The Miami Dolphins have found their quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa, and it was made clear in his second career start when he led an undermanned team on the road Sunday to defeat a playoff-contending Arizona Cardinals squad 34-31 for the Dolphins' fourth consecutive win.
After a lackluster first start, the rookie QB showed off his electric star potential by consistently stepping up in pressure, making clutch throws and clinching a game with his legs.
In a week in which Dolphins coach Brian Flores had to douse water on the idea that Tagovailoa was on a 10-game audition and had to deal with a COVID-19 scare that notably affected the coaching staff, Miami showed it could overcome adversity and trade punches with another NFL playoff contender. It's hard not to think playoffs with this Dolphins team that improved to 5-3.
The Dolphins would hold the No. 7 spot in the AFC playoff race if the season ended Sunday, thanks to a strength-of-victory tiebreak over the Cleveland Browns (5-3). Miami is 1 1/2 games back of the Buffalo Bills (7-2) for the AFC East lead. It should be a fun December for Dolphins fans.
Describe the game in two words: Tantalizing future. It was a shootout between two of the NFL's most intriguing young quarterbacks in Kyler Murray and Tagovailoa, and each gave us plenty to be excited about. In Tagovailoa's second start, he looked significantly improved, composed and ready to challenge the NFL elite. In the midst of Murray's superb second NFL season, he eclipsed 100 rushing yards and totaled four touchdowns. But Tagovailoa won this battle of QBs wearing No. 1, totaling 248 passing yards, 35 rushing yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Promising trend: Emmanuel Ogbah has had sacks in five consecutive games, and he got home Sunday for a strip sack that led to a Shaq Lawson defensive touchdown. The Dolphins signed Ogbah to a two-year, $15 million contract that is looking like a great value as Ogbah continues to wreck NFL quarterbacks. The Dolphins have scored back-to-back defensive touchdowns for the first time since 2017.
Troubling trend: One Achilles' heel of the Dolphins' defense all season has been facing mobile quarterbacks, and Murray exposed the issue Sunday, as he had a game-high 106 rushing yards. It's a side effect for a defense that often plays man-to-man coverage and often brings Cover Zero blitzes. The Dolphins will need to correct this going into the winter months or teams that utilize their talented mobile quarterbacks will expose them.
Mr. Perfect. Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders nailed a 50-yard field goal with 3:35 left in the fourth quarter that put the Dolphins ahead for good. It set a franchise record for Sanders' 20th consecutive field goal made, breaking a record set by Olindo Mare in 1999. Sanders is 17-of-17 this season, including a career-long, 56-yard field goal that he also hit Sunday. Sanders has won an AFC Special Teams Player of the Week and AFC Special Teams Player of the Month award, and his value on the Dolphins has been more than worthy of a Pro Bowl bid this season.
Pivotal play: On third-and-1 with a minute left, Flores decided to put the ball in Tagovailoa's hands with a QB sneak to ice the game. Tagovailoa and his young offensive line delivered by converting the first down and securing another upset victory for Miami. The Dolphins have a coach, a quarterback and a budding team they could trust to lead them into the playoff hunt.