Scoring Plays:
1Q - MIA - Nik Needham 28 yd interception return for TD (PAT Good) | MIA 7, NO 0
1Q - MIA - Jason Sanders 48 yd FG GOOD | MIA 10, NO 0
End of Quarter Score - Miami Dolphins 10, New Orleans Saints 0
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2Q - NO - Brett Maher 38 yd FG GOOD | MIA 10, NO 3
End of Quarter Score - Miami Dolphins 10, New Orleans Saints 3
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3Q - MIA - Tua Tagovailoa to Jaylen Waddle 1 yd TD pass (PAT Good) | MIA 17, NO 3
End of Quarter Score - Miami Dolphins 17, New Orleans Saints 3
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4Q - MIA - Jason Sanders 34 yd FG GOOD | MIA 20, NO 3
Final Score - Miami Dolphins 20, New Orleans Saints 3
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Hello Who Dats & Who Datettes & welcome to the week 16/game 15 thread. And since this is the final game before the New Year, I would like to wish all of you a happy, healthy, & safe new year.

What a way to come off of perhaps one of the most improbable wins/shut outs in franchise history. Get hit with a virus outbreak on the team that has us wondering if we can get another big win in the playoff chase while exponentially more short-handed than last week's win, especially now that there's officially 1 less spot available for the Saints as the Buccaneers did what they couldn't do last week at home against the Saints, ending the Saints' 4-year reign as NFC South Champs by clinching the division title yesterday.

So now with the Saints firmly in Wild Card hunt mode, tonight's game against a Dolphins team currently on a 6-game win streak is being made much more difficult by the virus outbreak that will cause the Saints to start rookie QB Ian Book, who has been inactive all season long, and has taken a giant chunk out of our defense, including Carl Granderson, Kwon Alexander (reportedly, not confirmed by team as of this writing), Demario Davis, & Malcolm Jenkins. On offense, the effect has been the aforementioned quarterback and tight end position as we're down to just Nick Vannett at tight end with Juwan Johnson & Adam Trautman both down. Ryan Ramczyk was already down with injury, so COVID is just added on to the pile. On special teams, pro bowler coverage man JT Gray is down as is the already-suspended return man Deonte Harris/Harty.

The Miami Dolphins aren't immune to COVID either, though they aren't getting hit nearly as bad as the Saints. Their biggest losses are along the offensive line, where they may have some attrition issues, though former LSU LB Duke Riley is also out with the virus. While the Saints get head coach Sean Payton back, the Dolphins get WR Jaylen Waddle back from the virus list. Can Ian Book improbably lead the team to victory so short-handed? Can the defense continue to dominate with so many players out?

LET'S GO OFF-BOOK BY RIDING IAN BOOK TO A 3RD-STRAIGHT WIN!!!

Injury Report:
NO- (players on IR OR COVID-19 Reserve List are not listed here)
Terron Armstead - Knee - QUESTIONABLE
Marcus Davenport - Shoulder/Knee - QUESTIONABLE
Tre'Quan Smith - Shoulder - QUESTIONABLE

MIA -
All players on 53-man active roster are available to play

Weather: Hopefully it won't be a Silent Night inside the Caesar's Superdome for a Monday Night Football game with potential postseason implications.

Uniforms: The Saints have asked the fans to "black out" the Superdome... and they will do so by wearing the mono-black look tonight.

Current Standings:
AFC East:
Bills 9-6
Patriots 9-6
Dolphins 7-7
Jets 4-11

NFC South:
Buccaneers 11-4
Saints 7-7
Falcons 7-8
Panthers 5-10

Betting Lines: Dolphins (-3); O/U 37.5... the Saints were the favorite by 3.5 points prior to the COVID news coming out.

Want to listen to Mike Hoss, Deuce McAllister, & Steve Geller instead of Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, & Lisa Salters?
Find your local Saints Radio Network affiliate at this link

Today's Officials:
Referee: #29 Adrian Hill

Umpire: #81 Roy Ellison
Down Judge: #24 David Oliver
Line Judge: #75 Mark Stewart
Field Judge: #31 Mearl Robinson
Side Judge: #5 Jim Quirk
Back Judge: #61 Keith Ferguson
Replay Official: Roddy Ames
Replay Assistant: Joe Wollan

Inactive Lists:
MIA-
CB Trill Williams
RB Salvon Ahmed
DT John Jenkins

NO-
LT Terron Armstead

This post was edited on 12/27/21 at 10:17 pm