NFL

Dolphins Get Fourth Straight Victory, Now First Place in AFC East After Blowout Over Cleveland

Miami held Cleveland to 324 yards on the game, well below their average as the Browns entered the game with the 4th best offense in the NFL

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

After the opening drive Sunday inside Hard Rock Stadium, there may have been slight concern for fans of the Miami Dolphins of a letdown against a Cleveland Browns team with a losing record.

Those concerns were eliminated when the Miami offense scored five touchdowns - including three passing from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa - in a 39-17 win for their fourth straight victory. The victory moves the Dolphins (7-3) into first place in the AFC East over the Buffalo Bills, who lost in overtime to the Minnesota Vikings, and the New York Jets, who are on the bye week.

Cleveland (3-6) started the game off hot with a 38-yard pass from former Dolphins quarterback Jacoby Brissett to wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones followed by a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end and former Florida Atlantic star Harrison Bryant for the game's opening score.

The Dolphins responded with a 10-play drive - highlighted by the rushing duo of running backs Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson - and ending with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to fullback Alec Ingold to tie the game at seven.

Miami got the game's first turnover on a fumble from Cleveland running back Nick Chubb that was recovered by cornerback Xavien Howard. The Dolphins would capitalize on the fumble and get a 39-yard field goal from kicker Jason Sanders to give Miami a 10-7 lead.

The Browns would turn the ball over on downs, but the Dolphins could not capitalize and turned the ball over on downs inside the 15-yard line with just over two minutes in the first half. Miami would keep Cleveland from doing anything on a sack of Brissett from defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, culminating the drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to wide receiver Trent Sherfield to give the Fins a 17-7 halftime lead.

Miami started the second half with a six-play drive ending with a 24-yard touchdown run from Mostert giving the Dolphins a 24-7 lead. Cleveland cut into that lead with a 37-yard field goal from kicker Cade York, but the Dolphins answered right back with a 13-play drive that culminated with a two-yard touchdown catch from wide receiver Tyreek Hill to give Miami a 30-10 lead.

Cleveland would not go away and would get another touchdown on a 33-yard run from Chubb to cut the lead to 13 points before Sanders connected on his second field goal of the game from 33 yards and Wilson scored on a 20-yard run to put the game away.

Tagovailoa finished the game 25 of 32 passing for 285 yards and those three scores. Since returning in Week 7, Tagovailoa has 10 TD passes and no interceptions.

Jaylen Waddle led all Miami receivers with 66 yards while Sherfield added 63 yards and Hill had 44 yards through the air. Wilson, in just his second game with the Dolphins after a deadline day trade from San Francisco, had 17 rushes for 119 yards and one touchdown.

Miami held Cleveland to 324 yards on the game, well below their average as the Browns entered the game with the 4th best offense in the NFL.

The Dolphins will have their only bye week of the 2022 season before returning to action November 27 against the Houston Texans inside Hard Rock Stadium.

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