Dolphins Edge Commanders in Historical NFL Overtime in Madrid

MADRID, Spain — The Miami Dolphins defeated the Washington Commanders 23-20 in the first NFL game held at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on Sunday, marking a disappointing milestone for Washington’s faltering season.

The Commanders, who entered the matchup with a 3-7 record, hoped for a turnaround against the Dolphins. However, an interception of quarterback Marcus Mariota on the first play of overtime led to the game-winning field goal by Riley Patterson.

The loss is part of a troubling trend for Washington, which has now lost six consecutive games. Coach Dan Quinn expressed his frustration postgame, stating, “This one stings. Guys are definitely hurting. … We had an opportunity to go win it. We didn’t get that done.”

Despite the special teams and offensive errors, the Commanders’ defense played arguably their best game of the season, recording three sacks and stopping the Dolphins on multiple attempts.

Washington briefly took a lead in the third quarter with a 20-yard touchdown catch from Deebo Samuel, marking their first lead since Week 7. Despite opportunities to increase their lead, they allowed Miami to tie the game, culminating in a 10-play drive ending with a touchdown from Ollie Gordon.

With only seconds left in regulation, Washington’s kicker Matt Gay missed a 56-yard field goal attempt, a moment he would take full responsibility for, saying, “That’s on me. We win that game if that kick was in.”

In overtime, cornerback Jack Jones intercepted Mariota’s pass, pushing Miami into scoring position for the decisive kick. Riley Patterson’s 29-yard field goal sealed the Dolphins’ victory.

Quinn recognized the uphill battle that lies ahead for his team, stating, “Self-pity is not going to fix it. Disappointment, all those things are natural things. So, I’ll do my best to make sure this is how we’re going to go play and this is how we’re going to go do it.”

Linebacker Bobby Wagner echoed the sentiment from the locker room: “It’s a long way to travel to come up short,” capturing the essence of a season that has instead brought discomfort.