Miami Dolphins-Arizona Cardinals Five biggest stories…and how they played out

The Miami Dolphins’ record fell to 2-5 when they lost to the Arizona Cardinals, 28-27, at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.

The Dolphins lost for the fifth time in six games after blowing leads of 20-10 and 27-18 in the return of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to the lineup.

The teams met for the first time since the 2020 season when the Dolphins won 34-31 in Arizona.

We broke down the five biggest storylines ahead of this Week 8 matchup, so now it’s time to review them and see how they played out.

Before the game

The top story of this game couldn’t be more obvious, and in fact, it’s among the biggest stories in the NFL this week. Tua Tagovailoa is backand the hope is that his return can revive the Dolphins’ offense, which has been misguided all season, particularly in the last four games with Skylar Thompson, Tim Boyle and Tyler Huntley at quarterback.

during the game

The Dolphins’ offense looked different behind Tua in the lineup, which was obvious from the start. Tagovailoa was very efficient in his return, completing 28 of 38 passes for 234 yards with one touchdown, no interceptions and a passer rating of 97.9. Most of the throws were quick hits, except for his nice teardrop to Tyreek Hill, which was good for 30 yards. On the negative side, there were ball handling issues along with the offense’s inability to close out the game, allowing the Cardinals to put together their winning drive. Tua played more than well enough for the Dolphins to win that day; the problem was that Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray was better.

Before the game

Despite being listed as questionable on the week’s final injury report, the expectation heading into the weekend was that Tyreek Hill would be able to play against the Cardinals, and it could be that Tua’s return to the lineup was what he needed . get going. After his 130-yard outing in the season opener against Jacksonville, Hill had 164 yards in the next five games combined. This will not allow the offense to approach the level it reached at its peak last season. Hill was downright giddy when talking about Tua’s return this week, and now it’s time to deliver.

during the game

It surely started out pretty well for Hill, who had catches of 8 and 13 yards on the first series of the game and had five catches for 69 yards in the half. But in the second half? Fagot. Hill had one goal the entire half, producing a modest 3-yard gain. Sure, the Dolphins ran far fewer plays in the second half (26 compared to 39), and other players showed up, but this is where you can’t help but wonder if the Dolphins needed to force the issue a bit. his last impulse. Tua tried to get deep to Hill once, but his pass on the left side went wide.

Before the game

The biggest challenge for the Dolphins defense will be stopping James Conner’s inside run, with a dose of Kyler Murray mixed in. This would be a much more manageable situation if it weren’t for the absence of Zach Sieler due to that strange injury that supposedly broke an orbital bone. Sieler has been the only constant in the top seven and his absence could be felt. It will be up to veteran Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell to play more snaps and the rest of the front seven to make up for Sieler’s absence.

during the game

When it comes to stopping the run and specifically Conner, the Dolphins did an excellent job, right down to the final drive. Conner had 14 carries for just 26 yards before making a 17-yard gain up the middle, leading a group of defenders nearly 10 yards at the end of the play. So Sieler’s absence was not felt in that regard. But maybe he could have helped pressure and bring down Murray, who hurt the Dolphins all game with his ability to keep plays alive.

Before the game

The Dolphins are coming off two games in which they ran the ball at least 40 times, something they haven’t done since the second and third games of the 2012 season. With Tua back, a third straight game is highly unlikely, but the question is how far the number will fall. The bigger question is how effective the running game can continue to be and how well it can complement what should be a better passing game.

during the game

It’s hard to complain when you look at the final numbers of 25 carries for 150 yards and a 6.0 average. It included De’Von Achane’s 47-yard run, Raheem Mostert’s two touchdowns and Tua’s 13-yard run; Yes, he slipped at the end, much to the delight of the fans at Hard Rock Stadium. But we knew the number of rushing attempts would go down, and it’s fair to wonder if this is where the Dolphins should have leaned on it on the final drive instead of calling a pass play on second-and-9 on that final drive.

Before the game

The special teams have not had a good run. The biggest issue last week against the Colts was Jason Sanders’ missed 54-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter. If necessary, it would be nice if the special teams could make some game-changing plays.

during the game

There were no problems (thankfully) on this one. Malik Washington (12.5 average on two punt returns) and Dee Eskridge (35-yard kickoff return) did a good job in Braxton Berrios’ absence. Jason Sanders was a perfect 2-for-2, including a 53-yard kick, and Jake Bailey did his job as he forced Arizona to begin its final drive at its 11-yard line.