Hill: Much rode on game-winning drive
MIAMI GARDENS — Tua Tagovailoa took two knees, walked off the field and had no doubts.
Because when Jason Sanders’ foot met leather, the Dolphins quarterback didn’t even bother to watch. He knew the outcome and just walked onto the field with his hands in the air in celebration.
That 29-yard field goal giving the Dolphins a 22-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium capped the defining moment of Tagovailoa’s four-year career.
No matter what he says.
Because what was at stake when the Dolphins received the ball on their 25yard line with 3:27 to play and down a point, was much more than a win.
For the team. And for Tua. Tagovailoa had not started a game in which the Dolphins defeated a team with a winning record in 15 months, losing six straight. The Dolphins? They were 0 for their last 8 in such games.
And we all know what would have been said had Tua not led Miami on that drive that ended at the Dallas 11, giving Sanders the chance at a fifth field goal, this one a chip-shot, walk-off, gamewinner.
That narrative about feasting on lousy teams would have been amped up louder than a group of excited children on Christmas morning.
But Tua would not bite. He would not admit that drive was as important a drive as we’ve seen in recent Dolphins history and, unquestionably, the most important of his career so far. Remember, Tua missed Miami’s final two games last season, including its narrow playoff loss at Buffalo while recovering from another concussion.
“I’m just very happy that collectively we were able to do something like that and show everyone that we’re fast but our team is also very physical and we can play with anyone,” Tua said.
OK, but how about showing everyone you can beat somebody that matters?
Tyreek Hill, Mike McDaniel knew final drive provided validation for Tua
Because Tyreek Hill knows it was important. And so does coach Mike McDaniel. In a long meandering answer, he did say that drive - which came after the Cowboys had rallied from a two-score deficit and taken a 20-19 lead on a highlight throw and catch from Dak Prescott to Brandin Cooks - “deep down gives some sort of validation” for Tua.
“I'm happy for him,” McDaniel added. “But there's not one player on our team that was surprised.”
Certainly not Hill, who had two catches during the drive, including a 10-yard gain to the Dallas 23 on thirdand-3 the first play after the 2-minute warning. Had that third down not been converted, chances are Sanders still would have given Miami the lead, but Dallas would have had plenty of time to answer.
“Tua was turned up towards the end of the game,” Hill said. “He was getting guys going. He was getting guys rolling. I love to see it. I love to see that kind of intensity, especially out of Tua. Digging into guys … and getting guys lined up and stuff like that, making sure we're operating properly and getting in and out of the huddle.
“It's a thing of beauty, man.”
Could the Dolphins have recovered had Tua not completed all but one of his five passes and put Miami in position to take two knees before calling on Sanders? Sure.
But with a game at AFC leading Baltimore next weekend and then a hungry Buffalo team coming to South Florida in two weeks, that would have been risky.
Now, no matter what happens the next two weeks the Dolphins are in the playoffs.
It's just they are in a much better spot at 11-4 than they would have been at 10-5.
“I feel like every guy on the team knew what was at stake, and plus it was a big moment for us,” Hill said. “So this game right here was kind of like the mentality game for us.”
McDaniel: Don't be mad at the narrative
To think Tua and the Dolphins have not heard the doubters is unrealistic, especially since McDaniel himself talks about it. Miami's last win against a team above .500 at kickoff was September 2022 against Buffalo. Since then, eight tries, eight fails.
“As a head coach, I've kind of recognized it's impossible to be in a vacuum,” McDaniel said. “When there's going to be narratives that the team is going to hear, I try to talk about them. Because I know it's going to be talked about.
“Everyone's going to talk about stuff we haven't done until we do it. And you shouldn't get mad at that. Yeah, we haven't beaten a team with a winning record so we're vulnerable to that.”
But Tagovailoa, the 25-year-old chill Hawaiian, would rather block out that noise. This game, he said, was just a typical December NFL game between two teams with high expectations.
Now we will find out if we see it next week, the week after, and then when it really matters.
In the playoffs.