MIAMI GARDENS — The Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) and the Miami Dolphins (1-0) both entered Sunday's Week 1 matchup with a bad taste in their mouths from a season ago.
For the Jaguars , their nightmare continued, losing 20-17 on a last-second 52-yard field goal by Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders.
After the Jaguars jumped out to a 17-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter, Miami came storming back thanks to costly mistakes by the Jaguars and explosive plays by Miami.
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson was asked Wednesday what stands out about the Dolphins' offense.
His response: "Speed, speed, speed."
Indeed.
Too explosive: Tyreek Hill scores 80-yard TD against Jaguars, celebrates with mock arrest in end zone
The Dolphins tried to exploit the Jaguars early and often with quick passes to their core speedsters. For the most part, Jacksonville held Miami in check, but explosive catches by Tyreek Hill (80-yard touchdown catch) and Jaylen Waddle (63-yard first-half catch) erased any memory of the standout performances by Jacksonville's new-look secondary.
Still, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa struggled to get much going in the first half of the game, completing 11 of 21 passes for 131 yards. He was sacked once in the first half.
Before the game, Dolphins star receiver Hill was detained by police following a "verbal altercation" after a traffic stop. Hill was released shortly after and suited up for the game.
Jaguars safety Daniel Thomas did not play due to an achilles injury suffered during training camp. He was officially labeled " inactive " 90 minutes before kickoff.
Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey entered the game with a "questionable" designation and was active.
Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle help carry Dolphins offense with explosives
For the most part, Jacksonville’s defense held Miami’s explosive offense in check.
With 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, just three Miami players had more than seven receiving yards. After a Jaguars fumble in the end zone that could have put Jacksonville up 24-7, Miami struck quickly, with an 80-yard score by Hill, who had been held to five catches for 29 yards in the game. It made the score 17-14.
His counterpart, Waddle, opened the game alongside running back De’Von Achane with a couple of explosive plays, including a 39-yard catch-and-run by Achane and a 63-yard catch by Waddle.
At one point, Miami’s offense was held to about 2.8 yards per play without Achane and Waddle’s explosive plays. By the end of the contest, Miami had 6.2.
Travis Etienne, Jaguars offense make two costly mistakes
Jaguars running back Travis Etienne couldn’t get much going by himself against the Dolphins on Sunday. It led to disaster near the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter.
With about two minutes remaining in the third, Etienne carried the ball 10 yards from the Dolphins 13-yard line and looked as though he was going to score. Instead, he fumbled the football after a punchout by Dolphins safety Javon Holland. The ball rolled into the end zone and was recovered by Miami for a touchback.
A score would have given Jacksonville a 24-7 lead going into the fourth quarter. Miami scored on its ensuing possession, cutting Jacksonville’s lead to three, 17-14.
On the next possession by Jacksonville, the Jaguars chose to go for it on fourth-and-1 from their one 32-yard line. Etienne took the carry outside on the left side of the field before reversing field. He couldn’t make up enough ground, though tackled for a loss of two, handing Miami the ball back at the start of the fourth quarter.
Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas Jr. begin the game hot, cool in second half
Brian Thomas Jr's debut got off to a fast start, catching a touchdown in the first half of the game, giving the team a 14-0 lead.
Thomas contributed to another score with running back Travis Etienne’s first score of the game coming thanks to a pass interference penalty by Ramsey in the end zone.
Thomas led the team in receiving entering halftime with four catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. Thomas’ touchdown came with 6:29 remaining in the first half.
In the first half, Lawrence completed 9 of 14 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. In the second half, he completed just 3 of 7 passes for 37 yards.
He was sacked once in the first half, and twice in the second half on back-to-back plays on the team's final possession of the game.
They didn't get the ball back afterward.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars open season with a loss, fall 20-17 on late-field goal to Miami Dolphins
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