Miami Gardens, Florida. Jason Sanders remembers his first game-winning kick, a 53-yarder against Tulsa during his final year at New Mexico in 2017.
His final kick Sunday was a little easier.
The Miami Dolphins kicker made a 29-yard field goal as time expired to seal a 22-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, securing a postseason spot for the second straight season. Sanders also hit a 50-yard field goal to defeat the New York Jets in 2022, securing Miami’s first postseason appearance since 2016.
Despite connecting on just 6 of his previous 16 kicks of at least 50 yards, Sanders connected on attempts of 57, 54 and 52 yards in a perfect 5-for-5 performance. “Not every year can be an all-pro year, so I think I’m still hitting the kicks,” said Sanders, who is 22-for-26 on field goal attempts this season. “I’m still right where I need to be – a couple blocks here and there; I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.” The win was the Dolphins’ first of the season against a team with a winning record – a narrative that had permeated the Dolphins’ locker room to some extent. Head coach Mike McDaniel has consistently recognized the presence of any concern about his team’s record against winning
The second-year coach said he was proud of the way his team responded to the criticism surrounding it. “With the advent and heavy push of social media, I think it’s really hard to ignore the noise, so to speak, or not hear it,” he said. “I think you’re going to hear it … I thought this is a big win for this team, because it’s always big when you do something that internally you know that you’re capable of, and when it comes to fruition, it’s pretty satisfying.”
