Hope remains intact.
Tyler Huntley took the place of Tua Tagovailoa and made a significant contribution to the Dolphins. Miami remains in contention for the playoffs.
Huntley scored a touchdown on the ground and threw for another while stepping in for the injured Tagovailoa. The Dolphins maintained their position in the AFC wild-card race with a 20-3 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, heading into their season finale.
“When it was time to make a play, we had to make a play for the time the plays were there,” Huntley said. “We just took them but we got to get better to clean up our fundamentals. The flags were the stoppers of our drives. We could’ve put up way more points. We just got to get one more win and we all know we are gonna get ready for this week coming up.”
The Miami Dolphins must secure a victory next Sunday against the New York Jets and rely on the Denver Broncos losing to the Kansas City Chiefs at home in order to secure a postseason berth. However, it is anticipated that Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes and several key starters for the top-seeded Chiefs will be rested during this game.
Tagovailoa’s status for the upcoming week is uncertain; however, Huntley has demonstrated his ability to perform effectively if needed.
“Just like every week, you just have to be prepared,” Huntley said. “You never know when you are going to be called on. And I am telling you, Tua did a good job of just taking his reps, and he was just talking to me through my reps and I went to work.”
He completed 22 of 26 passes for 225 yards and had no turnovers in his fourth start this season. The 26-year-old player was previously with the Cleveland organization during training camp before being released in August.
Tagovailoa was limited in practice throughout the week due to the hip injury he sustained two weeks ago during the game against Houston. McDaniel stated that it is currently uncertain whether Tagovailoa will be available to participate in the upcoming match against the Jets.
“Ultimately, he absolutely wanted to play. It wasn’t a pain tolerance thing, because he wanted to. That’s not in the equation for him,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said. “The main thing was that he not only was super susceptible to a much more significant injury based upon that injury if he were to fall in harm’s way, but a major factor was the lack of strength due to the injury, and his inability, as we forecasted, to protect himself and his teammates within the pocket and doing the things that he normally has to do.”
The Browns (3-13) experienced their fifth consecutive loss, concluding the season with a 2-6 record at home. This outcome may indicate a forthcoming offseason characterized by significant organizational changes. Additionally, they enhanced their draft positioning for 2025, during which they will likely focus on acquiring a quarterback.
“Obviously not good enough. We got to come away with a win, got to come away with taking care of the football,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. Putting ourselves in position to go find a way to win and we didn’t do that. That’s the disappointing part. The results are what they are, that’s frustrating.”
Dorian Thompson-Robinson may not be the team’s long-term solution. During his second consecutive start, the second-year quarterback completed 24 of 47 pass attempts for 170 yards. Additionally, he threw one interception, lost a fumble, and received three penalties for intentional grounding.
“It’s a team sport. Especially in offensive football. All 10 guys got to be working together to be able to make a play go,” Thompson-Robinson said. Ultimately, I’m the one with the ball in my hand. I have to make better decisions and can’t have those two turnovers.”
I am optimistic about the Dolphins’ ability to focus on what is within their control. The team will likely improve and perform well in their upcoming game against the New York Jets. It is commendable that the Dolphins have returned to a .500 record, a scenario many did not foresee. Additionally, it’s impressive that they are in contention for the playoffs as the season concludes. This team has faced significant challenges and is working towards finishing the season on a positive note.
Head Coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs has a track record of utilizing his starters in the season’s final game, even when no significant outcomes are at stake. The Dolphins are optimistic that this tradition will persist, as the participation of players like Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones, even for just a half, could be pivotal in their pursuit of a playoff berth.
Huntley performed exceptionally well today, demonstrating his best game of the season with the Dolphins. He deserves significant recognition, especially considering it was a short week. The absence of Tagovailoa was unexpected, but Huntley’s performance reinforces the case for him to be re-signed as the Dolphins’ backup quarterback.
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