Dolphins Digest Week 7: The Return of Tua
Wilfredo Lee. Shutterstock Images.The Miami Dolphins ended their three-game losing streak by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 16-10 as Tua Tagovailoa returned from concussion protocol. The Dolphins got off to a fast start, scoring 13 points in the first quarter. However, they chose to sit on the lead for the remainder of the game and almost let it slip away. The Steelers scored ten points in the second quarter, as the Dolphins answered with a field goal before the half. Neither team scored in the second half, as the Dolphins' defense made the plays when needed, with Jevon Holland and Noah Igbinoghene each picking off Kenny Pickett in the fourth quarter.
The Dolphins playing on Sunday Night Football for just the third time since NBC made it the premiere game of the week in 2006. With a rare game under the lights, the Dolphins honored the 50th anniversary of the 1972 perfect season and wore their perfect throwback uniforms. Tua Tagovialoa, who had missed two games since suffering a concussion in Week 4, returned, as did Terron Armstead. The return of Armstead may have been just as crucial as Tagoviloa as Greg Little moved to left tackle last week and had the worst blocking game of any offensive lineman statistically, with a rating of 1.5. Armstead provided several key blocks opening lanes for the running game and keeping the Steelers' pass rush away from the Tua.
The Dolphins got the ball first and had a pair of misfires as Liam Eichenberg had a false start on the first snap of the game, while Tua's first pass to Tyreek Hill resulted in a four-yard loss. The Dolphins would find their footing as Tua's next pass was a 40-yard gain by Jaylen Waddle, getting the crowd into the game as the Dolphins' offense found its footing. With several plays to Raheem Mostert and Mike Gesicki, the Dolphins got into the red zone and scored a touchdown as Mostert caught a swing pass and got into the end zone from the eight-yard line.
After a three-and-out, the Dolphins got the ball back and dove into Pittsburgh territory, with Jaylen Waddle catching a 25-yard pass and Raheem Mostert having a 12-yard run. However, Miami would settle for a 24-yard field goal by Jason Sanders as their drive stalled at the Steelers' six. Following an interception by Justin Bethel, the Dolphins added a 42-yard field goal by Sanders to build a 13-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Steelers' offense got on track in the second quarter, as they got on the scoreboard with a 45-yard field goal by Chris Boswell. After the Dolphins were forced to punt, the Steelers got the ball and marched 86 in 13 plays to score a touchdown. The key play was a 12-yard scramble by Kenny Pickett on third and 12, as George Pickett caught a seven-yard pass following the two-minute warning. With limited time and starting on the 15-yard line, Tua Tagovailoa launched a 32-yard pass that was caught by Trent Sheffield to jumpstart the drive. Adding a 28-yard pass to Tyreek Hill, the Dolphins got down the field to set up a 47-yard field goal to make it 16-10 at the half.
After the Steelers went three and out on their first drive of the second, the Dolphins got down into the red zone, with Waddle catching a 25-yard pass and Mostert going 18 yards on a short pass from Tua Tagovailoa. However, the drive stalled on two poor runs by Chase Edmunds, as the Dolphins went for on fourth down and came away empty-handed from the Pittsburgh 14. The teams would punt the ball back and forth for the remainder of the third quarter as safety Brandon Jones left with a knee injury adding to the Dolphins' secondary injury woes.
With the Dolphins' offense remaining in a shell. The Steelers went into the fourth quarter down six in a game that the Dolphins should have been able to put away. The Steelers were driving to take the lead late in the game, as they got into the red zone before a pair of penalties pushed the ball back to the Miami 30. Looking to get a first down, Kenny Pickett was picked off by Javon Holiday, who returned the ball to midfield, where the Dolphins just needed a first down to end the game.
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Once again, the Dolphins could not finish the game as they took just 26 seconds off the clock and were forced to punt the ball back to Pittsburgh with 2:31 left. On fourth down and six, the Dolphins allowed Kenny Pickett to find Pat Freiermuth to give the Steelers a chance to win a game that Dolphins had controlled from the start. The Steelers got the ball down to the 25 with 25 seconds left; when looking for a touchdown, Pickett was picked off by Noah Igbinoghene in the end zone, sealing a win and providing much-needed relief for a Dolphins team that appeared ready to let the game slip away.
In his return, Tua Tagoviloa completed 21 of 35 passes for 261 yards, with a touchdown. The Dolphins did not have a turnover, while their defense picked off Kenny Pickett three times. The Dolphins offensive line, except for Liam Eichenberg, who had two false start penalties, played well as Terron Armstead after missing last week with a toe injury was brilliant as Tua was not sacked. At the same time, there were no holding calls against a line that looked like swiss cheese in the previous two games.
Raheem Mostert had a terrific game, rushing for 79 yards on 16 carries while collecting 30 yards on four catches with a touchdown through the air. The same cannot be said for Chase Edmunds, who has been nothing short of a disaster for the Dolphins all season. On Sunday, Edmunds had 17 yards on seven carries and dropped two passes. Jaylen Waddle kept relatively quiet in the second half but had 88 yards on four receptions, while Tyreek Hill got 72 yards on seven receptions.
The Dolphins' next two games will be on the road against NFC North opponents, with the Detroit Lions in Week 8 and the Chicago Bears in Week 9.