The Miami Dolphins are eliminated after three games with a win over the Los Angeles Rams

CNN
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The Miami Dolphins ended their three-game losing streak on Monday night, defeating the Los Angeles Rams 23-15 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Miami opened the game, needing less than three minutes to drive 70 yards and score the game’s first points with an 18-yard touchdown run by rookie Malik Washington, the first of his NFL career.

Tyreek Hill caught his second touchdown of the season on a short throw from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the third quarter – ending a seven-game streak without a touchdown for him – and extended Miami’s lead to 17-6, a lead they never had gave up as the Dolphins ended the Rams’ three-game winning streak. Miami kicker Jason Sanders also made all three of his field goals.

“I think it’s a testament to the character of this team,” Tagovailoa said after the game. “We have come a long way despite many defeats in a row. The resilience of this team in the face of the outside noise where everyone ignores us.

“Hopefully this is an opportunity we shouldn’t miss. Hopefully we can continue with this win and find our rhythm towards the end of the season.”

After reaching the playoffs last year, Miami’s season was thrown into disarray when Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during the team’s Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He missed the next four games and the Dolphins went 1-3 during his absence.

Entering Monday night’s game, the Dolphins were 0-2 since Tagovailoa’s return, losing both games on last-second field goals.

Although Miami now has a 3-6 record after Monday’s win, it remains in the playoff hunt and sits in second place in the AFC East and 1½ games out of the conference’s final wild-card spot.

During Monday’s game, Miami’s defense kept the Matthew Stafford-led Rams out of the end zone all night and sacked the quarterback four times. He finished the game with 293 passing yards, completing 32 of 46 attempts and having an interception.

“It was just negative plays at the wrong time,” Stafford said of the loss. “Whether it’s a turnover, a sack, an inefficient play on first down, whatever. We shot ourselves in the foot a little bit in that type of strike zone area, the 30-yard line area. That was probably the difference in the game and that we didn’t come up with touchdowns.”

Los Angeles rookie kicker Joshua Karty made three of his five field goals in the fourth quarter to keep the Rams close. However, after hitting a 22-yarder in the final minute to tie the game at one score, the Dolphins recovered the ensuing onside kick and secured the victory.

“All it takes to start a wildfire is a spark,” Miami defensive lineman Calais Campbell said of the end of the losing streak. “We just have to keep believing, keep fighting and keep going.”

The Dolphins (3-6) next play the Las Vegas Raiders (2-7), while the Rams (4-5) travel to New England to face the Patriots (3-7) on Sunday, November 17th ) to play.