Tennessee defeated Miami 31-12 at Hard Rock Stadium on September 30, 2024. Will Levis lasted four passes before a shoulder injury forced Mason Rudolph into action. Rudolph completed 9 of 17 passes for 85 yards with zero turnovers while Nick Folk kicked five field goals. The Titans defense held Miami to 184 total yards, their lowest output since December 2023. Brian Callahan earned his first win as an NFL head coach.
Table of Contents
Quick Stats
Final Score: Tennessee 31, Miami 12
MVP: Nick Folk (5/5 FG, 17 points)
Key Injury: Will Levis (shoulder, first quarter)
Defensive Stat: Miami held to 184 yards
Historic: Tennessee’s first 30+ point game in 1,002 days
Team Statistics
| Category | Tennessee | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 31 | 12 |
| Total Yards | 244 | 184 |
| First Downs | 16 | 13 |
| Third Down | 2/12 (17%) | 2/12 (17%) |
| Fourth Down | 1/1 (100%) | 1/3 (33%) |
| Time of Possession | 34:52 | 25:08 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Penalties | 8-69 | 10-98 |
Tennessee dominated possession by nearly ten minutes while staying cleaner than Miami on penalties. Both offenses sputtered on third down at identical 17% rates, but the Titans converted their only fourth down attempt at a crucial moment. Miami’s false starts and holding calls extended Tennessee drives when it mattered most.
Quarterback Performance
| QB | Team | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Rudolph | TEN | 9/17 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 1-8 | 67.0 |
| Will Levis | TEN | 3/4 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51.0 |
| Tyler Huntley | MIA | 14/22 | 96 | 0 | 0 | 2-18 | 73.3 |
Mason Rudolph entered at 14:16 of the second quarter after Levis injured his shoulder diving for a first down marker. Zero turnovers in 46 minutes of emergency duty won this game. Rudolph’s clutch throw to Tyler Boyd in the final seconds of the first half set up Folk’s field goal as time expired, giving Tennessee a 9-3 halftime lead.
Tyler Huntley completed 63.6% of his passes but Miami’s offense generated just 96 yards through the air. He’d signed with the Dolphins on September 17, giving him less than two weeks to learn Mike McDaniel’s complex scheme. Huntley’s 40 scramble yards led Miami in rushing, exposing the offensive line problems that plagued the Dolphins all night.
“It was not a decision based on anything other than his health,” Brian Callahan said about Levis postgame. “Will is 100% our starter.”
Rushing Statistics
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Pollard | TEN | 22 | 88 | 4.0 | 1 | 41 |
| Tyler Huntley | MIA | 8 | 40 | 5.0 | 1 | 20 |
| Tyjae Spears | TEN | 15 | 39 | 2.6 | 1 | 9 |
| Jaylen Wright | MIA | 9 | 32 | 3.6 | 0 | 20 |
| De’Von Achane | MIA | 10 | 15 | 1.5 | 0 | 5 |
Tony Pollard absorbed 22 touches, his season high, grinding out 88 yards against a Miami front loading the box. Midway through the third quarter, he burst 41 yards down the right sideline, setting up Tennessee’s first touchdown. Pollard sealed the victory with a four yard scoring run in the final minute.
Tyjae Spears scored Tennessee’s opening touchdown on a seven yard wildcat run. The direct snap caught Miami’s linebackers flowing toward the perimeter, leaving the middle wide open. De’Von Achane managed just 15 yards on ten carries as Tennessee’s defensive line won at the point of attack. Rookie Jaylen Wright showed flashes with 32 yards on nine attempts but couldn’t establish consistency.
Receiving Statistics
| Player | Team | Rec | Targets | Yards | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Waddle | MIA | 4 | 6 | 36 | 18 |
| Tyler Boyd | TEN | 2 | 2 | 31 | 27 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | TEN | 2 | 4 | 31 | 16 |
| Tyreek Hill | MIA | 4 | 7 | 23 | 17 |
| Tony Pollard | TEN | 2 | 2 | 20 | 16 |
Tyreek Hill caught four passes for 23 yards, his third straight game under 50 receiving yards. Tennessee’s two deep safety look prevented Huntley from attacking the seams, forcing shorter contested throws where timing with receivers broke down. Miami’s longest completion traveled just 18 yards.
Tyler Boyd’s 27 yard reception provided Tennessee’s biggest catch of the night. DeAndre Hopkins caught two passes and drew a critical pass interference penalty in the third quarter that extended Tennessee’s scoring drive. Jaylen Waddle paced Miami’s receivers with 36 yards, but the Dolphins couldn’t generate explosive plays against Tennessee’s disciplined zone coverage.
Defensive Statistics
| Player | Team | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordyn Brooks | MIA | 13 | 9 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Kenneth Murray Jr. | TEN | 9 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Anthony Walker Jr. | MIA | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T’Vondre Sweat | TEN | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Emmanuel Ogbah | MIA | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sebastian Joseph-Day | TEN | 6 | 3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Harold Landry III | TEN | 5 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Jordyn Brooks dominated for Miami despite the loss. His 13 tackles, one sack, and one pass defended marked his highest tackle total since Week 12 of 2022. Brooks became just the second player in Week 4 with at least 13 tackles, one sack, and one pass defended in a single game, joining Minnesota’s Blake Cashman. This marked the most productive outing by a Dolphins linebacker since Zach Thomas posted 15 tackles, one sack, and one pass defended against Carolina in 2005.
