Saints vs. Dolphins final score, results: Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle lead Miami to dominant win

Madison Williams

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Saints vs. Dolphins final score, results: Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle lead Miami to dominant win image

The Dolphins (8-7) became the only team in NFL history to have a seven-game losing streak followed by a seven-game winning streak after beating the Saints 20-3 on Monday night.

Miami's dynamic duo of Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle was firing on all cylinders against New Orleans. Ten of Tagovailoa's 19 completions went to Waddle, who scored the only offensive touchdown of the game on a one-yard pass in the third quarter. Waddle now has the second-most receptions by a rookie in NFL history with 96 so far this season. He is only six catches away from passing former Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin, who totaled 101 receptions back in 2003.

NFL STANDINGS: Updated AFC, NFC playoff picture after Week 16

The Saints (7-8) were missing 22 players because of COVID-19 issues, and the absences clearly hurt the offensive unit. In his first NFL start, quarterback Ian Book threw two interceptions, including a pick-six on New Orleans' first drive, and he was sacked eight times. The Saints didn’t convert a single third down, failing to move the chains on each of their 12 third-down opportunities.

Monday night’s win pushed Miami into the AFC playoff bracket. Now the No. 7 seed in the conference, the Dolphins will face the Titans and Patriots to finish out their season, and they most likely need to win both of these games in order to keep their playoff spot.

Sporting News tracked live scoring updates and highlights from Saints vs. Dolphins on "Monday Night Football." Read below for complete results from the NFL Week 16 game.

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Saints vs. Dolphins score

  Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 F
Saints 0 3 0 0 3
Dolphins 10 0 7 3 20

Saints vs. Dolphins live updates, highlights from Monday Night Football

(All times Eastern)

End of fourth quarter: Dolphins 20, Saints 3

11:12 p.m. — The Dolphins go three-and-out, so the Saints get the ball with 1:15 remaining.

11:07 p.m. — INTERCEPTION, DOLPHINS. On fourth down, Jones intercepts Book's pass intended for Callaway.

11:02 p.m. — Humphrey advances 56 yards for the Saints, their biggest play of the night. The Saints are on the Dolphins' 41-yard line.

11 p.m. — The Dolphins punt the ball to the Saints with 4:40 left in the game.

10:52 p.m. — The Saints avoid a scoop-and-score by the Dolphins after Kamara is ruled down by contact. The Saints punt the ball.

10:50 p.m. — Book is sacked again, this time by Zach Sieler for a loss of 11 yards on first down. Then, on the next play, Book is sacked by Ogbah for a loss of 10 yards. The Saints are staring at third-and-long again. The Dolphins have eight sacks tonight.

10:48 p.m. — Kamara runs 19 yards to bring the Saints within one yard of a first down. The Saints go for it on fourth down, and they get the first down thanks to a three-yard rush by Book.

10:46 p.m. — Jevon Holland and Jerome Baker sack Book on second down for a loss of 12 yards. This sets the Saints up for a third-and-long play.

10:43 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, DOLPHINS. Sanders makes a 34-yard field goal to give the Dolphins a three-score lead. Dolphins 20, Saints 3.

10:41 p.m. —  Mike Gesicki makes his biggest play of the night with a 12-yard catch, resulting in a Dolphins first down.

10:39 p.m. — The Saints also go three-and-out. There hasn't been a first down in almost six minutes.

End of third quarter: Dolphins 17, Saints 3

10:33 p.m. — Tagovailoa attempts to run for the first down, but P.J. Williams stops him one yard short. The Dolphins go three-and-out.

10:28 p.m. — After Kamara's first down, the Saints don't get another first down on this drive. They are forced to punt the ball away.

10:26 p.m. — After missing the last drive, Kamara starts off this Saints drive with a 10-yard run, his longest of the night so far.

10:21 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, DOLPHINS. Tagovailoa passes short to Waddle, who scampers into the end zone. Dolphins 17, Saints 3.

10:17 p.m. — Waddle advances 24 yards to put the Dolphins at the Saints' 21-yard line. Miami pulls off the flea flicker.

10:13 p.m. — Hollins catches a 40-yard pass from Tagovailoa for the longest play of the game. The Dolphins are on the Saints' 45-yard line.

10:08 p.m. — Jones sacks Book for the Saints' fifth sack of the night. 

10:04 p.m. — Callaway catches a 14-yard pass from Book for a Saints first down. 

10:02 p.m. — INTERCEPTION, SAINTS. Lattimore intercepts Tagovailoa's pass intended for Mack Hollins on the Saints' 36-yard line. 

9:57 p.m. — The Saints open the second half by going three-and-out. 

