Tagovailoa, Hill pile it up in LA
‘Last score wins’ good for Miami
Dolphins 36 Chargers 34
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Tua Tagovailoa threw for 466 yards and three touchdowns and Tyreek Hill had 215 yards and two scores and the Miami Dolphins rallied for a 36-34 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Hill caught a 4-yard pass in the right corner of the end zone with 1:45 remaining for the clinching touchdown as the Dolphins, who travel to Foxborough next Sunday night, finished with 536 yards.
Hill had 215 yards — the thirdbest total in Week 1 in league history — on 11 receptions and had a pair of touchdowns, including a 35yard score on a go-route late in the third quarter to put the Dolphins up, 27-24.
Tagovailoa’s 466 passing yards are the fourth most in an opener. The fourth-year quarterback completed 28 of 45 for three touchdowns.
Raheem Mostert had 37 yards rushing, including a 2-yard TD in the first quarter, while Jaylen Waddle had four receptions for 78 yards. Jason Sanders added three field goals.
The Chargers got the ball back with 1:45 remaining, but turned it over on downs. Justin Herbert had an intentional grounding penalty and was sacked twice on the final series. He finished 23 for 33 for 228 yards and a touchdown.
Austin Ekeler rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown, and Joshua Kelley added 91 yards and a score as the Chargers lost an opener for the first time since 2018.
Cameron Dicker added two field goals for the Chargers.
Chargers coach Brandon Staley prioritized upgrading the running game when he hired Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator. They led the league in rushing in the preseason, then had 234 yards on Sunday.
It was Ekeler’s fourth 100-yard rushing game in his seven-year career. He had a 1-yard TD in the first quarter, and his 55-yard carry up the middle in the second quarter set up Herbert’s 1-yard pass to Donald Parham on third-and-goal to give the Chargers a 14-10 lead.
Kelley had a 2-yard score a minute into the fourth quarter to make it 31-27.