Tua Tagovailoa threw for 388 yards and three touchdowns- two to tight end Jonnu Smith- to lead the Miami Dolphins to 17 4th-quarter points and another huge victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in a must-win game, 34-19 at The Rock.
In what was easily his best game of the 2024 season, Tua took what the Raiders defense gave him, completing most of his passes for fewer than ten yards.
Tua Tagovailoa threw three touchdown passes, De'Von Achane ran for a score, the Dolphins scored 30+ points for the 1st time this season, as the ‘Phins beat the Las Vegas Raiders 34-19 to win their second straight must-win game and continue to turn their season around.
In another huge win for the Dolphins (4-6), Tua led the Dolphins down the field all day with long, precise drives. Miami scored on every possession except the end of the half (:49) when the clock ran out. Three of their drives took 7:00+ off the clock.
Tagovailoa went 28 of 36 for 288 yards woth TD tosses to tight end Jonnu Smith, and one to Tyreek Hill.
Hill caught seven passes for 61 yards, scoring in two straight games for the 1st time this season. Smith had six catches for 101 yards.
The Miami defense bent but didn't break- allowing several long drives- but they kept the Raiders out of the end zone when they needed to.
It was the Raiders (2-8) sixth straight loss. They trailed 24-14 in the fourth quarter after Achane took it in from 2-yards, his 17th total touchdown this season. He also led Miami with 17 carries for 73 yards on the ground.
Vegas QB Gardner Minshew completed 30 of 43 passes with 282 yards and one interception.
Tight end Brock Bowers caught 13 passes for 126 yards.
Bowers caught a 23-yard TD late in the third quarter from Minshew, making it 17-12 entering the fourth, (2-point attempt failed)
It was the first touchdown that Miami's defense had allowed in its previous six quarters.
The Dolphins' started their first possession of the second half on their own 3-yard line. Tua led another long drive- 14 plays and 97 yards- culminating with Hill's 8-yard TD catch.
The Dolphins converted two of two fourth downs, including Smith’s 1st TD on 4th and goal from the one-yard line. They also converted on eight of 12 third downs and scored touchdowns on three of four trips inside the red zone.
The turning point in the game came with 3:19 left in the fourth quarter- right after Minshew’s TD pass to Ameer Abdullah had cut Miami’s lead to 24-19.
But Tua hit Smith on a beautiful 57-yard catch and run TD that made it 31-19 Miami and sent the Dolfans into a frenzy at Hard Rock Stadium.
Jalen Ramsey then erased any doubt when he picked off a Minshew pass late in the fourth quarter, the quarterback's 13th turnover of the season, setting up Jason Sanders’ 2nd field goal of the game to make it 34-19.
Dolphins’ RB Raheem Mostert left in the second quarter with a hip injury but returned in the second half.
The Dolphins stay home to face the New England Patriots in a HUGE division +LA conference game next Sunday at The Rock. next week to play the Rams. Kickoff is set for 1pm ET in Miami.
We will be 'LIVE' right after the game with your Locked on Dolphins POSTCAST, hosted by Jim "Gries" Grieshaber.
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