Week 11 Game Recap – Washington Commanders at Miami Dolphins (Madrid)

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November 17, 2025

By Noonefromtampa

Commanders Lose Close Game to the Dolphins in Overtime 16-13

First Quarter

Washington won the coin toss and deferred until the second half. After the touchback, De’Von Achane started the drive with a 11 yard run and Jaylen Waddle caught an 11 yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa. Achane followed with a run of 23 yards on a toss play around the right end. Greg Dulicich caught a short pass for 4 yards and Jaylen Wright ran for 4 yards around right end. On 3 and two, Javon Kinlaw stopped Achane for a 1 yard gain to set up a fourth and one. Miami was called for delay of game on a fourth down attempt and had to settle for a Riley Patterson 46-yard field goal instead to take a 3-0 lead.

Chase Edmonds returned the kickoff 14 yards to the Washington 21 yard line. Marcus Mariota threw a 9 yard skinny slant to Chris Moore to begin the drive. Chris Rodriguez ran for 7 yards and the first down. Rodriguez ran for 4 yards and Deebo Samuel caught a 5 yard pass. After Rodriguez was stopped for no gain on third down, Colson Yankoff caught a 4 yard swing pass to gain the first down. Mariota ran for 1 yard and then hit Jaylin Lane for 13 yards on a deep in route. After a timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty, Jeremy McNichols had a 6 yard reception which had a personal foul for chop block by Minkah Fitzpatrick for 15 yards tacked on to the play. Miami was called for pass interference on the next play against John Bates which got the Commanders another 4 yards and a first down. Rodriguez ran for two yards down the Miami 9 yard line. Rodriguez ran for 7 yards down to the 2, but Mariota lost a yard on the next play. Rodriguez was called for a false start on the fourth down attempt which forced a 26-yard Matt Gay field goal to tie the game at 3-3.

Malik Washington returned the kickoff 20 yards after muffing the catch. Miami started their next drive with 2 passes, 5 yards to Achane and 14 yards to Dulcich. After offsetting penalties, the Commanders stopped Achane for no gain but he then ran for 15 yards around right end to pick up a first down to end the quarter.

Second Quarter

Achane caught a 2 yard pass with Jordan Magee on the tackle and then ran for 5 yards up the middle. Tagovailoa hit Malik Washington for 18 yards on a crossing route. Ollie Gordon ran for 8 yards up the middle. After Tagovailoa’s first incompletion, Jacob Martin sacked him for an 11 yard loss to stop the drive and force a 39 yard Patterson field goal giving Miami a 6-3 lead.

Edmonds returned the kickoff 24 yards. Rodriguez lost a yard on the first play, but Mariota hit Zack Ertz for 15 yards on an out route. Rodriguez ran 17 yards over the left side. Ertz had a 9 yard reception and Rodriguez gained the first down with a 5 yard run. The drive stalled at the point with two incompletions and a 6-yard sack of Mariota. Gay missed the 51 yard field goal attempt wide right.

Waddle caught a 7 yard pass to start the Dolphins’ next drive and Eddie Goldman tackled Achane for a 2 yard loss. Jonathan Jones on a corner blitz sacked Tagovailoa for a 12 yard loss.  Washington was called for holding on the punt return moving the ball back to the Washington 6 yard line.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt lost a yard on first down, but Miami was called for pass interference on second down, giving Washington a first down at their own twenty. Samuel caught a 6 yard pass and Croskey-Merritt gained 5 yards on a checkdown for the first down. After an incompletion, Mariota hit Moore for 19 yards on a Miami blitz. Croskey-Merritt picked up 3 yards over the right side, and the Mariota hit Ertz for 15 yards on a seam route. After the two-minute warning, Croskey-Merritt ran for 4 yards and Mariota gained 5 yards on a quarterback draw. Rodriguez ran for 6 yards over the left side for the first down. After a 2 yard run, an incompletion, Samuel was called for pass interference. Samuel got back 13 yards to set up a 30-yard field goal by Gay to tie the game at 6-6.

