MADRID — The Miami Dolphins are coming back home from Spain with some momentum.
Cornerback Jack Jones intercepted the first pass of overtime and kicker Riley Patterson kicked the winning 29-yard field goalas the Dolphins’ trip across the Atlantic Ocean for the NFL’s first game in Spain was a successful one, topping Washington, 16-13, early in the extra period.
Miami (4-7) has strung together two consecutive wins for the first time all season after last week’s scintillating 30-13 win over the Buffalo Bills.
The Dolphins’ record in international games is now 3-5.
Running back De’Von Achane led the Dolphins with 120 yards rushing and 45 receiving.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was 14 of 20 for 171 yards, without a touchdown nor an interception. Washington’s Marcus Mariota was 20 of 30 for 213 yards, a touchdown and the late interception.
The Commanders nearly won it near the end of regulation, but kicker Matt Gay’s 56-yard field goal attempt missed wide right.
After recovering a Commanders muffed punt, Miami drove down to the Washington 1-yard line but was stuffed on consecutive runs from De’Von Achane and Ollie Gordon II.
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The Dolphins were punting with just more than four minutes in regulation and cornerback Ethan Bonner got the ball back for Miami off a muffed punt by Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil.
The Dolphins tied the Commanders at 13 with 12:36 left in regulation when Gordon, the rookie running back, punched in a touchdown from a yard out on third-and-goal at the 1.
The score was set up by a couple of fine plays from Achane, first making 9 yards out of a quick pop pass in the backfield after it looked like he was cornered for a loss near the sideline. Then, he got the offense down to the 1 on a fine play design to get him open with a block on the right after motion and Tagovailoa’s eyes got the Commanders going the other way.
The Commanders later drove down to the 1-yard line, but the Miami defense stood tall by the goal line, as Mariota threw incomplete on fourth down.
The first NFL touchdown scored on Spanish soil came on Washington’s opening drive of the second half with wide receiver Deebo Samuel taking a short pass from Mariota 20 yards with his run-after-catch abilities. It was reminiscent of what Samuel used to do under the tutelage of Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel when he was offensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers.
The Dolphins had a chance to match them in the middle of the third quarter, but a fourth-and-goal pass from the 2 by Tagovailoa, targeting Waddle over the middle, was deflected by linebacker Bobby Wagner.
If new American football aficionados in Spain more accustomed to soccer wanted to see the kicking game, the first half was for them, as each team kicked a pair of field goals to go into halftime tied, 6-6.
The Dolphins and Commanders exchanged successful opening drives that resulted in field goals after penalties on fourth-and-short tries.
First, the Dolphins committed a delay of game before what appeared would’ve been a successful short-yardage push by rookie running back Ollie Gordon II to bring Riley Patterson in for a 46-yard field goal.
Then, a Commanders false start on fourth-and-2 from the 3-yard line led them to kick a 26-yarder. Minkah Fitzpatrick, who made a big third-down tackle for loss, was called for a low block and Tyrel Dodson was called for a pass interference on a short throw.
Miami again kicked a field goal after Tagovailoa took a sack on third-and-2 from the Washington 10-yard line. It made the score 6-3, and that held up after Dodson sacked Mariota later in the second quarter to set up a 51-yard field goal that Commanders kicker Matt Gay missed wide right.
Washington did get those 3 points back with a field goal at the end of the first half.
Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks finished with a remarkable 20 tackles.
The Dolphins next have their bye week and return to Hard Rock Stadium Nov. 30 to host the New Orleans Saints.
This story will be updated.
