Current:Home > InvestIndexbit Exchange:Tua Tagovailoa playing with confidence as Miami Dolphins hope MNF win can spark run -MoneySpot
Indexbit Exchange:Tua Tagovailoa playing with confidence as Miami Dolphins hope MNF win can spark run
SafeX Pro Exchange View
Date:2025-04-10 06:58:14
INGLEWOOD,Indexbit Exchange Calif. — Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins (3-6) overcame a sloppy first half and held on to defeat the Los Angeles Rams (4-5), 23-15, to keep their playoff chances alive.
The win snapped Miami’s three-game losing streak. Additionally, it was Tagovailoa’s first victory since returning from injured reserve in Week 8. The Dolphins quarterback is 1-2 since coming off IR due to a concussion.
“It was an earned win. Very proud of the team,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “We knew we lost a couple games that we could have had. You can use that in one of two ways: to make you worse or can make you better. So, I think I was very happy with the way the guys have persevered, stayed together, came across the country and found a way to get a win.”
Tagovailoa finished with 207 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. His performance was up-and-down, especially in the first half. He tossed an interception in the second quarter and then lost a fumble on Miami’s very next series. On Tagovailoa’s interception, he went in to tackle Rams linebacker Christian Rozeboom and hit his head on Rozeboom’s knee on the attempt.
“I feel good. Everything's good,” Tagovailoa said postgame. “I wasn't planning on using my head. … That was pretty bad tackling form.”
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Tagovailoa’s tackling technique was bad. But Tagovailoa’s decision to lead with his head was worse given his concussion history. Concussions have become a concerning trend during Tagovailoa’s five-year NFL career, in which he’s been diagnosed with a concussion three times. He missed four games this year after he was concussed in Week 2.
Yet, Tagovailoa’s poor tackling form as well as his desire to keep competing despite all the outside noise and vast opinions about his career are reflections of his confidence.
“My confidence level from the time I came back against the Cardinals had never wavered from the first game I played against the Jaguars,” Tagovailoa said. “I think when you're playing, when you're out there, the game is too fast for you to think of anything else. And if you start thinking of anything else, it's hard for you to focus on your job. So go out there play football.”
With Tagovailoa on the field and playing with confidence, the Dolphins have a chance to make a playoff push following a 2-6 start.
The Dolphins have very winnable games the next few weeks against the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots on their schedule. The competition gets more difficult after Week 12 with contests versus the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers on the calendar.
DO YOU LIKE FOOTBALL? Then you'll enjoy getting our NFL newsletter delivered to your inbox
The (8-2) Buffalo Bills’ four-game lead (plus the tiebreaker) in the AFC East is probably too much ground for Miami to make up. Although, a wild-card berth is still within reach as the Denver Broncos (5-5) currently hold the seventh and final wild-card spot in the AFC.
“Football is a game of momentum,” Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. “I think that this is the kind of game that you can use to spark a run. But obviously it doesn't mean anything if you don’t win the next one.”
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
veryGood! (2397)
Related
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- My Favorite SKIMS Drops This Month: Magical Sculpting Bodysuits, the Softest T-Shirt I've Worn & More
- Court tosses Missouri law that barred police from enforcing federal gun laws
- They fled genocide, hoping to find safety in America. They found apathy.
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- Eminem's Daughter Hailie Jade Says She Was Brought to Tears By 2 of His Songs
- New Lake Okeechobee Plan Aims for More Water for the Everglades, Less Toxic Algae
- Sophia Grace Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 2
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Louisville officer involved in Scottie Scheffler’s arrest charged with stealing from suspect
Ranking
- New Zealand official reverses visa refusal for US conservative influencer Candace Owens
- As Global Hunger Levels Remain Stubbornly High, Advocates Call for More Money to Change the Way the World Produces Food
- Alabama HS football player dies after suffering head injury during game
- What’s behind the bloodiest recent attacks in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province?
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- MLB power rankings: Dodgers back on top with Shohei Ohtani's 40-40 heroics
- Polaris Dawn civilian crew prepares to head to orbit on SpaceX craft: How to watch
- Police investigate deaths of 5 people in New York City suburb
Recommendation
Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
Walz’s exit from Minnesota National Guard left openings for critics to pounce on his military record
In boosting clean energy in Minnesota, Walz lays foundation for climate influence if Harris wins
Election 2024 Latest: Harris and Trump campaigns tussle over muting microphones at upcoming debate
Sam Taylor
Walmart recalls apple juice sold in 25 states due to elevated arsenic levels
Massachusetts towns warn about rare, lethal mosquito-borne virus: 'Take extra precautions'
Kroger and Albertsons head to court to defend merger plan against US regulators’ objections