One drive, one touchdown for Tua Tagovailoa in his first game back after sustaining a concussion back in Week 2.
Miami’s quarterback led the Dolphins on a 10-play, 64-yard drive that was punctuated by Raheem Mostert’s 1-yard touchdown run. The score gave the home team an early 7-0 lead over the Arizona Cardinals in what would eventually become a crushing 28-27 walk-off loss.
Tagovailoa was his usual efficient self on the drive, going 5 of 6 for 47 yards despite sustaining a sack on the game’s third play. He bounced back by firing completions of 8 and 13 yards to Tyreek Hill on the next two plays.
The drive marked the first time this season that the Dolphins have scored a touchdown on their opening drive. Miami’s fans showed their appreciation by chanting Tagovailoa’s name before, during and after the drive.
While Tagovailoa’s return gave the Dolphins a massive boost early, they couldn’t finish the job against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals as Miami fell to 2-5.
“It feels good,” Tagovailoa said, regarding his return to the lineup. “It feels good to be able to come back and play with my teammates, to hopefully help in whatever way I can to get a spark going for us offensively or get the mojo going for the entire team. It feels good but a tough loss today against a really good team, so that diminishes not just what I’ve done, but a lot of what other guys have done individually as well.”
Tagovailoa finished 28 of 38 for 234 yards with one touchdown in his first game back. He also ran for a first down, sprinting 13 yards down the field before sliding in front of the nearest defender.
The loss puts the Dolphins in a tough spot to earn a playoff spot, but Tagovailoa isn’t thinking about anything but Miami’s next game against the Bills.
“There’s always time. Seventeen games is a long time,” said Tagovailoa. “A lot of people in here know, I don’t know how many years ago, we started out 1-7. We didn’t have half the guys that we have-and no disrespect to my other teammates-but I’m talking about the talent that we have here. We didn’t have half that talent.
“To give that group respect, we won the next eight games. I’m not saying we’re going to do that or whatnot, but it is possible. Anything is possible.”
