After one quarter on Sunday, the Miami Dolphins were trailing the Carolina Panthers 14-0. The Dolphins then went on to outscore Carolina 42-7 throughout the final three quarters to win by a final score of 42-21.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill totaled 163 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in the win, while running back Raheem Mostert racked up 115 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also played well, seeing as how he threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns.
However, an NFL executive offered a backhanded compliment to the Dolphins after their slow start against the Panthers and ahead of their Week 7 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Interesting team,” the executive told The Athletic. “They put up 70 on Denver and should have put up 70 on the [New York] Giants. No one can keep up with that kind of firepower. But they also haven’t really beaten anyone. They were down 14 points to Carolina. Do you think they are coming back from 13 down against Philly? In my opinion, no.”
Miami’s only loss of the 2023 regular season thus far came against quarterback Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills back in Week 4. The Bills led the Dolphins 31-14 at halftime and won 48-20.
Allen outperformed Tagovailoa in the win, as he threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns and completed 21 of his 25 passing attempts. On the other hand, Tagovailoa threw for 282 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
But Miami has since bounced back from its loss against the Bills on Oct. 1, considering the team has won its last two games.
Before defeating the Panthers on Sunday, the Dolphins thoroughly outplayed the Giants on Oct. 8 and beat them by a final score of 31-16. Rookie running back De’Von Achane totaled 151 rushing yards on 11 carries and added one rushing touchdown in the victory over New York, while no Giants running back finished with more than 25 rushing yards.
While the backhanded compliment the Dolphins received from the NFL executive was perhaps warranted after the team struggled out of the gate against the winless Panthers, Miami still managed to win the game.
After they play the Eagles on Oct. 22, the Dolphins will play the New England Patriots for the second time in the 2023 regular season on Oct. 29.
