The Miami Dolphins appeared to have their 10th win of their 2023 campaign locked up Monday against the Tennessee Titans. Instead, the Dolphins committed one of the worst choke jobs of the season in the game’s closing moments.
The Dolphins were up 27-13 with just minutes to play in their “Monday Night Football” clash against the Titans at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
With just 4:34 left in regulation, all the Dolphins had to do was play solid defense to close out the contest. At worst, the home team just needed to milk the clock.
Instead, the Titans scored a touchdown in less than two minutes of game action. Tennessee quarterback Will Levis connected with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for a 3-yard TD grab. Tennessee also completed a 2-point conversion to cut the lead to 27-21.
Levis to Hopkins. @Titans not done yet.
📺: #TENvsMIA on ESPN
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/0LeBKvPPxF pic.twitter.com/C8hiUxhItp— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2023
The Dolphins still held a 6-point lead and had possession with 2:40 to play. One first-down conversion from Miami would have probably been enough to put the game away. But the Dolphins couldn’t execute on offense, which led to a quick three-and-out that left 2:15 on the game clock.
Levis led the Titans to a game-winning drive shortly after. He went 2/2 for 52 yards on the first two plays of the ensuing possession. Running back Derrick Henry later rushed into the end zone for the go-ahead TD.
DERRICK HENRY. @Titans take the lead with 1:49 left!
📺: #TENvsMIA on ESPN
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/0LeBKvPPxF pic.twitter.com/2sUPuC8bVC— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2023
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa was fittingly sacked on the Dolphins’ last-gasp play to cap off the 28-27 meltdown against the Titans.
TITANS SACK TUA FOR THE WIN. #TENvsMIA pic.twitter.com/tmURcUgeD0
— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2023
Where there's a Will, there's a way. pic.twitter.com/jW8Wbxxakv
— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2023
NFL’s Next Gen Stats gave the Titans less than 1% chance of coming back when they trailed 27-13 with 3:08 remaining in the game. The sliver of hope was apparently all they needed to complete a historic comeback.
According to the NGS win probability model, the @Titans' win probability was as low as 0.4% when they trailed the Dolphins 27-13 with 3:08 left in regulation.
The win goes down as the 2nd-most statistically improbable comeback in the NGS era.#TENvsMIA | #Titans pic.twitter.com/03vii31XK1
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 12, 2023
The Titans trailed 27-13 with less than 3:00 to play then rallied for a 28-27 win over the Dolphins.
Per @TruMediaSports, Tennessee is the only team this century to overcome at least a 14-point deficit in the final three minutes of a game and win in regulation.
— Jason Starrett (@starrettjason) December 12, 2023
Levis finished 23/38 for 327 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception to lead his team to an upset victory. But Levis wasn’t the only underdog QB slinging clutch passes on Monday night.