Kenneth Murray Jr. made the night’s most critical defensive play when he stuffed Tyreek Hill on fourth and one in the second quarter. Murray fought through a reach block and met Hill at the line of scrimmage as Quandre Diggs arrived to finish the tackle, forcing a turnover on downs. Rookie T’Vondre Sweat recorded two tackles for loss, penetrating Miami’s interior gaps and forcing De’Von Achane to bounce runs outside where linebackers waited. At 366 pounds, Sweat’s quickness disrupted Miami’s timing all night.
Emmanuel Ogbah intercepted Will Levis on Tennessee’s opening drive, securing the pass between his knees in coverage. Miami went three and out afterward, wasting the opportunity. Harold Landry’s fourth quarter sack forced Tyler Huntley into intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety, pushing Tennessee’s lead to 24-12 with 2:27 remaining.
Special Teams
| Kicker | FG Made/Att | Long | XP | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Folk | 5/5 | 53 | 2/2 | 17 |
| Jason Sanders | 2/2 | 56 | 0/0 | 6 |
Nick Folk went 5 for 5 on field goals from 53, 52, 47, 51, and 29 yards. At 39 years old, Folk provided 17 of Tennessee’s 31 points while matching his career high. Three makes from 50 or more yards tied a Tennessee franchise record.
Jason Sanders matched Folk’s accuracy, converting both attempts from 44 and 56 yards. The 56 yarder tied Sanders’ second longest career field goal, one yard short of his personal best. Miami’s offense stalled repeatedly in Tennessee territory, managing just two drives into field goal range while Tennessee converted five scoring chances.
Game Flow
Will Levis threw an interception to Emmanuel Ogbah on Tennessee’s opening drive. Levis injured his shoulder on the second possession diving for a first down. Mason Rudolph entered at 14:16 of the second quarter, inheriting a 0-0 game on the road.
Rudolph immediately led two field goal drives. Folk hit from 53 and 52 yards for a 6-0 lead before Jason Sanders cut it to 6-3 with a 44 yarder. With 16 seconds left in the half and zero timeouts, Rudolph connected with Boyd for 26 yards down the sideline. Tennessee sprinted to the line. Rudolph spiked the ball with one second remaining. Folk drilled from 47 yards as time expired, giving Tennessee a 9-3 halftime advantage. That sequence proved crucial, turning a close game into a two possession lead.
The second half belonged to Tennessee’s defense and Folk’s leg. Tony Pollard broke a 41 yard run in the third quarter. Tyjae Spears scored from seven yards on wildcat formation. Folk added field goals from 51 and 29 yards, building a 22-6 cushion.
Tyler Huntley scored on a one yard run with 3:36 left. Miami needed the two point conversion to make it a one score game. Huntley fired toward the end zone. Quandre Diggs jumped the route for an interception, keeping Tennessee ahead by ten points instead of eight. That play effectively ended Miami’s comeback hopes. Tony Pollard sealed it with a four yard touchdown run in the final minute.
What This Game Meant
Tennessee moved to 1-3, avoiding an 0-4 start that would have created organizational pressure heading into their bye week. Brian Callahan secured his first victory as an NFL head coach. Controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk presented Callahan with the game ball in the locker room as players doused their coach with water.
“I don’t know if I can put it into words for you,” Callahan told reporters. “It feels great, most importantly because our guys deserve it. These guys work hard, and they practice hard, and they do everything right. They deserve to win.”
The Titans scored 30 or more points for the first time since January 2, 2022, a span of 1,002 days. Tennessee’s offense averaged just 16 points through the first three games before breaking through on this Monday night.
Miami fell to 1-3 without franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who remained on injured reserve with a concussion. The Dolphins hadn’t led a single game all season. Their only victory came when Jason Sanders kicked a walk off field goal against Jacksonville in the opener. Tyler Huntley showed competence but lacked the familiarity with Mike McDaniel’s complex scheme that comes from extended practice time.
“I felt pretty comfortable,” Huntley said postgame. “Just now I got to dig in deeper and just know the ins and outs of the offense, and it will take our offense to another level.”
Tennessee’s path forward remained uncertain after Week 4. The Titans needed Will Levis healthy for their bye week recovery. For one September night, Tennessee executed the fundamentals. They controlled the clock for 35 minutes and stayed disciplined. Rudolph protected the ball after replacing Levis. Folk’s leg provided consistent points while the defense held Miami to season lows.
This Monday night victory represented Tennessee’s cleanest execution in a season that included multiple turnovers in Week 1 against Chicago and would later feature a 52-14 loss at Detroit where four turnovers buried them despite 416 total yards. The Dolphins’ defensive effort couldn’t overcome an offense that managed just 184 total yards.
