With a healthy Tua Tagovailoa back in the lineup, the Miami Dolphins had the best offense in the NFL last season. However, with Tagovailoa missing most of this year due to a concussion, the Dolphins fell to the bottom of the league in scoring.
Tagovailoa’s return on Sunday didn’t help the Dolphins (2-5) win, but their offense became more effective in a 28-27 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
The 26-year-old quarterback completed 28 of 38 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown, marking the Dolphins’ highest-scoring game of the season.
“It feels good to be able to come back and play with my teammates to hopefully help in any way I can to get a spark going for us offensively. Or get the mojo going for the entire team,” Tagovailoa said. “It was good today, but tough loss against a really good team.”
Tagovailoa suffered his third known concussion when he scrambled and collided with Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin on September 12. He missed four games, and during that time, the Dolphins went 1-3 while using three different quarterbacks.
On Sunday, Tagovailoa faced another chance to scramble for positive yardage midway through the third quarter. This time, he chose to slide after a 13-yard run instead of hitting a defender. The play earned Miami a first down at the Arizona 9-yard line.
“I’m trying to avoid the big hits if I can,” Tagovailoa said. “Sometimes they’re unavoidable if there’s a free rusher and you have to get the ball out and take a hit.”
The crowd chanted his name after that play. “I thought that was pretty cool,” Tagovailoa said. “I think anyone would think that’s awesome.”
Tagovailoa finished the drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to De’Von Achane, putting Miami ahead 20-10.
While Tagovailoa was out, the Dolphins struggled to score 20 points in any game. Star receivers Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle had a drop in their performance because Miami was using backup quarterbacks Skylar Thompson, Tyler Huntley, and Tim Boyle.
On Sunday, Hill and Waddle both made an impact again. Hill had six catches for 72 yards, and Waddle caught four passes for 45 yards. Hill’s 30-yard catch in the second quarter was his longest since he made an 80-yard touchdown catch in the season opener against Jacksonville.
“Tagovailoa came back and got the offense going,” Hill said. “That was a beautiful thing to see.”
However, the road to a third straight playoff appearance will be challenging for the Dolphins, who will next face the AFC East-leading Bills.
“We’ve got to keep chopping wood, that’s it,” Tagovailoa said. “We don’t look for any external motivation. It’s from within. We’re going to continue to trust each other, lean on each other, and believe in each other. And we’re going to do it next week.”
