MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (WVUE) – The Saints lost their 10th game of the season Sunday (Nov. 30), failing to muster 20 points for the seventh consecutive game, the longest such streak by any NFL team this season.

Even under balmy conditions at Hard Rock Stadium, New Orleans’ offense remained cold in a 21-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The Saints fell behind 16-0 by halftime, but clawed back with a late fourth-quarter touchdown that gave them a chance to tie if they could convert a two-point conversion.

Instead, the Dolphins’ Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough and returned it the length of the field, giving Miami (5-7) a two-point score for the final four-point margin.

The Saints are now 2-10 on the season, including 1-5 on the road.

Shough was sacked four times and committed two turnovers (one interception, one lost fumble) before the intercepted conversion, falling to 1-4 as an NFL starter

The Saints trailed by 16 points before finally ending the shutout on their first drive of the third quarter, when Shough found Chris Olave in the corner of the end zone with a 17-yard touchdown pass. Shough rushed around the right end for a two-point conversion that cut Miami’s lead to 16-8.

Shough led a seven-play drive that covered 55 yards in the final three minutes, culminated by a 15-yard scoring pass to Devaughn Vele in the back of the end zone. That brought the Saints within 19-17, but then the two-point conversion pass was picked off.

The Dolphins got out to a fast start, as speedy running back De’Von Achane burst down the right sideline for a 29-yard touchdown run that capped a six-play, 69-yard opening drive for a 7-0 lead less than four minutes into the first quarter.

Achane wound up punishing the Saints with 134 rushing yards on 22 carries.

Meanwhile, the Saints, playing without injured running back Alvin Kamara (knee), again mustered little offense. Their first three possessions ended in punts without a single first down gained.

They got a first down on their fourth drive, but immediately coughed up the ball when Fitzpatrick blitzed from Shough’s blind side and forced a fumble from the Saints’ quarterback. The Dolphins took over at the Saints’ 37-yard line, but the opportunity was instantly squandered when Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was intercepted in the end zone on a pass intended for Jaylen Waddle.

Another Saints three-and-out followed, however, and New Orleans punted again. New Orleans was outgained 193-63 in the first half.

Miami took a 10-0 lead with 14:09 left in the second quarter, when Riley Patterson kicked a 39-yard field goal to cap an eight-play drive that covered 69 yards.

Patterson connected again from 25 yards out for a 13-0 Miami lead with 6:07 left in the first half. He hit from 48 yards away as time ran out in the second quarter for a 16-0 halftime lead.

New Orleans drove to the Dolphins’ 24-yard line late in the second quarter, but Shough was intercepted by Rasul Douglas. The turnover led to Patterson’s third field goal of the game.

Patterson added a fourth, with 9:39 left in the fourth quarter, that put the Dolphins ahead, 19-8.

Irish kicker Charlie Smyth, getting the start for the Saints after the week’s release of Blake Grupe, didn’t get a scoring opportunity until 6:08 left to play. Smyth validated the Saints’ decision by nailing a 56-yard field goal, one week after Grupe missed twice from inside of 50.

The Saints are back in Florida next Sunday, facing the Buccaneers in Tampa for a noon game.

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