But with the Dolphins needing him to make one from exactly 50 yards to send them to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, Sanders nailed it. With nothing but field goals scored in a 6-6 tie until the final minute, Sanders felt the game could be coming down to him as the Dolphins possessed the ball and were driving around midfield. Then, New York’ s Quinnen Williams.
Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders had been maligned over the past two seasons for missing field goals of 50 yards or more. He was 1 of 5 this season entering the regular-season finale and 2 of 6 last season on such kicks.
But with the Dolphins needing him to make one from exactly 50 yards to send them to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, Sanders nailed it. Miami, adding a safety on the Jets’ final play, beat the New York Jets, 11-6, and with the New England Patriots falling to the Buffalo Bills, sealed its spot in the playoffs.
“I owed the guys one,” Sanders said. “I didn’t expect it to come in the last game of the season, but I felt like I owed the guys a big kick and just happy to get it in.”
With nothing but field goals scored in a 6-6 tie until the final minute, Sanders felt the game could be coming down to him as the Dolphins possessed the ball and were driving around midfield. Then, New York’s Quinnen Williams was called for a horse-collar tackle on Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle. Salvon Ahmed’s 7-yard run put Miami in more reasonable field goal range.
“You can kind of feel it throughout the game,” Sanders said. “It was low-scoring, 6-6. When that penalty hit, it was kind of one of those things like, ‘Yeah, it’s time. We’re going to have an opportunity.’ ”
Sanders, despite his struggles from 50-plus, approached the clutch kick like any other.
“Every kick’s the same, whether it’s 50 or 30 yards,” he said. “I’m going to take the same approach. Every kick’s a big kick for me.”
Said coach Mike McDaniel of Sanders: “To come through the way he did and have all the points [until the final safety], especially that last one, you have to be built different for that.”
Dolphins star receiver Tyreek Hill made a first-half exit due to an ankle injury. Originally deemed questionable to return, he was back on the field for the team’s final drive of the first half.
