleveland originally acquired from Pittsburgh.
* The Dolphins traded running back Jay Ajayi to Philadelphia in exchange for Philadelphia's fourth-round selection they acquired from New England (131st overall).
* The Dolphins traded their fifth-round selection (147th overall) to New Orleans in exchange for linebacker Stephone Anthony.
* The Dolphins traded the seventh-round selection they acquired from Tampa Bay (223rd overall) to San Francisco in exchange for San Francisco's seventh-round selection (227th overall) and center Daniel Kilgore.

## Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | August 9 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 24–26 | 0–1 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 17 | at Carolina Panthers | L 20–27 | 0–2 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 25 | Baltimore Ravens | L 10–27 | 0–3 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | August 30 | at Atlanta Falcons | W 34–7 | 1–3 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Recap |

## Regular season

The Dolphins' 2018 schedule was finalized and announced on April 19.

### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 9 | Tennessee Titans | W 27–20 | 1–0 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 16 | at New York Jets | W 20–12 | 2–0 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 23 | Oakland Raiders | W 28–20 | 3–0 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | September 30 | at New England Patriots | L 7–38 | 3–1 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 7 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 17–27 | 3–2 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 14 | Chicago Bears | W 31–28 (OT) | 4–2 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 7 | October 21 | Detroit Lions | L 21–32 | 4–3 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 25 | at Houston Texans | L 23–42 | 4–4 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 4 | New York Jets | W 13–6 | 5–4 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 11 | at Green Bay Packers | L 12–31 | 5–5 | Lambeau Field | Recap |
| 11 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 12 | November 25 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 24–27 | 5–6 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 2 | Buffalo Bills | W 21–17 | 6–6 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 9 | New England Patriots | W 34–33 | 7–6 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 16 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 17–41 | 7–7 | U.S. Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 23 | Jacksonville Jaguars | L 7–17 | 7–8 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | December 30 | at Buffalo Bills | L 17–42 | 7–9 | New Era Field | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: vs. Tennessee Titans

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Titans | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 20 |
| Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 3 | 17 | 27 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: September 9
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 89 °F (32 °C), Scattered Showers
* Game attendance: 65,184
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, Cris Carter and Sarah Kustok
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TEN – Ryan Succop 47-yard field goal, 10:18. Titans 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 37 yards, 4:42.
Second quarter
MIA – Kenny Stills 10-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 11:21. Dolphins 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 98 yards, 5:21.
Third quarter
MIA – Jason Sanders 27-yard field goal, 4:05. Dolphins 10–3. Drive: 6 plays, 19 yards, 2:37.
Fourth quarter
TEN – Dion Lewis 4-yard run (Ryan Succop kick), 14:17. Tied 10–10. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:48.
MIA – Jakeem Grant 102-yard kick return (Jason Sanders kick), 14:04. Dolphins 17–10.
MIA – Kenny Stills 75-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 10:22. Dolphins 24–10. Drive: 4 plays, 89 yards, 1:17.
TEN – Darius Jennings 94-yard kick return (Ryan Succop kick), 10:11. Dolphins 24–17.
MIA – Jason Sanders 30-yard field goal, 3:49. Dolphins 27–17. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 2:15.
TEN – Ryan Succop 53-yard field goal, 0:11. Dolphins 27–20. Drive: 6 plays, 45 yards, 0:56.
Top passers
TEN – Blaine Gabbert – 11/22, 117 yards, INT
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 20/28, 230 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
TEN – Dion Lewis – 16 carries, 75 yards, TD
MIA – Frank Gore – 9 carries, 61 yards
Top receivers
TEN – Corey Davis – 6 receptions, 62 yards
MIA – Kenny Stills – 4 receptions, 106 yards, 2 TD :
Due to two weather delays, the game lasted for 7 hours and 10 minutes, the longest game since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. Coincidentally, wide receiver Danny Amendola met with former teammates Malcolm Butler and Dion Lewis. The three played for the New England Patriots from 2015 to 2017 and helped them win Super Bowl LI over the Atlanta Falcons.

