The Tennessee Titans, seeking their first victory of the season, traveled to Miami to compete against the Miami Dolphins.
Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph took the helm after starter Will Levis exited the game due to a shoulder injury. Rudolph directed seven scoring drives and contributed to a successful outing, supported by kicker Nick Folk, who scored five field goals in the Titans’ 31-12 victory over the Dolphins.
This marked Brian Callahan’s first win as head coach of the Titans. Rudolph passed for 85 yards and completed 9 of 17 attempts in relief of Levis, who only managed four passes before sustaining his injury.
The Dolphins make me Cry, Mercury Morris bled the aqua and orange
Folk’s field goals included distances of 53, 52, 47, 51, and 29 yards. Additionally, Tyjae Spears scored a touchdown on a 7-yard run following a direct snap, while Tony Pollard contributed with a 4-yard touchdown run and totaled 88 yards on 22 carries. The Titans combined for 142 rushing yards.
For the Dolphins, quarterback Tyler Huntley, who was signed from Baltimore’s practice squad on September 17, rushed for a touchdown and passed for 96 yards. However, Miami’s offense struggled in the absence of Tua Tagovailoa, who remains on injured reserve due to a concussion. Huntley was named the starter on Saturday as No. 2 quarterback Skylar Thompson continues to recover from a rib injury.
“I felt pretty comfortable,” Huntley said. “Just now I got to dig in deeper and just know the ins and outs of the offense, and it will take our offense to another level.”
The Dolphins have not yet led at any point this season, with their sole victory coming in the opener on a walk-off field goal by Jason Sanders, who successfully made kicks from 44 and 56 yards.
“Overall I thought he did a good job,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said. “I didn’t think his teammates around him at times were doing what we needed them to do in a game like that. I thought he had a lot on his plate and he was a competitor all the way through.”
The Titans approached this game with a sense of urgency, recognizing the importance of avoiding a 0-4 start. They firmly believe they are not a winless team.
Conversely, the Dolphins may need to reassess their strategy and performance. While Tagovailoa may not be the highest-rated quarterback in the NFL, it is surprising to see the offense struggle significantly without him. The offensive system is explicitly designed for Tagovailoa, incorporating intricate formations and motions that require precise timing. The pass concepts developed by head coach Mike McDaniel capitalize on Tagovailoa’s ability to read defenses better than the backup quarterbacks on the roster.
“It is very challenging to have a situation like this; I don’t foresee this locker room quitting. I don’t see it as their nature. However, you have to give guys reasons to go above and beyond,” McDaniel added. “You have to hold everyone accountable to what we see their jobs as and their purpose and what they are doing for the team and what they are not doing for the team. It is hard conversation that are very necessary. We will hit those between the eyes from a constructive standpoint.”
The Titans’ defensive strategy prioritized focusing on the middle of the field, disregarding the deceptive motions typical of the Miami offense. Tagovailoa’s exceptional ball handling is an asset that disrupts opposing defenses, and the Dolphins’ more passive play calling may have contributed to their difficulties.
“The bottom line, there will be a list of things. I’m pretty sure I already know several of them, but they are things you can tell the coaches and the players that if we don’t do this, this won’t change, and get this thing to change,” McDaniel added. “It has already been too many weeks in a row. You have to identify the direction in which you want to go clearly. If you want to win, you must do certain things and play sound football. Until we do that, we will be stuck with the same results.”
If the Dolphins cannot rectify these issues, the remainder of the season may appear lengthy and challenging. They have lost three consecutive games and were close to a fourth loss, leaving little opportunity for victories given the team’s current state. It was essential for all players—offense, defense, and special teams—to step up in support of Huntley, especially with limited plays available in the game plan. Head coach McDaniel likely recognizes a need to promptly address some troubling trends within the team. Despite the injuries, there remains significant talent on the roster.
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