Running back Mike Gillislee #35 of the Miami Dolphins is brought down by Safety Jerico Nelson #37 of the New Orleans Saints at Sun Life Stadium on August 29, 2013 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

 

The New Orleans Saints fell to the Miami Dolphins, 24-21, on Thursday night at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida, to end their 2013 preseason schedule.

Both teams kept the number of snaps of their projected starters to a minimum, and some starters, including New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, and Miami starter Ryan Tannehill didn't play at all.

The Saints jumped out to a 7-0 lead at the 7:42 mark of the first quarter on an 8-yard touchdown run by Mark Ingram, before the Dolphins scored the next ten points of the quarter, courtesy of an 8-yard touchdown pass from Pat Devlin to Dion Sims, as well as a 33-yard field goal from Caleb Sturgis, to take a 10-7 lead after the first period.

Sturgis was responsible for the only points of the second quarter, when he nailed a 40-yard field goal with only :42 seconds remaining in the opening half, to give the Dolphins a 13-7 halftime lead.

Miami and Sturgis  then made it 16-unanswered points in the third quarter, when he hit his third field goal of the night, this one from 43 yards, extending the lead to 16-7 at the end of three quarters.

New Orleans was able to rally in the fourth quarter however, scoring two touchdowns to wrestled away the lead.

The first touchdown came at the 14:24 mark of the fourth quarter, when offensive lineman Tim Lelito recovered a fumble in the end zone, making it 16-14, Miami, before Ryan Griffin hit Austin Johnson with a 2-yard touchdown pass at the 11:08 mark, giving the Saints a 21-16 lead.

The score stayed that way until the 3:02 mark of the fourth quarter, when the Dolphins regained the lead, after Devlin aired out a 56-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Mcnutt, to make the score, 24-21, Miami.

The Saints had a chance to regain the lead, and win the game late, driving the ball inside the Miami 10-yard line, before turning the football over, via an interception, as the Dolphins secured the three-point victory.

New Orleans out-gained Miami, in terms of total offense, 388-289, but also suffered four turnovers, including three fumbles and an interception, which proved to be the difference in the game.

Devlin led the way for the Dolphins, completing 22-of-38 passes, for 259 yards, and two touchdowns, while Griffin paced the Saints in a losing cause, completing 15-of-26 passes, for 198 yards, and a touchdown.

With the win, the Dolphins end the preseason with a record of 2-3, while the Saints finish up at 3-1.

New Orleans will open up their 2013 regular season schedule on Sunday, September 8, when they host the Atlanta Falcons.

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