Dolphins Quarterback Shows Promise in Return

The Miami Dolphins finally got back on track after three consecutive losses with Sunday Night Football's 16-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they have their third-year quarterback to thank. Tua Tagovailoa returned to action last night for the first time since his league-shaking head injury and reestablished his team as a playoff contender in the AFC.

.@Tua scrambles and finds @RMos_8Ball for 6!

Perfect opening drive for the @MiamiDolphins.

📺: #PITvsMIA on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/vDQGJ9SfCd pic.twitter.com/KO46xWblMB
— NFL (@NFL) October 24, 2022

Tagovailoa opened the game with three straight scoring drives, leading the Dolphins to a 13-0 lead after the first quarter and appearing every bit the player who threw for 925 yards and eight touchdowns across his first three starts.

The scoring quickly dried up. The Dolphins added one more field goal in the waning seconds of the half to extend their lead to 16-10 before going scoreless in the final two quarters. Thankfully, the defense held up, forcing two fourth-quarter interceptions to preserve the win. In the end, Tagovailoa's 261 net passing yards and one touchdown on 35 attempts were enough.

Tagovailoa certainly hit the ground running, but the swoon the Dolphins offense experienced after the thrill of his return faded turned what had looked like a triumph into a bit of a slog. Hopefully, as the young quarterback readjusts to NFL speed and the demands of a full four quarters, the team will be able to string together more complete efforts.