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Fans of the NFL saw the Miami Dolphins and the New Orleans Saints do battle on Monday Night Football. Each team entered the game at 7-7 and, at a minimum, in the hunt for a playoff spot in their respective conferences.
The Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa entered the Week 16 matchup on a six-game winning streak. The team has been led by their resilient defense, which is indicative of their head coach Brian Flores.
Meanwhile, injuries and COVID-19 have ravaged the New Orleans Saints (along with the rest of the NFL). The team already lost starting quarterback Jameis Winston to injury earlier in the season.
The Saints entered the game without Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian, their second and third-string quarterbacks who are out due to COVID-19.
This set the stage for rookie quarterback Ian Book to make his first start in a primetime game.
NFL Monday Night Football: Miami Dolphins beat New Orleans Saints
The NFL Monday Night Football game took an immediate turn for the worse in the very first drive for the Saints. Rookie quarterback Ian Book threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Dolphins cornerback Nik Needham.
The Saints were never able to recover from the early blow, and the Dolphins proceeded to sack Book a total of eight times. Miami also forced him to toss two interceptions on the night.
Saints head coach Sean Payton had this to say about Ian Book's first NFL game:
"Just keeping him upright tonight was a challenge. The first interception was a throw he'll want back, but that's a tough position for him to be in."
Meanwhile, the Dolphins were paced by their star rookie receiver Jaylen Waddle, who ended the game with 10 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.
Waddle is currently only five catches short of the NFL rookie receptions record held by Anquan Boldin, who had 101 catches as a rookie with the Arizona Cardinals in 2003.
The Dolphins are currently on a seven-game winning streak and are peaking at just the right time. With the Bills defeating the Patriots on Sunday, the Dolphins are now 8-7 and one game back of the division lead.
Final Score: Miami Dolphins 20-3 New Orleans Saints
Miami Dolphins' top performers:
QB: Tua Tagovailoa (19/26, 198 yards, TD, INT)
RB: Duke Johnson (13 carries, 39 yards)
WR: Jaylen Waddle (10 catches, 92 yards, TD)
Seattle Seahawks' top performers:
QB: Ian Book (12/20, 135 yards, 2 INT)
RB: Alvin Kamara (13 carries, 52 yards)
WR: Lil' Jordan Humphrey (3 catches, 70 yards)