#### Week 2: at New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Jets | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 12 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: September 16
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C), Sunny
* Game attendance: 77,982
* Referee: Brad Allen
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Steve Tasker
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Kenyan Drake 6-yard run (Jason Sanders kick), 1:16. Dolphins 7-0. Drive: 3 plays, 15 yards, 1:29.
Second quarter
MIA – Albert Wilson 29-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 4:19. Dolphins 14–0. Drive: 2 plays, 49 yards, 0:46.
MIA – A. J. Derby 19-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (kick failed), 0:46. Dolphins 20–0. Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 1:47.
Third quarter
NYJ – Bilal Powell 28-yard pass from Sam Darnold (kick failed), 11:58. Dolphins 20–6. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:09.
Fourth quarter
NYJ – Jason Myers 55-yard field goal, 10:11. Dolphins 20–9. Drive: 11 plays, 22 yards, 6:14.
NYJ – Jason Myers 41-yard field goal, 6:00. Dolphins 20–12. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 3:05.
Top passers
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 17/23, 168 yards, 2 TD
NYJ – Sam Darnold – 25/41, 334 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
MIA – Kenyan Drake – 11 rushes, 53 yards, TD
NYJ – Isaiah Crowell – 12 rushes, 35 yards
Top receivers
MIA – Albert Wilson – 3 receptions, 37 yards, TD
NYJ – Quincy Enunwa – 7 receptions, 92 yards :

#### Week 3: vs. Oakland Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Raiders | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
| Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: September 23
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 90 °F (32 °C), Partly Cloudy
* Game attendance: 65,667
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Bruce Arians and Melanie Collins
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
OAK – Jordy Nelson 12-yard pass from Derek Carr (Mike Nugent kick), 13:34. Raiders 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:26.
Second quarter
MIA – Kenny Stills 34-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 12:11. Tied 7–7. Drive: 3 plays, 35 yards, 1:31.
OAK – Mike Nugent 25-yard field goal, 3:34. Raiders 10–7. Drive: 16 plays, 68 yards, 8:37.
Third quarter
OAK – Marshawn Lynch 1-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 2:58. Raiders 17–7. Drive: 15 plays, 67 yards, 9:44.
MIA – Jakeem Grant 18-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 0:55. Raiders 17–14. Drive: 4 plays, 70 yards, 2:03.
Fourth quarter
MIA – Jakeem Grant 52-yard pass from Albert Wilson (Jason Sanders kick), 7:18. Dolphins 21–17. Drive: 2 plays, 70 yards, 0:48.
MIA – Albert Wilson 74-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 2:00. Dolphins 28–17. Drive: 2 plays, 80 yards, 0:54.
OAK – Mike Nugent 52-yard field goal, 0:20. Dolphins 28–20. Drive: 6 plays, 41 yards, 1:40.
Top passers
OAK – Derek Carr – 27/39, 345 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 17/23, 289 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
OAK – Marshawn Lynch – 19 carries, 64 yards, 1 TD
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 3 carries, 26 yards
Top receivers
OAK – Jordy Nelson – 6 receptions, 173 yards, 1 TD
MIA – Kenny Stills – 3 receptions, 61 yards, 1 TD :
With the win, the Dolphins improved to 3–0, their first such start since 2013.

