De’Von Achane rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown, Riley Patterson kicked four field goals and the host Miami Dolphins won their third straight game by holding off the New Orleans Saints 21-17 on Sunday afternoon.
Achane scored on the first possession of the game and the Dolphins (5-7) never relinquished the lead despite a shaky performance by Tua Tagovailoa, who completed 12 of 23 passes for 157 yards with an interception.
Rookie Tyler Shough passed for 239 yards and two touchdowns for the Saints (2-10).
On the first possession of the second half the Saints drove 65 yards, the last 17 of which came on a touchdown pass from Shough to Chris Olave. Shough ran for a two-point conversion, New Orleans climbed within 16-8, and the score stayed that way through the end of the third quarter.
Patterson kicked a 33-yard field goal to increase the lead to 19-8 with 9:39 remaining. Charlie Smyth made a 56-yard field on his first field-goal attempt in a regular-season game to get the Saints back within eight points with 6:08 left.
New Orleans got the ball back at its 45 when it stopped Ollie Gordon II for a 1-yard loss and fourth down with 3:05 left.
Shough threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Devaughn Vele with 1:17 left, giving the Saints a chance to tie with a two-point conversion. After a false start penalty Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Shough and returned all the way for two points.
Vele recovered an onside kick and the Saints reached the Miami 36, but Shough was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-1 with 29 seconds left.
The Dolphins received the opening kickoff and drove 69 yards in six plays, the last of which was Achane’s 29-yard touchdown run, and the 7-0 lead held up through the end of the first quarter.
Miami increased the lead to 10-0 when Patterson kicked a 39-yard field on the fourth play of the second quarter.
Patterson added a 25-yard field goal and after Rasul Douglas intercepted Shough and added a 48-yarder as time expired, giving the Dolphins a 16-0 lead.
The Dolphins outgained the Saints, 298-294, but the visitors had the edge in first downs 20-16.
Vele led all pass catchers with eight receptions for 93 yards.
