Overtime did not last long today in Madrid.
The Dolphins won the coin toss and chose to kick off, and on the Commanders’ first offensive play, quarterback Marcus Mariota tried to force a pass to tight end Zach Ertz. Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones stepped in front of Ertz and intercepted it, and the Dolphins already had the ball in range for a game-winning field goal.
From there the Dolphins played it safe on offense, handing the ball to De’Von Achane three times to get closer, and then Riley Patterson kicked the game-winning field goal to make the final score Dolphins 16, Commanders 13.
The win makes the Dolphins 4-7, and their season is starting to turn around. Miami remains an extreme long shot to make the playoffs, but what started as a very ugly season is now showing some promise.
The loss knocks the Commanders to 3-8, and they’re one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL. After such a promising season last year, with Jayden Daniels winning the rookie of the year award and the Commanders making a surprise trip to the NFC Championship Game, the 2025 Commanders are going nowhere — except home from Madrid after another disappointing loss.
On fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line, with the score tied and only 1:44 remaining in the fourth quarter, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel made an aggressive choice: He decided to go for it, rather than take a late lead with a chip shot field goal.
It didn’t work.
The Commanders’ defense stuffed the Dolphins’ fourth-down run, and from there the Commanders’ offense went to work, with Marcus Mariota driving them into field goal range. Unfortunately for Washington, Commanders kicker Matt Gay missed a 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left. and the score remained tied 13-13.
We are now heading to overtime in Madrid. Here are the 2025 NFL overtime rules.
The fans in Spain finally got to see a touchdown today, early in the second half.
Deebo Samuel took a short Marcus Mariota pass and raced 20 yards to the end zone for the game’s first touchdown as the Commanders took a 13-6 lead over the Dolphins today in Madrid.
Samuel is the game’s leading receiver with five catches for 49 yards, while Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez is today’s leading rusher with 13 carries for 77 yards. Rodriguez is having his best game of the season as he continues to see a growing role in the Commanders’ offense.
On the Dolphins’ subsequent drive they marched down the field, but Tua Tagovailoa threw incomplete on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line, and the Commanders took over with the ball and the lead.
In the home stadium of Real Madrid, European NFL fans are seeing a soccer-like game today, with lots of kicking and not much scoring.
The Dolphins and Commanders traded field goals in the first half and went into the locker room with the score tied 6-6.
Both quarterbacks, Marcus Mariota and Tua Tagovailoa, have stuck mostly with short, safe passes, and there haven’t been a lot of big plays through the air. Chris Rodriguez and De’Von Achane are the leading rushers.
The NFL often doesn’t export the most exciting of games overseas, and this one has been no exception through the first 30 minutes of play.
Edge rusher Bradley Chubb will be in the lineup for the Dolphins in the NFL’s first game in Spain.
Chubb was listed as questionable to play against the Commanders because of a foot injury that landed him on the injury report on Friday. Chubb is not on the team’s inactive list, however, and will be on the field as Sunday’s action gets underway.
While the Dolphins will have Chubb in the lineup, they will not have cornerback Rasul Douglas. Douglas is inactive due to foot and ankle injuries.
Quarterback Quinn Ewers, wide receiver Dee Eskridge, defensive lineman Matthew Butler, and linebacker Andre Carter are also inactive for Miami.
The Commanders have quarterback Jayden Daniels, wide receiver Treylon Burks, wide receiver Terry McLaurin, linebacker Ale Kaho, tackle Trent Scott, tackle George Fant, and tight end Ben Sinnott on their inactive list.