#### Week 4: at New England Patriots

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Patriots | 3 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: September 30
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C), Sunny and Warm
* Game attendance: 65,878
* Referee: Alex Kemp
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Steve Tasker
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NE – Stephen Gostkowski 20-yard field goal, 5:28. Patriots 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 74 yards, 6:37.
Second quarter
NE – Cordarrelle Patterson 55-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 12:10. Patriots 10–0. Drive: 5 plays, 67 yards, 2:08.
NE – James White 22-yard run (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 7:29. Patriots 17–0. Drive: 1 plays, 22 yards, 0:07.
NE – Phillip Dorsett 9-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 0:18. Patriots 24–0. Drive: 15 plays, 85 yards, 5:31.
Third quarter
NE – James White 14-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 6:49. Patriots 31–0. Drive: 9 plays, 59 yards, 5:01.
Fourth quarter
NE – Sony Michel 10-yard run (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 13:43. Patriots 38–0. Drive: 12 plays, 90 yards, 6:30.
MIA – Frank Gore 6-yard pass from Brock Osweiler (Jason Sanders kick), 2:42. Patriots 38–7. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 7:10.
Top passers
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 11/20, 100 yards, 1 INT
NE – Tom Brady – 23/35, 274 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
MIA – Frank Gore – 11 carries, 41 yards
NE – Sony Michel – 25 carries, 112 yards, 1 TD
Top receivers
MIA – Albert Wilson – 4 receptions, 19 yards
NE – James White – 8 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD :
With their first loss of the season, the Dolphins failed to earn their first 4–0 start since 1995, during the Dan Marino era and Don Shula's final year as the Dolphins' head coach.

#### Week 5: at Cincinnati Bengals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| Bengals | 0 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 27 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: October 7
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C), Mostly Sunny
* Game attendance: 52,708
* Referee: Craig Wrolstad
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Steve Tasker
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
MIA – Kenyan Drake 22-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 7:22. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 95 yards, 6:08.
MIA – Jakeem Grant 71-yard punt return (Jason Sanders kick), 0:23. Dolphins 14–0.
Third quarter
MIA – Jason Sanders 42-yard field goal, 9:25. Dolphins 17–0. Drive: 6 plays, 28 yards, 3:25.
CIN – Randy Bullock 51-yard field goal, 5:07. Dolphins 17–3. Drive: 8 plays, 42 yards, 4:18.
Fourth quarter
CIN – Joe Mixon 18-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Randy Bullock kick), 14:54. Dolphins 17–10. Drive: 8 plays, 71 yards, 3:30.
CIN – Michael Johnson 22-yard interception return (Randy Bullock kick), 11:43. Tied 17–17.
CIN – Randy Bullock 20-yard field goal, 3:30. Bengals 20–17. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 4:00.
CIN – Sam Hubbard 19-yard fumble return (Randy Bullock kick), 2:37. Bengals 27–17.
Top passers
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 20/35, 185 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
CIN – Andy Dalton – 20/30, 248 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Top rushers
MIA – Frank Gore – 12 carries, 63 yards
CIN – Joe Mixon – 22 carries, 93 yards
Top receivers
MIA – Kenyan Drake – 7 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD
CIN – A. J. Green – 6 receptions, 112 yards :

#### Week 6: vs. Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Bears | 0 | 0 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 3 | 31 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: October 14
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 89 °F (32 °C), partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 65,791
* Referee: Walt Anderson
* TV announcers (Fox): Brian Custer, Greg Jennings and Doug Gottlieb
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Nick O'Leary 5-yard pass from Brock Osweiler (Jason Sanders kick), 8:42. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 54 yards, 3:39.
Second quarter
No scoring plays.
Third quarter
CHI – Trey Burton 9-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (Cody Parkey kick), 13:27. Tied 7–7. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:37.
CHI – Allen Robinson 12-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (Cody Parkey kick), 11:33. Bears 14–7. Drive: 1 play, 12 yards, 0:05.
MIA – Jason Sanders 50-yard field goal, 7:55. Bears 14–10. Drive: 8 plays, 43 yards, 3:38.
CHI – Tarik Cohen 21-yard run (Cody Parkey kick), 6:55. Bears 21–10. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:00.
MIA – Jason Sanders 25-yard field goal, 0:30. Bears 21–13. Drive: 11 plays, 68 yards, 6:25.
Fourth quarter
MIA – Albert Wilson 43-yard pass from Brock Osweiler (Brock Osweiler-Kenny Stills pass), 9:19. Tied 21–21. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:05.
CHI – Anthony Miller 29-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (Cody Parkey kick), 3:23. Bears 28–21. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:51.
MIA – Albert Wilson 75-yard pass from Brock Osweiler (Jason Sanders kick), 3:17. Tied 28–28. Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:16.
Overtime
MIA – Jason Sanders 47-yard field goal, 0:03. Dolphins 31–28. Drive: 6 plays, 28 yards, 1:55.
Top passers
CHI – Mitchell Trubisky – 22/31, 316 yards, 3 TD, INT
MIA – Brock Osweiler – 28/44, 380 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
CHI – Jordan Howard – 14 rushes, 69 yards
MIA – Frank Gore – 15 rushes, 101 yards
Top receivers
CHI – Taylor Gabriel – 5 receptions, 110 yards
MIA – Albert Wilson – 6 receptions, 155 yards, 2 TD :
A last-second field goal kick by Jason Saunders barely averted a tie and gave the Dolphins the win in overtime.

