Tua’s career-best 6-TD game powers comeback
Baltimore — Miami Dolphins The players needed no further proof. Tua TagovailoaAbility of
So no message was sent to the locker room after only one other player’s performance in franchise history. They didn’t see anything they thought he wasn’t capable of.
“We expect it. [Tua]”Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said. “We trust him, he trusts himself. I mean, it’s good for all of you to see but we expect it.”
Tagovailoa set career highs with 469 passing yards and six touchdowns in Sunday’s 42-38 comeback win over the Dolphins. Baltimore RavensBecame second quarterback in franchise history to record at least 400 passing yards and five touchdowns in a single game.
Other? Dan Marino.
In the second half alone, Tagovailoa threw for 319 yards and five touchdowns to erase a 21-point halftime deficit as the Dolphins essentially put the ball in their hands. He was especially effective in the fourth quarter, completing 13 of 17 passes for 199 yards and four scores.
“It felt good. We were firing on all cylinders,” Tagovailoa said. “And then there were times when we didn’t execute, and nobody panicked. Everybody just got back in the huddle, and we regrouped, and we went back out there and made every play we were given. Tried to do.”
For the first time since 2011, a team has come back to win after trailing by at least 21 points in the fourth quarter. Prior to Miami’s win, trailing teams were 0-711 in that scenario, according to ESPN Stats and Information Research.
The Dolphins were able to break the streak largely because of the connection between Tagovailoa and the receivers. Tyreek Hill and Waddle, who combined for 361 yards and four touchdowns. Hill and Waddle were the first pair of teammates to each record at least 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns since 1991.
Hill and Waddle walked off the field as the NFL’s leading and second-leading receivers, respectively.
Baltimore led 28-7 after the game’s opening kickoff and three of its first four offensive drives. But after leading the way in their season-opening win New England PatriotsDolphins coach Mike McDaniel hoped his team would face a loss Sunday to see how they would respond to adversity.
“Apparently they just took me literally,” McDaniel said after the game. “They’re more invested than ever. They really are the most, and it was very disappointing. And so when you’re down, the tendency is to hang your head. … I just challenged them. To say ‘who cares what the score is?’
The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter before Miami exploded for four touchdowns in the fourth, outscoring the Ravens 28-3 in the game’s final frame.
Hill came alive in that fourth quarter, completing all five of his targets for 142 yards and two touchdowns of 48 and 60 yards — all after briefly leaving the game with soreness.
The six-time Pro Bowler spent much of the offseason praising Tagovailoa and felt vindicated after Sunday’s game.
“Man, I don’t have to say much, man, you just have to watch his game film,” Hill said. “That’s Towa, and who he is and how consistent he is. You know the last drive we had, he really showed me who he is as a leader. Run the ball to the official or his. hand over Connor [Williams].’ Just little things, you know, to save time. And, you know, be able to get on the field for us and make a play.”
Tagovailoa found Hill for long touchdowns on consecutive drives to tie the game with 5:19 left. Justin TuckerK’s 51-yard field goal gave the Ravens a three-point lead with just over two minutes left in the game, but Miami quickly drove 58 yards in three plays to the Ravens’ 7-yard line on the ensuing drive. reached
Waddle said Tagovailoa delivered a commanding message to the huddle with the game’s final seconds ticking off the clock.
“He told us, ‘It’s just us or them,'” Waddle said. “He let me go, man.”
Tagovailoa found Waddle for 7 yards with 19 seconds left to put the Dolphins ahead for good.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for him, as he threw two interceptions in the first half — but McDaniel was very pleased with the way the third-year quarterback responded.
“It’s huge because he stopped worrying about the last game and went out and played and took his responsibility to his teammates seriously,” McDaniel said. “That’s what you come to sports for. … I think it was a moment he’ll never forget that hopefully he can use to move forward because … we basically To come back from a deficit was to play perfect complementary football. Against a really good team like that. Couldn’t be happier for him.