The Dolphins tried to screw it up, they really did.
But even with some dubious late-game strategy, they were able to pull a Snake Plissken and escape from Los Angeles.
Dolphins kicker Cody Parkey nailed a 54-yard field goal with 1:05 left in the game, giving the Dolphins a 19-17 edge. But they left Philip Rivers time, and as he does so often, he got the Chargers in position to make it interesting.
But for some reason, the Dolphins did the Chargers a favor by calling a late timeout on a third down and the clock ticking, allowing Younghoe Koo plenty of time to set up for a potential game-winning 44-yard field goal.
Koo let them off the hook by missing, but it allowed them to enjoy a day on which quarterback Jay Cutler had his moments, but running back Jay Ajayi did the heavy lifting.
Ajayi had 28 carries for 122 yards, which allowed Cutler some breathing room in his coming out of retirement game.
After a training-wheels first half, Cutler finished an efficient 24-of-33 for 230 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t air it out often, but there were moments of Good Jay Cutler evident, and he got to take a knee to end it.