Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Is Tannehill’s season over?
Severe knee injury would hobble Dolphins playoff hopes.
MIAMI GARDENS — The Dolphins fear that quarterback Ryan Tannehill suffered an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during their last-second, 26-23 win Sunday over the Arizona Cardinals.
An ACL injury would likely end Tannehill’s season with three games remaining as the Dolphins compete for their first playoff berth since 2008.
Tannehill went down with 1:19 left in the third quarter after taking a low hit from Cardinals defensive tackle Calais Campbell. Coach Adam Gase confirmed after the game that the Dolphins are concerned that it is an ACL injury and that Tannehill will undergo further tests Monday.
“I don’t have it officially yet, but it doesn’t look good,” Gase said. “We’ll get it confirmed tomorrow.”
Under the direction of backup quarterback Matt Moore, the Dolphins (8-5) still managed to extend their winning streak at Hard Rock Stadium to five games when kicker Andrew Franks hit a 21-yard field goal as time expired.
Tannehill, the Dolphins’ top pick in 2012, has never missed a start in his five-year NFL career.
He passed for three touchdowns Sunday but stayed down after being being hit in the left leg by Campbell, a former University of Miami standout, just after throwing a pass with the Dolphins leading 21-9. Some Dolphins players said afterward that they believed the hit should have drawn a flag.
Tannehill, 28, limped off the field and later got an ovation from fans as
he walked gingerly into the tunnel that leads into the locker room. He returned to the sideline in street clothes with about five minutes to go in the game. At one point he appeared to be wiping away tears from his eyes, and teammates and coaches were seen offering words of encouragement as he watched the remainder of the game.
Tannehill was not made available for postgame interviews.
Tannehill has had one of his best seasons in his first year under Gase, leading lategame victories against the San Diego Chargers, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers.
He ended Sunday’s game 15-of-20 passing for 195 yards, three touchdowns and one interception for a 124.0 passer rating. If he doesn’t play again this year, Tannehill would end his season 261-of-389 passing for 2,995 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He has a career-best passer rating of 93.5 and a career-best completion percent of 67.1.
Tannehill has had a passer rating of 124 or better in three of his past five games.
“I didn’t see what happened on the play,” wide receiver Kenny Stills said, “but I’ve had a chance to talk to him and tell him that everything is going to be alright and we’re praying for him.”
Moore shared an embrace with Tannehill, who has been the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL since entering the league, in the locker room after the game.
“I told him I loved him,” said Moore, who has been Tannehill’s backup for four-plus seasons. “I said this team, regardless of what your situation is, this team still needs you. He agreed and said ‘I’m there.’ ”
Sunday’s victory kept the Dolphins right in the middle of the playoff chase.
And Denver’s 13-10 loss at Tennessee helped the Dolphins greatly, because it dropped the Dolphins and Broncos into a tie at 8-5 overall and 5-4 in the conference. The Broncos hold the tiebreaker for the final AFC wild card at this point based on their better record in games against common opponents.
Moore (3-of-5 passing, 47 yards) hit Stills for a 29-yard gain to the Cardinals’ 1-yard line with 37 seconds left to set up Franks’ game-winner.
With Tannehill out of the game, the Cardinals (5-7-1) had rallied to tie the score.
Arizona cut its deficit to 21-15 when quarterback Carson Palmer (18-of-33 passing, 145 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, 60.8 passer rating) hit wide receiver Brittan Golden on a 9-yard touchdown pass.
But Dolphins defensive tackle Jordan Phillips blocked the extra point attempt and safety Walt Aikens returned it for two points to give the Dolphins a 23-15 advantage with 7:05 left.
“I thought that was going to seal the deal,” Phillips said.
It didn’t. Palmer hit running back David Johnson for a two-point conversion to tie the game at 23 with 3:01 remaining after connecting with wide receiver J.J. Nelson on an 8-yard touchdown pass.
The Dolphins didn’t do everything right against the Cardinals. They allowed 175 yards rushing, had 118 yards in penalties, and committed three turnovers.
But they won and kept their playoff hopes alive.
And now, the Dolphins, who have already played games without center Mike Pouncey (hip), linebacker Kiko Alonso (hamstring), linebacker Jelani Jenkins (knee), left tackle Branden Albert (wrist), and strong safety Reshad Jones (shoulder), among others, will likely have to find a way to win without Tannehill.
Right guard Jermon Bushrod said the Dolphins’ mentality can’t change as they continue their playoff march.
“Because if it does,” he said, “we’ll slip and we won’t have our eyes on the prize.”