The Miami Dolphins have dug themselves quite a hole in the standings with close to half of their regular-season schedule in the books.
Miami lost three of the four games that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed due to a concussion, and the Dolphins picked up another loss in the signal-caller’s long-awaited return to the field against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. The Dolphins held a 13-7 lead at halftime and had a 20-18 edge after three quarters before the team got outscored 10-7 in the final frame.
While the Dolphins’ 2-5 record certainly isn’t anything to write home about, their starting quarterback doesn’t seem to think that the team’s season is doomed. When asked if it’s too late for Miami to turn its season around, Tagovailoa mentioned the fact that the Dolphins won seven straight games in the 2021 regular season after they got off to a 1-7 start.
Tua was asked if it’s too late to turn the season around — he referred back to the 2021 season when the Dolphins started 1-7 and won 7 games in a row, eventually finishing 9-8
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) October 27, 2024
Tua Tagovailoa said he remembers 2021 Dolphins starting 1-7 then winning 7 straight games.
Tua: “we didn’t have half as much talent in that team that we do now… we’re going to continue to trust each other, lean on each.” pic.twitter.com/DRCxWSexxs
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) October 27, 2024
At 2-5, are the Dolphins running out of time to make the playoffs?
Tua: "There's always time, brotha."
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) October 27, 2024
On Sunday, in his first start since Sept. 12, Tagovailoa totaled 234 passing yards and one passing touchdown without throwing an interception. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for the Dolphins to pick up a win against the Cardinals.
Tagovailoa was a spring chicken when the Dolphins put together their seven-game winning streak a few years back, as he was in just his second season in the NFL. He still started a majority of Miami’s games that season, however. In 13 games played (12 starts) as a sophomore in the NFL, he finished with 2,653 passing yards and 16 passing touchdowns.
Miami’s winning streak was one of the lengthiest in franchise history, but the Dolphins still missed out on the playoffs. Although they finished the campaign with a solid 9-8 record, it wasn’t quite enough.
The Dolphins’ chances of making the playoffs look bleak right now, but fans would be presumptuous to rule the team out of playoff contention, considering how solid Miami’s offense looked against the Cardinals. Miami scored a season-high 27 points and put points on the board in every one of the four quarters.
Wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle also enjoyed bounce-back performances. After they combined for just 19 receiving yards against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 20, they combined for 117 on Sunday.
