Jay Cutler and
the offense come to life with 20 unanswered points as the Dolphins down the host Falcons 20-17.
ATLANTA — In a week that started with a coach’s video scandal, the Dolphins showed they can shake off the effects of a national controversy and focus on the task at hand, which Sunday meant overcoming a 17-point deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons, the defending NFC champions, 20-17 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
This was one of the most unexpected victories in the 25-game Adam Gase era. Miami (3-2) was last in the NFL in scoring at 10.3 points per game and last in yards per game at 231.3 heading into Sunday’s matchup.
The winning points came when kicker Cody Parkey hit a 38-yard field goal with 2:30 remaining.
The victory was clinched when safety Reshad Jones intercepted a pass intended for tight end Austin Hooper at the Miami 6-yard line with 39 seconds left. The pass was deflected by rookie cornerback Cordrea Tankersley.
“I love my city,” said Jones, a native of Atlanta, “but I had to do it.”
The Dolphins, on the strength of a strong defensive effort (the Falcons didn’t score after the 5:29 mark of the second quarter) and timely specialteams play (Miami turned a botched Falcons punt into a game-tying field goal), Miami discovered its offense in time to record a stunning victory.
“These guys are different cats,” Gase said of his players.
Atlanta (3-2) simply couldn’t get anything going offensively in the second half and it couldn’t stop the Dolphins from scoring.
Miami, which was playing without wide receiver DeVante Parker (ankle), scored on four consecutive possessions — two touchdowns and two field goals — in the third and fourth quarters to overcome a 17-0 Falcons lead, jump-started by a seasonbest 15-play drive to start their scoring in the third quarter.
“We’re starting to get some rhythm,” quarterback Jay Cutler said of the previously pedestrian offense.
Running back Jay Ajayi rushed for 130 yards on 26 carries as the Dolphins, who have won back-toback games, got over the .500 mark and positioned themselves to stay in the thick of the AFC playoff race.
No one was talking playoffs late last Sunday when video surfaced of former offensive line coach Chris Foerster snorting a powdery white substance and addressing a Las Vegas woman in a self-made video.
The Miami offensive line, beset by the losses of Foerster, who resigned last Monday, and center Mike Pouncey, who left the game with a concussion late in the second quarter and didn’t return, stepped to the front to lead the charge Sunday.
“Our mindset is we’re going to embrace it,” right guard Jermon Bushrod said of the offensive line upheaval.
The line led the way for Ajay’s second 100-yard rushing game of the season — Miami is 11-0 since last season when Ajayi has 18 or more carries — and gave Cutler time to pass (he wasn’t sacked all day) in the process.
“Offensive line did a great job all day,” Cutler said.
Despite having five passes dropped (three by wide receiver Jarvis Landry and two by Ajayi) the Dolphins managed to move the ball fairly well.
Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan (24 of 35 for 248 yards, one touchdown, one interception) was largely ineffective in the second half when he was sacked twice and threw his interception.
Cutler (19 of 33, 151 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, 76.7 passer rating), on the other hand, got hot in the second half, completing 11-of-19 passes and throwing his touchdowns.
Considering the offense ended last week’s 16-10 victory over Tennessee with a couple of solid possessions, things could be turning around for the Dolphins. The signs are starting to emerge.
“Today was the first time the offense gave the defense a little hope,” Gase said.