#### Week 7: vs. Detroit Lions

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 7 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 32 |
| Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: October 21
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 89 °F (32 °C), partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 65,265
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Michael Roberts 15-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 9:12. Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 3:36. Lions 7–0.
Second quarter
DET – Matt Prater 29-yard field goal, 12:39. Drive: 6 plays, 85 yards, 2:38. Lions 10–0.
MIA – Kenny Stills 5-yard pass from Brock Osweiler (Jason Sanders kick), 7:33. Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 5:01. Lions 10–7.
DET – LeGarrette Blount 2-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 1:02. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:31. Lions 17–7.
Third quarter
DET – Matt Prater 28-yard field goal, 8:36. Drive: 12 plays, 65 yards, 6:28. Lions 20–7.
MIA – Kenyan Drake 54-yard run (Jason Sanders kick), 7:06. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:26. Lions 20–14.
DET – Michael Roberts 4-yard pass from Matthew Stafford, 3:16. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:50. Lions 26–14.
Fourth quarter
DET – Matt Prater 35-yard field goal, 10:09. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 3:59. Lions 29–14.
MIA – Danny Amendola 24-yard pass from Brock Osweiler (Jason Sanders kick), 6:00. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:04. Lions 29–21.
DET – Matt Prater 50-yard field goal, 2:00. Drive: 8 plays, 44 yards, 4:05. Lions 32–21.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford – 18/22, 217 yards, 2 TD
MIA – Brock Osweiler – 22/31, 329 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
DET – Kerryon Johnson – 19 carries, 158 yards
MIA – Kenyan Drake – 6 carries, 72 yards, TD
Top receivers
DET – Michael Roberts – 3 receptions, 48 yards, 2 TD
MIA – Danny Amendola – 6 receptions, 84 yards, TD :
The Dolphins were seeking their first win over the Lions since 2006.

#### Week 8: at Houston Texans

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 7 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 23 |
| Texans | 7 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: October 25
* Game time: 8:20 p.m. EDT/7:20 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 71,726
* Referee: Shawn Smith
* TV announcers (Fox/NFLN): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Kenyan Drake 12-yard run (Jason Sanders kick), 4:58. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 4:32.
HOU – Lamar Miller 2-yard run (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 0:31. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:27.
Second quarter
HOU – Jordan Thomas 13-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 14:14. Texans 14–7. Drive: 2 plays, 16 yards, 0:36.
MIA – Jason Sanders 37-yard field goal, 3:01. Texans 14–10. Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 4:32.
Third quarter
HOU – Jordan Thomas 2-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 11:34. Texans 21–10. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:26.
MIA – Kenyan Drake 28-yard pass from Danny Amendola (Jason Sanders kick), 4:55. Texans 21–17. Drive: 4 plays, 51 yards, 1:46.
HOU – Will Fuller 73-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 4:21. Texans 28–17. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:34.
MIA – Jason Sanders 41-yard field goal, 0:39. Texans 28–20. Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 3:42.
Fourth quarter
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 49-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 14:49. Texans 35–20. Drive: 2 plays, 49 yards, 0:47.
MIA – Jason Sanders 46-yard field goal, 11:30. Texans 35–23. Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 3:19.
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 2-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 7:34. Texans 42–23. Drive: 6 plays, 45 yards, 3:52.
Top passers
MIA – Brock Osweiler – 21/37, 241 yards, INT
HOU – Deshaun Watson – 16/20, 239 yards, 5 TD
Top rushers
MIA – Kenyan Drake – 12 carries, 58 yards, TD
HOU – Lamar Miller – 18 carries, 133 yards, TD
Top receivers
MIA – DeVante Parker – 6 receptions, 134 yards
HOU – Will Fuller – 5 receptions, 124 yards, TD :

