Cardinals spoil Tua Tagovailoa’s return for the Dolphins

Dolphins quarterback Tagovailoa made his comeback after a five-week absence due to a concussion, but the Miami Dolphins (2-5) fell to the Arizona Cardinals (4-4) with a final score of 28-27. The visiting team at Hard Rock Stadium pulled ahead with Ryland’s 34-yard field goal as time ran out.

On his return, the Miami quarterback generated 234 yards, completing 28 of 38 passes. He added another 13 yards on the ground with three carries. Tyreek Hill was his go-to target, catching six of nine passes for 72 yards. However, Tagovailoa’s touchdown pass went to running back DeVon Achane.

Not everything was smooth for the Dolphins’ quarterback. The Alabama alum was sacked by Dante Stills and took a late hit from Victor Dimukeje. Midway through the third quarter, Tagovailoa mishandled a snap, throwing the ball out of the end zone, which resulted in a safety for Arizona instead of a touchdown.

Tagovailoa’s commitment to preparation during his time on injured reserve

After the game, the quarterback said he didn’t feel out of place despite his five-week absence because he had continued to prepare as if he were the team’s starter. He was placed on the injured list on September 25 and only just cleared the concussion protocol this week.

“I would say I felt like myself out there. I’ve been preparing these five weeks as if I was going to play, so I felt good,” Tagovailoa explained.

This article was written by Gustavo García, translated with the help of AI and edited by David Nelson.