CLEVELAND (AP) — Tyler Huntley scrambled for a touchdown and threw for one while starting for Tua Tagovailoa, and the Miami Dolphins stayed in the playoff race heading into their season finale with a 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
With Tagovailoa sidelined by a hip injury, Huntley did enough to keep the Dolphins (8-8) alive with one game left.
Miami needs to win next weekend at the New York Jets and hope the Denver Broncos lose at home to Kansas City to get a wild-card berth. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and many of the top-seeded Chiefs’ starters are expected to rest.
Tagovailoa’s status for next week is unclear, but Huntley showed he can get the job done if necessary.
He finished 22 of 26 for 225 yards and didn’t have any turnovers in his fourth start this season. The 26-year-old was with Cleveland in training camp before being released in August.
The Browns (3-13) dropped their fifth straight and finished 2-6 at home. They improved their draft position for 2025, when they will likely look for a quarterback.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson isn’t the long-term answer. In his second straight start, the second-year QB completed 24 of 47 passes for 170 yards. He also threw an interception, lost a fumble and was flagged three times for intentional grounding.
Both offenses had issues in windy and wet conditions, but Huntley handled them better.
He ran for a 13-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to put the Dolphins up 13-3. After rolling right, Huntley made several precise cuts as he picked his way down the sideline and into the end zone.
The Browns had a chance to cut into the lead, but Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey broke up Thompson-Robinson’s fourth-and-goal pass toward Jerry Jeudy in the end zone.
Huntley connected with tight end Jonnu Smith on a 7-yard TD with 3:38 left.
Miami’s Jason Sanders kicked field goals of 54 and 39 yards. He’s made a franchise-best 25 in a row, the streak helped by a friendly bounce off the crossbar on his 54-yarder in the first quarter.
The Browns tied it when Dustin Hopkins, who was benched for a game during a recent slump, kicked a 25-yard field goal.
Sack happy (birthday)
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett celebrated his 29th birthday with a pair of sacks.
Last season’s defensive player of the year has 14 this season, making him the first player in league history to get that many four years in a row.
Injuries
Dolphins: LT Terron Armstead suffered a knee injury in the second quarter and didn’t return. Patrick Paul filled in. … WR Jaylen Waddle (knee) was inactive.
Browns: CB Denzel Ward (shoulder) didn’t play in the second half after getting hurt in the second quarter. … LB Jordan Hicks was ruled out with a head injury. … RB Jerome Ford (ankle) was forced out in the first half. He came back but was only on the field for one play after halftime. … RB Pierre Strong Jr. left with an apparent head injury in the final minutes.
Up next
Dolphins: Wrap up the regular season against the Jets on Jan. 4 or 5.
Browns: Visit Baltimore next weekend.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Tom Withers, The Associated Press