#### Week 9: vs. New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jets | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Dolphins | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: November 4
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 87 °F (31 °C), partly sunny
* Game attendance: 65,533
* Referee: Walt Coleman
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and Gene Steratore
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
MIA – Jason Sanders 43-yard field goal, 12:39. Dolphins 3–0. Drive: 6 plays, 18 yards, 3:15.
MIA – Jason Sanders 27-yard field goal, 1:11. Dolphins 6–0. Drive: 14 plays, 51 yards, 6:03.
NYJ – Jason Myers 48-yard field goal, 0:20. Dolphins 6–3. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 0:51.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
MIA – Jerome Baker 25-yard interception return (Jason Sanders kick), 10:48. Dolphins 13–3.
NYJ – Jason Myers 56-yard field goal, 5:57. Dolphins 13–6. Drive: 9 plays, 37 yards, 4:51.
Top passers
NYJ – Sam Darnold – 21/39, 229 yards, 4 INT
MIA – Brock Osweiler – 15/24, 139 yards
Top rushers
NYJ – Isaiah Crowell – 13 carries, 49 yards
MIA – Frank Gore – 20 carries, 53 yards
Top receivers
NYJ – Chris Herndon – 4 receptions, 62 yards
MIA – Danny Amendola – 5 receptions, 47 yards :

#### Week 10: at Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| Packers | 7 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
* Date: November 11
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/3:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 33 °F (1 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 78,076
* Referee: Clay Martin
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Steve Tasker
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
GB – Davante Adams 7-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 6:07. Packers 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 4:54.
MIA – Jason Sanders 37-yard field goal, 1:22. Packers 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 26 yards, 3:20.
Second quarter
GB – Aaron Jones 2-yard run (Mason Crosby kick), 15:00. Packers 14–3. Drive: 3 plays, 71 yards, 1:25.
MIA – Jason Sanders 25-yard field goal, 10:33. Packers 14–6. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 4:24.
MIA – Jason Sanders 47-yard field goal, 2:54. Packers 14–9. Drive: 5 plays, 16 yards, 2:42.
Third quarter
MIA – Jason Sanders 40-yard field goal, 11:43. Packers 14–12. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 1:23.
GB – Aaron Jones 10-yard run (Mason Crosby kick), 9:38. Packers 21–12. Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 2:10.
GB – Davante Adams 25-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 7:31. Packers 28–12. Drive: 3 plays, 27 yards, 1:27.
Fourth quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 38-yard field goal, 8:57. Packers 31–12. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 5:58.
Top passers
MIA – Brock Osweiler – 23/37, 213 yards, INT
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 19/28, 199 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
MIA – Frank Gore – 13 carries, 90 yards
GB – Aaron Jones – 15 carries, 145 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
MIA – Danny Amendola – 7 receptions, 72 yards
GB – Davante Adams – 4 receptions, 57 yards, 2 TD :

