The Miami Dolphins have lost their second straight game on their road trip, this time to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football, 23-17. It was a very painful game from the first play, and I’m here to cover it all.
1. Herbert > Tua
This storyline begins on April 23, 2020. Tua Tagovailoa was taken 5th overall by the Miami Dolphins and Justin Herbert was taken 6th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers. Ever since that day, there was always a debate on which QB was better.
The Dolphins won the first Tua vs. Herbert matchup on November 15, 2020, when Miami won 29-21. Tua outplayed Herbert the first time around, but it was much different the second time around.
Justin Herbert had one of the best games of his young career, completing a whopping 39-of-51 passes for 367 yards and a touchdown pass to Mike Williams.
Tua, meanwhile, struggled mightily, completing only 10-of-28 passes for 145 yards, and 60 of those yards came on a Tyreek Hill touchdown pass. In addition, a few of the completed passes came in garbage time. Simply, it was the worst game Tua has ever played, and it occurred on a national audience (Sunday Night Football).
2. Craziness (and luck)
Midway through the second quarter, the Dolphins only had a total of FIVE offensive yards. That was until something crazy happened. Jeff Wilson ran the ball past midfield for a first down, and then he fumbled. Both teams jumped on the ball, but it was still alive under the pile, and it somehow bounced out to Tyreek Hill where he picked it up and ran across EVERYONE for a crazy scoop-and-score.
Hill became the only player in the Super Bowl era to score a TD via receiving, rushing, kick return, punt return and a fumble return.
More craziness occurred early in the third quarter. The Chargers were at a 3rd and 9 from their own 18, and Jaelan Phillips sacked Justin Herbert back at their own SIX yard line. Keep in mind, it was a clean hit. However, the refs threw a late flag and called roughing the passer on Phillips, and the whole SoFi Stadium erupted in booing. It was maybe the most controversial (and worst) call in NFL history.
3. Tyreek Hill Makes History
Despite only hauling in four receptions on 10 targets, Tyreek Hill still broke some records. He broke Mark Clayton’s 38-year-old Miami mark for receiving yards in a season. Hill ended the game at 1,460 yards on 100 catches, while Clayton had 1,389 yards on 96 catches in 1994. It is only Week 14… Tyreek will get close to 2,000.
4. Both Defenses were SUPERB.
It was very much a defensive battle Sunday night, and both sides showed it.
The Chargers were very short-handed on defense, being without Joey Bosa, Derwin James, Bryce Callahan and Sebastian Joesph-Day. Despite that, they held the league leaders in pass offense to 219 yards of total offense.
The Dolphins defense did everything they could. The Fins truly stepped up on defense. Jaelan Phillips had his best career game with a sack and six tackles (and a ton of pressure on Herbert). Meanwhile, Christian Wilkins is continuing to show how underrated he is. Wilkins was involved on every play, which is impressive for a defensive tackle. He finished with a sack and nine tackles.
Next Up:
The Dolphins will likely catch another loss in the Snow Bowl, when they travel up to Buffalo on Saturday night, where there is expected to be seven inches of snow. The Bills are such a skilled team, and it does not help that Tua will be 1) playing in the snow, 2) playing on primetime football on the road, and 3) playing on short rest.