Tua Tagovailoa 1, Herbert 0 as Miami Dolphins win again
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins are now 6-3 giving them their best start since 2001.
Today’s game was supposed to be really close but instead, the Miami Dolphins did what they have been doing for the last five weeks, they won easily.
The Dolphins extended their winning streak to five games beating the L.A. Chargers 29-21. The eight-point margin is the widest of the season for the Chargers but the final touchdown came on their final drive of the game.
The game was the first between rookie Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert who was selected immediately after Tua. The first game goes to Tua.
Tua finished the game with only 169 yards on 15 completions. He attempted 25 passes. He threw two touchdowns with no interceptions. On the other side of the field, Herbert was 20/32 for 187 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Miami opened the game pretty much the same way they have the last few weeks. With a defensive/special teams big play. The Dolphins blocked a Chargers punt that put the ball inside the five-yard line. Rookie Salvon Ahmed scored on the first play of the Dolphins drive.
Ahmed was impressive today finishing the day with 85 rushing yards. He came within nine yards of a 100-yard game but lost yardage on the final two drives as the Chargers locked in on the fact Miami was trying to run out the clock.
Jakeem Grant was impressive today on both the offense and the special teams. He put the Dolphins in a good starting position every time he touched the ball. Offensively, Grant had 4 receptions for 43 yards and one touchdown.
Defensively, the Dolphins gave up 99 yards rushing combined with 68 of those coming from former Dolphins running back Kalen Ballage. Xavien Howard made perhaps the biggest play of the day however when he intercepted Herbert. The Chargers were driving and the momentum was still swinging towards the Chargers.
On a bad note, Jason Sanders finally missed a field goal after making two previously in the game. He would come back and make his next attempt but it ended his consecutive streak at 23.
The Dolphins have another tough “on paper” game next week against the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium before facing the Bengals in Miami and the Jets in New York. If the Dolphins can win these three games, they will be 9-3 and on their way to one of their most impressive seasons in the last two decades.