#### Week 12: at Indianapolis Colts

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| Colts | 7 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 27 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
* Date: November 25
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 57,069
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Bruce Arians and Melanie Collins
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Kenyan Drake 33-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 12:22. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:38.
IND – Eric Ebron 14-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Adam Vinatieri kick), 9:37. Tied 7–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:45.
Second quarter
IND – Jack Doyle 1-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Adam Vinatieri kick), 1:44. Colts 14–7. Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards, 5:49.
MIA – Leonte Carroo 74-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 1:00. Tied 14–14. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:44.
Third quarter
MIA – Jason Sanders 29-yard field goal, 9:14. Dolphins 17–14. Drive: 8 plays, 31 yards, 4:18.
Fourth quarter
MIA – Kenyan Drake 14-yard rush (Jason Sanders kick), 13:36. Dolphins 24–14. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 4:55.
IND – Adam Vinatieri 46-yard field goal, 8:26. Dolphins 24–17. Drive: 10 plays, 47 yards, 5:10.
IND – Eric Ebron 12-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Adam Vinatieri kick), 4:25. Tied 24–24. Drive: 7 plays, 89 yards, 3:18.
IND – Adam Vinatieri 32-yard field goal, 0:00. Colts 27–24. Drive: 7 plays, 44 yards, 2:38.
Top passers
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 17/25, 204 yards, 2 TD
IND – Andrew Luck – 30/37, 343 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
MIA – Frank Gore – 14 carries, 67 yards
IND – Marlon Mack – 15 carries, 85 yards
Top receivers
MIA – Kenyan Drake – 5 receptions, 64 yards, 1 TD
IND – T. Y. Hilton – 7 receptions, 125 yards :

#### Week 13: vs. Buffalo Bills

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills | 0 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 17 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: December 2
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 86 °F (30 °C), partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 65,155
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon and James Lofton
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – DeVante Parker 18-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 9:42. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:18.
Second quarter
BUF – Zay Jones 15-yard pass from Josh Allen (kick failed), 11:44. Dolphins 7–6. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 5:05.
MIA – Kenyan Drake 3-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 0:40. Dolphins 14–6. Drive: 6 plays, 36 yards, 3:01.
Third quarter
BUF – Stephen Hauschka 32-yard field goal, 9:02. Dolphins 14–9. Drive: 10 plays, 79 yards, 5:58.
Fourth quarter
BUF – Zay Jones 25-yard pass from Josh Allen (Josh Allen-Zay Jones pass), 12:00. Bills 17–14. Drive: 6 plays, 83 yards, 3:24.
MIA – Kenny Stills 13-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 8:42. Dolphins 21–17. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:18.
Top passers
BUF – Josh Allen – 18/33, 231 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 16/24, 137 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Top rushers
BUF – Josh Allen – 9 carries, 135 yards
MIA – Kenyan Drake – 7 carries, 31 yards
Top receivers
BUF – Zay Jones – 4 receptions, 67 yards, 2 TD
MIA – DeVante Parker – 4 receptions, 43 yards, 1 TD :
With the win the Dolphins improved to 6-6. However this would turn out to be their last win over Buffalo until 2022.

#### Week 14: vs. New England Patriots

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 6 | 21 | 0 | 6 | 33 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 34 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: December 9
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 84 °F (29 °C), mostly cloudy
* Game attendance: 66,087
* Referee: Pete Morelli
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NE - James Develin 2-yard run (Stephen Gostkowski missed PAT), 8:13. Patriots 6-0. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:47
MIA - Kenny Stills 7-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 2:41. Dolphins 7-6. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:41
Second quarter
NE - Julian Edelman 2-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 14:14. Patriots 13-7. Drive: 5 plays, 18 yards, 2:04
MIA - Brandon Bolden 54-yard run (Jason Sanders kick), 13:26. Dolphins 14-13. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:48
NE - Cordarrelle Patterson 37-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 10:32. Patriots 20-14. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:54
MIA - Brandon Bolden 6-yard run (Jason Sanders kick), 7:28. Dolphins 21-20. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:04
NE - Rob Gronkowski 16-yard pass from Tom Brady, 3:49. Patriots 27-21. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:39
Third quarter
MIA - Brice Butler 23-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 3:58. Dolphins 28-27. Drive: 4 plays, 68 yards, 2:23
Fourth quarter
NE - Stephen Gostkowski 32-yard field goal, 6:50. Patriots 30-28. Drive: 8 plays, 55 yards, 3:43
NE - Stephen Gostkowski 22-yard field goal, 0:21. Patriots 33-28. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 4:10
MIA - Kenyan Drake 52-yard pass from DeVante Parker after laterals from Kenny Stills and Ryan Tannehill. Dolphins 34-33. Drive: 1 play, 69 yards, 0:16
Top passers
NE – Tom Brady - 27/43, 358 yards, 3 TD
MIA – Ryan Tannehill - 14/19, 265 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
NE – Sony Michel - 20 carries, 57 yards
MIA – Frank Gore - 12 carries, 92 yards
Top receivers
NE – Rob Gronkowski - 8 receptions, 107 yards, TD
MIA – Kenny Stills - 8 receptions, 135 yards, TD :

