Ryan Fitzpatrick passed for two touchdowns and rushed for one to help the Miami Dolphins cruise to a 31-13 victory over the host Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night.

Fitzpatrick completed 18 of 20 passes for 160 yards as the Dolphins (1-2) halted a season-opening, two-game slide. Mike Gesicki and Preston Williams caught touchdown passes, and Jordan Howard rushed for a score.

Gardner Minshew II connected on 30 of 42 passes for 275 yards and one interception for the Jaguars (1-2). James Robinson rushed for two scores and totaled 129 yards from scrimmage (46 rushing, 83 receiving).

The game was played in front of approximately 16,000 fans after the Jaguars made about 25 percent of their stadium seats available in compliance with state and local protocols in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Miami used three long first-half scoring drives to exert control despite Jacksonville finishing with a 318-294 edge in total offense.

The Dolphins set the tone by traveling 84 yards on 12 plays and eating up 6:51 on the clock at the outset of the contest. Fitzpatrick connected with Williams on a 3-yard scoring pass to cap the march with 8:09 left in the quarter.

Miami's second drive was even more commanding: 80 yards in just six plays. Howard finished it off with a 1-yard run to make it 14-0 with 2:37 remaining in the stanza.

Jacksonville got on the board on Robinson's 11-yard scamper with 13:04 left in the second quarter. The Jaguars drove 75 yards on nine plays.

The Dolphins answered with another lengthy excursion of 11 plays and 75 yards over 7:06. Fitzpatrick tossed a 15-yard scoring pass to Gesicki to make it 21-7 with 5:58 left in the half.

Kyle Van Noy forced and recovered a fumble by Minshew at the Jacksonville 10-yard line with 4:04 left in the third quarter, and a penalty on Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson for making contact with an official moved the ball to the 5. Robinson also was ejected.

On third-and-goal from the 1, Fitzpatrick fielded a shotgun snap and bulled his way up the middle for the score to make it 28-7 with 2:01 left in the third quarter.

James Robinson added a 1-yard scoring run with 9:03 to go in the game before Jaguars kicker Brandon Wright was wide left with the extra point.

Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders booted a 30-yard field goal with 3:49 left.

--Field Level Media