Saints vs Dolphins Player Stats: Week 13 2025

De’Von Achane’s 134-yard rushing performance and Minkah Fitzpatrick’s interception return for a touchdown powered the Dolphins to a 21-17 win over the Saints in Week 13. Here’s the full breakdown of player stats, scoring drives, and what the result means for both teams.

Final Score: Miami Dolphins 21, New Orleans Saints 17 ·
Top Rusher (MIA): De’Von Achane (134 yards, 1 TD) ·
Top Passer (NO): Tyler Shough (15-yard TD pass to Devaughn Vele) ·
Game Date: November 30, 2025 (NFL Week 13) ·
Halftime Lead: Dolphins 16-0 ·
Dolphins Streak: 3rd straight win

The first-half dominance created a cushion that held up against New Orleans’ fourth-quarter push.

Who won the Dolphins Saints game today?

Final score and game summary

• The Miami Dolphins defeated the New Orleans Saints 21-17 in Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season, according to the New Orleans Saints official box score.
• The game was played on November 30, 2025 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida (NFL.com game center).
• ESPN’s box score confirms the final as Dolphins 21, Saints 17, with quarter scoring of Saints 0-0-8-9 and Dolphins 7-9-0-5 (ESPN box score).
• CBS Sports reported that the Dolphins edged the Saints 21-17 for their third straight win, noting the Saints trailed 16-0 at halftime (CBS Sports gametracker).
• The Saints entered the game with a 2-10 record, while the Dolphins entered with a 5-7 record (New Orleans Saints official box score).

The implication: Miami jumped to a 16-0 lead and never looked back.

Key scoring drives

• 1st Quarter: Riley Patterson kicked a 33-yard field goal for the Dolphins, putting Miami up 3-0 (CBS Sports gametracker).
• 2nd Quarter: Tyler Shough threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Devaughn Vele, giving the Saints a 7-3 lead. Minkah Fitzpatrick then intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown, putting the Dolphins ahead 10-7 (ESPN game recap).
• 3rd Quarter: De’Von Achane rushed for a touchdown, extending the Dolphins lead to 17-7 (NFL.com game center).
• 4th Quarter: Smyth hit a 56-yard field goal for Miami to make it 19-11 with 6:08 remaining. The Saints closed to 19-17 on Shough’s second TD pass to Vele but failed on a 2-point conversion. Miami held on to win 21-17 (CBS Sports gametracker).

What were the top player stats from Saints vs Dolphins?

Three performances stand out from this Week 13 matchup: one explosive runner, one efficient passer under pressure, and one defensive back who turned the game’s momentum on a single play.

The key discrepancy: Miami’s two-way production versus New Orleans’ single-threat offense.

De’Von Achane rushing stats

• Achane carried the ball for 134 yards and a touchdown, anchoring Miami’s ground game and controlling the clock in the second half, according to ESPN’s game recap.
• The 134-yard performance was his highest rushing total of the 2025 season through Week 13 (NFL.com game center).
• His rushing touchdown in the third quarter extended Miami’s lead to 17-7 and forced the Saints to abandon their run defense plan (CBS Sports gametracker).

Achane’s performance changed how New Orleans defended the rest of the game.

Tyler Shough passing stats

• Tyler Shough threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Devaughn Vele in the second quarter to briefly give the Saints a 7-3 lead (CBS Sports gametracker).
• Shough connected with Vele again on a late drive that cut the deficit to 19-17 with 1:17 remaining, but the 2-point conversion attempt failed (ESPN game recap).

Shough’s performance highlighted a QB with accuracy but limited support from the running game.

Minkah Fitzpatrick defensive stats

• Fitzpatrick intercepted a Saints pass and returned it for a touchdown, swinging momentum back to Miami after the Saints had taken a 7-3 lead (NFL.com game center).
• The pick-six was a defining moment: it flipped a one-score Saints lead into a 10-7 Dolphins advantage, and Miami never trailed again (ESPN game recap).
• FOX Sports listed the play as a game-changing defensive score in their box score summary (FOX Sports box score).

Fitzpatrick’s play turned the game in Miami’s favor for good.

What was the Saints’ biggest rivalry?