#### Week 15: at Minnesota Vikings

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Vikings | 21 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 41 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: December 16
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,841
* Referee: Walt Coleman
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – Stefon Diggs 13-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dan Bailey kick), 11:40. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 76 yards, 3:20.
MIN – Dalvin Cook 13-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 6:21. Vikings 14–0. Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 2:59.
MIN – Latavius Murray 18-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 1:32. Vikings 21–0. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:38.
Second quarter
MIA – Minkah Fitzpatrick 50-yard interception return (Jason Sanders kick), 7:44. Vikings 21–7.
MIA – Jason Sanders 25-yard field goal, 0:14. Vikings 21–10. Drive: 14 plays, 61 yards, 6:03.
Third quarter
MIA – Kalen Ballage 75-yard run (Jason Sanders kick), 14:49. Vikings 21–17. Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:11.
MIN – Dan Bailey 36-yard field goal, 8:40. Vikings 24–17. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 1:19.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Dan Bailey 34-yard field goal, 13:01. Vikings 27–17. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 4:35.
MIN – Aldrick Robinson 40-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dan Bailey kick), 9:54. Vikings 34–17. Drive: 4 plays, 55 yards, 2:04.
MIN – Dalvin Cook 21-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 7:49. Vikings 41–17. Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 2:59.
Top passers
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 11/24, 108 yards
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 14/21, 215 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
MIA – Kalen Ballage – 12 rushes, 123 yards, TD
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 19 rushes, 136 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
MIA – Danny Amendola – 3 receptions, 30 yards
MIN – Tyler Conklin – 2 receptions, 53 yards :
This was the Dolphins' first loss to the Vikings since 2002.

#### Week 16: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jaguars | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: December 23
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 65,798
* Referee: Clay Martin
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon and James Lofton
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Brandon Bolden 4-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Jason Sanders kick), 9:49. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 78 yards, 5:11.
JAX – Leonard Fournette 1-yard run (Kai Forbath kick), 2:29. Tied 7–7. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 7:20.
Second quarter
No scoring plays.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
JAX – Kai Forbath 26-yard field goal, 10:54. Jaguars 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 4:46.
JAX – Telvin Smith 33-yard interception return (Kai Forbath kick), 9:34. Jaguars 17–7.
Top passers
JAX – Cody Kessler – 12/17, 106 yards
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 15/22, 146 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
JAX – Carlos Hyde – 8 carries, 47 yards
MIA – Kenyan Drake – 6 carries, 23 yards
Top receivers
JAX – Dede Westbrook – 7 receptions, 45 yards
MIA – Kenyan Drake – 4 receptions, 31 yards :
With the loss, the Dolphins were eliminated from playoff contention.