End of second quarter: Dolphins 10, Saints 3

9:41 p.m. — Sanders' 59-yard field goal attempt for the Dolphins is no good. 

9:39 p.m. — Cameron Jordan sacks Tagovailoa on third down for a loss of nine yards. 

9:34 p.m. — Durham Smythe catches a 13-yard pass from Tagovailoa. The ruling on the field stands after a review of the play.

9:31 p.m. — Waddle runs for 17 yards to put the Dolphins on the Saints' 40-yard line.

9:22 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, SAINTS. Brett Maher makes a 38-yard field goal to put the Saints on the board. Dolphins 10, Saints 3.

9:16 p.m. — Kamara gets back-to-back first downs for the Saints after catching a seven-yard pass and running for 12 yards. On the second play, Brandon Jones was flagged for roughing the passer, which pushed the Saints to the Dolphins' 23-yard line.

9:15 p.m. — Book opens the Saints' drive with an 11-yard pass to Callaway for a Saints first down.

9:10 p.m. — The Dolphins got a first down after Waddle caught a nine-yard pass, but it was called back after Liam Eichenberg was flagged for holding. The third down was repeated, and the Dolphins did not get a first down.

9:05 p.m. — Alvin Kamara is flagged for unnecessary roughness after pushing Wilkins following the third-down play. The Saints punt the ball.

9:02 p.m. — Book and the Saints complete their first first down of the game after Marquez Callaway advances 17 yards.

8:58 p.m. —  Jacoby Brissett steps in as quarterback for Tagovailoa on third down and can't get the first down.

End of first quarter: Dolphins 10, Saints 0

8:51 p.m. — Book is sacked by Jerome Baker on third down. The Saints go three-and-out again. The Saints have yet to get a first down.

8:47 p.m. — FIELD GOAL, DOLPHINS. Jason Sanders' 48-yard field goal is good. Dolphins 10, Saints 0.

8:46 p.m. — Tagovailoa fumbles the ball after being sacked on third down, but the Dolphins recover.

8:40 p.m. — Phillip Lindsay advances two yards for a first down, but he is tackled and eventually loses the ball. The ruling on the field was that the defense recovered a fumble, but after further review, Lindsay is ruled down. The ball stays with the Dolphins.

8:38 p.m. — Waddle catches an 18-yard pass from Tagovailoa to put the Dolphins on the Saints' 42-yard line.

8:31 p.m. — Book is sacked by Christian Wilkins and Emmanuel Ogbah on third down for a loss of 10 yards. The Saints go three-and-out.

8:25 p.m. — TOUCHDOWN, DOLPHINS. Nik Needham intercepts a pass intended for Lil'Jordan Humphrey and runs the ball back 28 yards for a touchdown. Book's first NFL drive ends in a pick-six. Dolphins 7, Saints 0.

8:21 p.m. — The Dolphins don't make it into field-goal range, so Ian Book comes onto the field to make his first NFL start.

8:18 p.m. — Tua Tagovailoa throws a short pass to Jaylen Waddle for the Dolphins' first first down of the game. After the play, Marcus Lattimore was flagged for unnecessary roughness. The Dolphins move to their own 49-yard line.

Saints vs. Dolphins start time

  • Date: Monday, Dec. 27
  • Time: 8:15 p.m. ET

The Saints vs. Dolphins game will kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La. All "Monday Night Football" games in 2021 are scheduled to begin at 8:15 p.m. ET.

How to watch Monday Night Football

  • TV channels: ESPN
  • Live streams: ESPN+, fuboTV

Saints vs. Dolphins will be broadcast on ESPN with announcers Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick.

You can also stream "Monday Night Football" live online with fuboTV, which offers a free seven-day trial.

Monday Night Football schedule 2021

Week Date Matchup
1 Sept. 13 Raiders vs. Ravens
2 Sept. 20 Packers vs. Lions
3 Sept. 27 Cowboys vs. Eagles
4 Oct. 4 Chargers vs. Raiders
5 Oct. 11 Ravens vs. Colts
6 Oct. 18 Titans vs. Bills
7 Oct. 25 Seahawks vs. Saints
8 Nov. 1 Chiefs vs. Giants
9 Nov. 8 Steelers vs. Bears
10 Nov. 15 49ers vs. Rams
11 Nov. 22 Buccaneers vs. Giants
12 Nov. 29 Washington vs. Seahawks
13 Dec. 6 Bills vs. Patriots
14 Dec. 13 Cardinals vs. Rams
15 Dec. 20 Bears vs. Vikings
16 Dec. 27 Saints vs. Dolphins
17 Jan. 3 Steelers vs. Browns

Madison Williams