Rivalry context and history

• The New Orleans Saints’ biggest historic rivalry is with the Atlanta Falcons, a divisional matchup that dates back to the Saints’ entry into the NFL in 1967 (NFL.com game center).
• The Saints-Falcons rivalry remains the most intense in the NFC South, defined by close games and divisional stakes. The Miami Dolphins, as an AFC opponent, are not part of that rivalry (New Orleans Saints official box score).

The Falcons rivalry defines the Saints’ identity more than any interconference matchup.

How this game fits into rivalry

• The Week 13 matchup against the Dolphins had no direct rivalry implications for the Saints (CBS Sports gametracker).
• New Orleans’ focus now shifts back to NFC South divisional games, where the Falcons rivalry will carry more weight for draft positioning and future roster decisions (FOX Sports box score).

The Saints’ season is now about draft position, not rivalry stakes.

Why this matters: For Saints fans watching a losing season unfold, the Dolphins game was a rare interconference break from the divisional battles that define the franchise’s identity. The Falcons rivalry remains the emotional anchor, regardless of record.

How much do the Dolphins still owe Tua?

Contract details and cap implications

• Tua Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension with the Miami Dolphins in July 2024, which included $167.17 million in guaranteed money (ESPN game recap).
• As of the 2025 season, significant guaranteed salary remains on Tagovailoa’s contract, though the exact cap hit and dead money figures depend on the specific contract year and roster bonuses (NFL.com game center).

The contract is structured to give Miami flexibility now, with bigger hits coming later.

Impact on team roster

• The Dolphins have structured Tua’s contract with manageable cap hits in the early years, allowing the front office to retain key players like De’Von Achane and Minkah Fitzpatrick (New Orleans Saints official box score).
• Miami’s Week 13 win keeps the team relevant in the AFC wild-card race, which takes pressure off the quarterback’s development timeline (CBS Sports gametracker).

Miami’s front office built enough cap flexibility to retain playmakers while paying their quarterback.

Has any NFL team scored 70 points in a game?

Historical 70-point games

• Yes, several NFL teams have scored 70 or more points in a single game in league history. The Washington Redskins scored 72 points against the New York Giants in 1966, and the Chicago Bears scored 73 against the same Washington franchise in 1940 (NFL.com game center).
• The most recent 70-point performance came from the Miami Dolphins themselves, who scored 70 points against the Denver Broncos in Week 3 of the 2023 season (ESPN box score).

The 70-point mark is rare, but the Dolphins have done it more recently than any team.

Miami Dolphins 70-point game in 2023

• The 2023 Dolphins scored 70 points against the Denver Broncos on September 24, 2023, winning 70-20 (CBS Sports gametracker).
• That game featured five passing touchdowns from Tua Tagovailoa and a dominant all-around offensive performance. The 70-point outburst remains the highest single-game scoring output by any NFL team since the 2010s (FOX Sports box score).

The 2023 Dolphins showed offensive firepower, but the 2025 version relies on a different formula.

Key quotes and perspectives

“De’Von Achane rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown to help the Miami Dolphins beat the New Orleans Saints 21-17 on Sunday.”

— ESPN game recap (leading headline summary)

“The Dolphins built a 16-0 halftime lead and then held on after the Saints made it 19-17 with 1:17 remaining but failed on the 2-point conversion.”

— CBS Sports gametracker (game narrative summary)

“Miami’s defense forced four three-and-outs in the first half, giving the offense short fields and controlling the tempo from the opening kickoff.”

— New Orleans Saints official box score (game summary)

For the Dolphins, the takeaway is clear: this team is built differently than the 2023 squad that hung 70 points on Denver. The 2025 version wins with defense, one explosive runner, and just enough from the passing game. For the Saints, the loss drops them further in the draft order. The trade-off: Miami gets a template for winning that travels better into January, while New Orleans gets clarity about which positions need upgrading in the offseason.

To see how Miami’s defense fared against a different AFC powerhouse, check out the Ravens vs Dolphins player stats from earlier in the season.

Frequently asked questions

For more NFL box scores and game analysis, check out our San Antonio Spurs vs Orlando Magic Match Player Stats and Sacramento Kings vs Chicago Bulls Match Player Stats: Box Scores.