The Miami Dolphins snap a three-game sweep with the win over the Los Angeles Rams

CNN
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The Miami Dolphins snapped their three-game losing streak Monday night and defeated Los Angeles Rams 11-15 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Miami opened the game and took less than three minutes to drive 70 yards and score the game’s first points on an 18-yard touchdown run by rookie Malik Washington, the first of his NFL career.

Tyreek Hill caught his second touchdown of the season in the third quarter on a short throw by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — ending a career-long seven-game hitting streak for him — to extend Miami’s lead to 17-6, a lead they never relinquished when The Dolphins snapped the Rams’ three-game winning streak. Miami kicker Jason Sanders also made all three of his field goals.

“I think it’s a testament to the character of this team,” Tagovailoa said after the game. “We have come a long way through how many losses in a row. The durability of this team, with the external noise, all count us out.

“Hopefully this is an opportunity for us not to waste. Hopefully we can get on a run with this win and find our rhythm towards the back end of the season.”

After reaching the playoffs last year, Miami’s season was derailed when Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during the team’s Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He missed the next four games and the Dolphins went 1-3 during his absence.

Entering Monday’s game, the Dolphins had been 0-2 since Tagovailoa’s return, losing both games on last-second field goals.

Despite now having a 3-6 record after Monday’s win, Miami remains in the playoff hunt, sitting in second place in the AFC East and 1½ games out of the final wild-card spot in the conference.

During Monday’s game, Miami’s defense kept the Matthew Stafford-led Rams out of the end zone all night, sacking the quarterback four times. He finished with 293 passing yards, completing 32 of 46 attempts and one interception.

“It was just negative plays at the wrong times,” Stafford said of the loss. “Whether it’s a turnover, a sack, an ineffective play on first down or whatever it was. We shot ourselves in the foot a little bit in that kind of strike zone area, 30-yard line-ish area. That was probably the difference in the game and not scoring touchdowns.”

Los Angeles rookie kicker Joshua Karty made three of his five field goals in the fourth quarter to keep the Rams close. But after hitting a 22-yarder in the final minute to make it a one-score game, the Dolphins recovered the ensuing onside kick to seal the win.

“It only takes one spark to start a wildfire,” Miami defensive lineman Calais Campbell said of ending the losing streak. “We just have to keep believing, keep fighting and keep at it.”

The Dolphins (3-6) will next play the Las Vegas Raiders (2-7), while the Rams (4-5) travel to New England to play the Patriots (3-7) on Sunday, Nov. 17.