#### Week 17: at Buffalo Bills

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| Bills | 14 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
at New Era Field, Orchard Park, New York
* Date: December 30
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 33 °F (1 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 67,420
* Referee: John Hussey
* TV announcers (CBS): Beth Mowins and Steve Beuerlein
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
BUF – Josh Allen 1-yard run (Stephen Hauschka kick), 10:14. Bills 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 66 yards, 4:46.
BUF – Zay Jones 18-yard pass from Josh Allen (Stephen Hauschka kick), 8:31. Bills 14–0. Drive: 1 play, 18 yards, 0:07.
Second quarter
MIA – Ryan Tannehill 3-yard pass from Kenny Stills (Jason Sanders kick), 0:54. Bills 14–7. Drive: 11 plays, 51 yards, 3:31.
MIA – Reshad Jones 29-yard interception return (Jason Sanders kick), 0:39. Tied 14–14.
Third quarter
BUF – Robert Foster 5-yard pass from Josh Allen (Stephen Hauschka kick), 9:09. Bills 21–14. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 4:37.
BUF – LeSean McCoy 9-yard run (Stephen Hauschka), 6:57. Bills 28–14. Drive: 5 plays, 23 yards, 1:48.
MIA – Jason Sanders 29-yard field goal, 1:28. Bills 28–17. Drive: 11 plays, 55 yards, 5:29.
Fourth quarter
BUF – Josh Allen 30-yard run (Stephen Hauschka kick), 11:13. Bills 35–17. Drive: 3 plays, 70 yards, 1:17.
BUF – Zay Jones 26-yard pass from Josh Allen (Stephen Hauschka kick), 7:44. Bills 42–17. Drive: 2 plays, 52 yards, 0:25.
Top passers
MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 18/31, 147 yards, 2 INT
BUF – Josh Allen – 17/26, 224 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
MIA – Kalen Ballage – 12 carries, 27 yards
BUF – Josh Allen – 9 carries, 95 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
MIA – Kenyan Drake – 5 receptions, 52 yards
BUF – Zay Jones – 6 receptions, 93 yards, 2 TD :
This season finale marked the final games of players such as quarterback Ryan Tannehill, linebacker Cameron Wake, and head coach Adam Gase all in Dolphins uniforms.

### Standings
#### Division

AFC East :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(2)}$ New England Patriots | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 8–4 | 436 | 325 | W2 |
| Miami Dolphins | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 6–6 | 319 | 433 | L3 |
| Buffalo Bills | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 269 | 374 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 333 | 441 | L3 |

#### Conference

AFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division leaders ||||||||||||
| 1 | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .480 | .401 | W1 |
| 2 | New England Patriots | East | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .482 | .494 | W2 |
| 3 | Houston Texans | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .471 | .435 | W1 |
| 4 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .496 | .450 | W3 |
| Wild Cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | Los Angeles Chargers | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .477 | .422 | W1 |
| 6 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .465 | .456 | W4 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 9 | 6 | 1 | .594 | 4–1–1 | 6–5–1 | .504 | .448 | W1 |
| 8 | Tennessee Titans | South | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .520 | .465 | L1 |
| 9 | Cleveland Browns | North | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 | 3–2–1 | 5–6–1 | .516 | .411 | L1 |
| 10 | Miami Dolphins | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .469 | .446 | L3 |
| 11 | Denver Broncos | West | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .523 | .464 | L4 |
| 12 | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .535 | .448 | L2 |
| 13 | Buffalo Bills | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .523 | .411 | W1 |
| 14 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .549 | .463 | L1 |
| 15 | New York Jets | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .506 | .438 | L3 |
| 16 | Oakland Raiders | West | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .547 | .406 | L1 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 Kansas City finished ahead of LA Chargers in the AFC West based on division record, claiming the No. 1 seed. 1 2 New England claimed the No. 2 seed over Houston based on head-to-head victory. 1 2 3 Denver finished ahead of Cincinnati and Buffalo based on strength of victory. Cincinnati finished ahead of Buffalo based on record vs. common opponents. Cincinnati's cumulative record against Baltimore, Indianapolis, the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami was 3–2, compared to Buffalo's 1–4 cumulative record against the same four teams. 1 2 NY Jets finished ahead of Oakland based on strength of victory. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division. ||||||||||||