It’s a wrap on week 2 with the visiting Miami Dolphins securing a 24-17 win over the New England Patriots in Foxborough Stadium. The Dolphins won or tied every quarter until the 4th quarter when they relaxed and let the Patriots steer a game that was once well in hand to the brink of disaster for any Dolphins fan.
All ended just well enough in a quarter that the Dolphins entered leading 17 -3, only to narrowly escape as time ran out, ahead 24-17.
How the tide turned and nearly upended the Dolphins
It’s this 24-17 final score line that the Dolphins will carry back with them to Hard Rock Stadium for their home opener against the Denver Broncos this coming Sunday.
Knowing there would be no Ryan Fitzpatrick to relieve him like he did in the 2020 season under Coach Brian Flores, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa stayed the course on this pivotal Sunday in Foxborough. He managed to extract a win out of the chaotic game, and as a result, Tua is now 5-0 against legendary coach Bill Belichick.
The Dolphins lost their edge in the fourth quarter and the Patriots had their chance to win. The Dolphins finished with 30 more pass yards and 30 more rush yards than the Patriots. The Dolphins also had five sacks, to only one for the Patriots.
New England quarterback Mac Jones led his team down the field for two touchdowns and was well on his way to perhaps scoring a third when time ran out just after a desperate lateral stopped inches short of the first down marker; the Patriots turned it over on downs and the Dolphins were able to end the game on their own terms.
That might sound fairly “textbook” but it nearly wasn’t to be; a fluke fourth down play almost proved disastrous for the Miami Dolphins.
The Patriots were driving down the field in position to score. It was nail-bitingly uncomfortable for any Dolphins fan to see Mac Jones, who is more effective in a no-huddle offense, carve up chunks of yards.
Jones’ fourth down pass to tight end Mike Gesicki, who lateraled it back to offensive lineman Cole Strange, came up less than a yard short and possession went back to Miami, effectively ending the game.
Mike Gesicki’s pass was so timely; when he realized he was going to be tackled short of a do-or-die first down, he let it fly in the direction of his offensive guard. Cole Strange made a jaw-dropping acrobatic catch, one so outstanding that for that millisecond, you fear that it must be destined for success. In the end, the Dolphins did just enough and needed a close call in the game’s waning moments to go their way.
Positive takeaways
The good news? People are no longer wondering about Tyreek Hill establishing a connection with Tua. The Dolphins boast a dynamic duo that is drawing national attention.
Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill are both wooing a national audience. Waddle’s signature “waddle” celebration is a fixture not only on Sportscenter, but on every Monday morning football show. Tua connected effectively with both of his premier receivers throughout the game, completing 70 percent, or 21 of his 30 passes for a total of 249 yards.
Tua didn’t just achieve those numbers with dink and dunk passes. He is averaging 9.5 yards per throw so far this season, a season that shows signs of being his best season yet. He is boasting a 2 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio and a 77.7 quarterback rating through two contests.
Silver linings heading into week three
There is yet another silver lining: if there’s anything this young season has shown us it’s that the Dolphins are resilient in close games, having secured a 36-34 week 1 victory. Miami is 2-0 heading into Sunday’s match-up against the Denver Broncos.
The Dolphins won two games on the road in two weeks, and that’s the first time they’ve accomplished this since 2013. Tua is in the company of Josh Allen and Peyton Manning as only the third quarterback to win five regular season games against the Patriots.
Belichick looked on with chagrin when Miami running back Raheem Mostert burst through for a 43 yard run in the fourth quarter for his second touchdown of the day. That proved to be the difference in the game.
The Patriots hadn’t given up such a big run since December 18th of 2021. This was especially significant because the Dolphins lost Jaylen Waddle when he left the game with a concussion. His status for Sunday’s home game against the Denver Broncos is uncertain.
Raheem Mostert amassed 121 rushing yards. It was the third game of his career in which he rushed for over 100 yards. On his 43-yard dash to the back of the end zone, he said: “Yeah, I could have went faster. Tyreek (Hill) would have been upset. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings.” He reached 21.62 MPH during that run.
Miami Pro-Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard made a significant contributing interception. Not only was it timely but it was also the 29th interception of his career, tying him with iconic Miami cornerback Pat Surtain and Miami’s legendary safety Glenn Blackwood.
The Dolphins will have a chance to go up against Surtain’s son, Pat Surtain II, when they face the Denver Broncos Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.