MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins faced significant struggles during quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s four-game absence, appearing as one of the least competitive teams in the NFL. During that stretch, the team averaged a mere 10 points per game, finishing with a disappointing 1-3 record, and managed over 150 passing yards just once.
However, everything changed with Tagovailoa’s return from a concussion in Week 8, as the Dolphins have since won three consecutive games, scoring 30 points in two of those contests. His performance in a recent 34-15 victory over the New England Patriots showcased just how crucial he is to the team’s success.
“Tua has been playing great ball,” remarked receiver Jaylen Waddle, who recorded a season-high 144 yards along with a touchdown on Sunday, compared to an average of merely 29.8 yards per game without Tagovailoa. Waddle emphasized Tua’s unique influence, saying, “It’s really just him, for real. I can’t even explain it. He comes to work every day, and he just brings that swag, that confidence. When he goes out there and plays like that, man, it’s just fun.”
Tagovailoa leads the NFL in accuracy, completing 73.3% of his passes, and finished the game against New England with 29 completions on 40 attempts for 317 yards and four touchdowns. Since coming back, he boasts an impressive passer rating of 116.2, the highest of any quarterback with at least 50 attempts. His consistency has been remarkable, completing at least 70% of his throws in five consecutive games—a personal record and the longest active streak in the league. The Dolphins are currently leading the NFL with a 60.4% efficiency rate on third downs and have successfully scored on 14 of 19 trips inside the red zone since his return.
Head Coach Mike McDaniel noted that Tagovailoa has shown significant growth in not dwelling on either good or bad plays, which is essential for team performance. “That’s the key for our team,” he stated. “When you have a confident player touching the ball every play who remains unaffected by the game’s emotional ups and downs, it creates a challenge for defenses.”
Despite his noteworthy performance, Tagovailoa is shifting focus to the upcoming challenging game against Green Bay in colder temperatures. “It’s always great to win… We’re still below the .500 threshold,” he commented. “We’ll enjoy this win, but the next one is going to be big for us, and we’re excited to go down to Green Bay and show everybody on prime time what we can do.” He also mentioned that the game serves as an opportunity to “kill narratives” surrounding the team’s performance in cold weather.
Historically, the Dolphins have had a tough time in games played in colder climates. Last season, their explosive offense faltered during a frigid game against the Kansas City Chiefs, where conditions plummeted to minus-4 degrees. Prior to that defeat, they endured a streak of 10 losses in cold temperatures, averaging a loss margin of 17 points. Tagovailoa himself has not secured a win in games with temperatures below 45 degrees, with the anticipated low being around 20 degrees for Thursday’s game.
McDaniel acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, “The Packers aren’t going to care about our three-game win streak. They’ll want to prove that we can’t win in the cold or against good teams. We have a chance on Thursday to prove them right or wrong.”
On a positive note, the Dolphins have improved in terms of penalties, transitioning from being one of the most penalized teams early in the season to significantly limiting infractions as the season progresses. In their latest win, Miami was flagged just three times for a total of 17 yards, without any in the first half.
However, the team does have areas needing improvement; they allowed significant plays in the fourth quarter, including a 38-yard touchdown pass to Patriots’ tight end Austin Hooper, and a 63-yard fumble return for a score.
Looking at individual performances, linebacker Chop Robinson has shown substantial improvement, recording the first multi-sack game of his career with 1.5 sacks on Sunday, along with multiple tackles and quarterback hits. Conversely, backup quarterbacks demonstrated a stark decline in performance during Tagovailoa’s absence, failing to effectively manage the Dolphins’ offense and resulting in poorly executed drives.
Injury updates reveal that starting linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. suffered a hamstring injury in the second quarter and did not return to the game.
Finally, the Dolphins’ defense effectively limited New England to a mere 269 total yards, marking the sixth time this season that they’ve kept an opponent under 300 yards—tying them for the third most in the NFL.
As the week progresses, the overarching sentiment among Miami’s players is a concerted effort to recover and prepare for the pivotal game against the Packers.