The Miami Dolphins earned perhaps their most complete victory of the 2022 season on Sunday when they dominated the Cleveland Browns 39-17.
In a game that had the most people in Hard Rock Stadium since the building was modernized and refurbished in 2015, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was nearly flawless, while being serenaded with MVP chants.
Tagovailoa started and completed his seventh game of the season, and improved to 7-0 in those contests.
On Sunday, he completed 25 of his 32 for 285 yards and three touchdowns for a 135.0 passer rating. He’s now on a three-game streak unseen in the NFL since 1999.
Tagovailoa has a trio of consecutive games in which he threw for at least 275 yards, three touchdowns, with zero interceptions and a passer rating of 135+. Kurt Warner accomplished this in his MVP year – the year he won the Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams.
Not only was Miami’s quarterback not sacked at all, but the Dolphins also didn’t need to call on punter Thomas Morstead once to punt on Sunday. Both Morstead and Tagovailoa had clean jerseys, which was even noticed by Miami personnel post-game.
“I had a clean pocket,” Tagovailoa said after the game. “When I took my shoulder pads off, Anne made a comment. She said, ‘Wow, your jersey is so clean.’ Well, it’s because of our guys up front.”
As for Tagovailoa’s thoughts on the atmosphere, the white towels waving, as well as the tickets distributed being the most since 2015 at Hard Rock he said, “It just shows you the belief that our fans have in our team and kind of the resurrection of the organization for us.”
The Dolphins are now heading into a bye week, sitting atop the AFC East in first place following a Buffalo Bills meltdown against the Minnesota Vikings in overtime in Week 10.
Miami will get much-needed rest, then they’re back at home at Hard Rock for a Week 12 game against the Houston Texans.
Then the playoff push will get serious with a three-game road stretch, two out west against the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers, followed by a massively important game in Buffalo.
More news and notes from Miami’s win.