Third Quarter

Edmonds returned the kickoff 29 yards out to the Washington 41 yard line. Rodriguez caught a checkdown for 6 yards and then ran for 12 yards over the right side. He then broke a couple of tackles to avoid a loss and gained 4 yards.  Samuel caught a pass out of the backfield for 5 yards. On third and one, Rodriguez gained 12 yards, and Austin Davis made a touchdown saving tackle.  Samuel ran an inside screen and scored a 20 yard touchdown. Gay converted the extra point giving Washington its first lead at 13-6.

After a touchback on the kickoff, Tagovailoa hit Waddle on a slant for 31 yards and then found Julian Hill for 14 yards. Achane was stopped for no gain and then Kinlaw was called for being offside. Gordon then ran for 8 yards and 3 yards down to the Washington 7 yard line. Achane ran for 2 yards, then Frankie Luvu stopped Gordon no gain. On fourth and goal, Bobby Wagner batted the pass away from Waddle to force a turnover on downs.

Brandon Coleman was called for a false start moving from the two to the one. Rodriguez gained two yards. After an incompletion, McNichols caught a checkdown and picked up 10 yards for the first down. Croskey-Merritt was stopped for no gain, Ertz was called for a false start, and Mariota avoided a safety with a throw away to set up a third and fifteen but was injured on the play. Josh Johnson handed off to McNichols on the next play, who ran for 7 yards. Tress Way punted it for 41 yards and Kain Medrano made the tackle for no return.

Tagovailoa went deep to Waddle, but Mike Sainristil dropped the possible interception. Achane ran around right end for 3 yards. Malik Washington had a 13 yard reception. Gordon ran for 6 yards over the left end. Washington then had an 11 yard catch to end the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

Achane had a 9 yard reception, a 3 yard run and 7 yard catch to put the ball on the Washington one, where Gordon scored from. Patterson converted the extra point to tie the game at 13-13.

Edmonds returned the kickoff 26 yards to the Commanders 30 yard line. Croskey-Merritt ran for 10 yards and 4 yards to start the drive. Samuel lost 3 yards on a screen play. Mariota scrambled on third down and gained 44 yards down to the Miami 15 yard line. Croskey-Merritt rushed for 6 yards and 1 yard. On third down a direct snap to Samuel gained 3 yards inside for the first down and goal at the five. Croskey-Merritt gained one yard and then McNichols rushed for 3 yards down to the one. Samuel Cosmi was injured on the play. Rodriguez was stopped for no gain and Ertz slipped coming out of his break forcing an incompletion and a turnover on downs.

Backed up deep, Gordon ran a counter for 20 yards. Preston Smith tackled Achane for a 3 yard loss and after an incompletion Von Miller sacked Tagovailoa for a 6 yard loss to force a punt. Sainristil muffed the catch and the Dolphins recovered at the Washington 42-yard line.  Gordon ran for 1 yard and Achane ran for 12 yards. Achane followed that up with runs of 5, 18, 1 and 4 yards down to the Washington 1-yard line. Kinlaw and Wagner stopped Achane for no gain on third down and Achane left the game with an injury. Incredibly, Mike McDaniels went for the touchdown instead of taking the almost certain field goal. The Dolphins lost two yards on a great play by Washington’s defense forcing the turnover on downs.

Mariota found Samuel for 28 yards over the middle. McNichols ran for 1 yard and Ertz had a 3 yard catch. On third and 6, Jacoby Jones ran a great route and had a 25 yard reception. McNichols ran for 2 yards and Mariota threw two incompletions. Gay missed the 56 yard field goal attempt wide right.

The Dolphins were unable to move into field goal range to end the game.

Overtime

After the touchback, Mariota threw to Ertz in double coverage and was intercepted by Jack Jones.

Achane ran twice for 10 yards and 4 yards down to the Washington 19 yard line. Patterson kicked the 29 yard game winning field goal.

Thoughts

Mistakes cost Washington this game. Drive killing penalties, poor coaching decisions, missed field goals and ill-timed turnovers.

Washington’s defense played better but against a lesser offensive opponent. They could not stop the Dolphins running around the right side of the offense so Miami saw something they could exploit on Washington’s left side which the Commanders were unable to counter.

Jacob Martin continues to be the team’s best defensive lineman who can pressure the quarterback.

Outside the interception that cost them the game, Mariota had a decent game, and Rodriguez gained 79 yards rushing with a 5.3 average.

Deebo also had a good game catching 7 of 8 targets for 74 yards and one touchdown.

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