Dolphins’ win may be costly
Miami gets last-second victory over Cards but QB may be gone for year
MIAMI — Ryan Tannehill threw three touchdown passes before being sidelined with a knee injury that could end his season, and Andrew Franks kicked a 21-yard field goal as time expired to help the Miami Dolphins beat the Arizona Cardinals 26-23 Sunday.
Coach Adam Gase said the Dolphins fear Tannehill tore his ACL, which would sideline him for the rest of the season.
“Doesn’t look good,” Gase said. “We’ve got to go to the next man up, just like every other position.”
Tannehill limped to the locker-room late in the third quarter after being hit around the legs by defensive tackle Calais Campbell as he released a completion.
The Dolphins led 21-9 when Tannehill left, and backup Matt Moore failed to lead Miami to a first down in his first three series.
That allowed the Cardinals to mount touchdown drives of 99 and 50 yards to tie the game, but then Miami forced a punt to start at the Arizona 47 with 1:29 left.
Moore threw a 12-yard completion to Kenny Stills for a first down, and threw long to Stills for 29 yards to set up Franks’ winning kick.
Tannehill went 15 for 20 for 195 yards. He returned to the sideline red-eyed to watch the end of the game and trade hugs with teammates. Tannehill was on crutches in the locker-room and didn’t talk to reporters after the game.
The Dolphins (8-5) won for the seventh time in the past eight games and helped their bid to end an eight-year playoff drought.
The Cardinals (5-7-1) fell further behind in the race for the final NFC wild-card berth.
Occasional heavy rain resulted in a sloppy game, resulting in four turnovers by Arizona — all in the first 20 minutes — and three by Miami. The Dolphins overcame 14 penalties for 118 yards, and Arizona had seven for 54.
Arizona missed a field-goal attempt and two extra points, with one blocked PAT returned for a 2-point conversion.
The Cardinals’ Carson Palmer went 18 for 33 for 145 yards with two interceptions and lost a fumble on a bobbled snap. David Johnson was held to 80 yards rushing and 41 receiving. Larry Fitzgerald had only three catches for 12 yards.
Even so, the Cardinals made a late charge. They drove the length of the field for a touchdown, helped by three Miami penalties, to cut the deficit to 21-15 midway through the fourth quarter.
But Jordan Phillips blocked Chandler Catanzaro’s extra-point kick, and Miami’s Walt Aikens scooped up the ball and scored. The Cardinals forced a punt, and Palmer hit J.J. Nelson for the touchdown, then connected with David Johnson for a tying two-point conversion.
J.J. Nelson ran 56 yards untouched for Arizona’s first score on an endaround.
Miami’s Jarvis Landry broke two tackles to turn a short pass into a 71-yard gain, setting up a touchdown that put Miami ahead 21-9.
Turnovers are a big reason for the Cardinals’ disappointing season, and they helped the Dolphins start their first six possessions at their 48, the Arizona 35, their 37, the Arizona 10, the Arizona 43 and the Arizona 39. But for all those opportunities, they led only 14-9 at halftime.
Catanzaro missed a 41-yard field-goal try when he hit the right upright, and swung an extra-point wide to the left. He then made a 56-yard field goal.