MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins had to be put on upset alert early against the Carolina Panthers before everything was corrected in the NFL world.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had three touchdown passes and running back Raheem Mostert went for three total scores from scrimmage. The Dolphins, who entered as two-touchdown favorites, rallied for 35 unanswered points against the Panthers after falling behind by two scores for a 42-21 win Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.
“I thought this game was a special game for us because (we) fell short of expectations early, and so you learn a lot about your team in moments like that,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “What I saw was a team that nobody was giving rah-rah (speeches) to each other at all, but no one was questioning, ‘Hey, guys, we’ve got to pick it up,’ insinuating there was a lack of effort. They just went and did their jobs.”
Miami is off to a 5-1 start for the first time since 2002 and has now won 15 of its past 17 home games. The Dolphins go into next week’s prime-time showdown at the Philadelphia Eagles off back-to-back home victories.
Carolina is still winless at 0-6, with the Chicago Bears owning the franchise’s 2024 first-round pick that is currently slated to be first overall.
Tagovailoa was 21 of 31 for 262 yards and his three touchdowns. One of them went to Tyreek Hill, who finished with 163 receiving yards on six catches. His 814 yards through six games are second in NFL history (Don Hutson, 1942) and most in the Super Bowl era.
“The credit doesn’t only go to myself,” Hill said. “We have such a tremendous team, and it’s so well-rounded that it gets me open with the offensive creativity that Mike draws up each and every week.”
Mostert ran for two touchdowns and caught another as he recorded 115 yards on 17 carries. His 11 touchdowns on the season lead the NFL through the conclusion of the league’s early afternoon slate.
“I’m just trying to do something remarkable for myself,” Mostert said, “and I’m just trying to set the standard not only for myself but a lot of people who come in as an undrafted guy. … It’s truly a blessing and a dream.”
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle had seven receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown.
Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young, the No. 1 pick of this year’s NFL draft, showed flashes early and finished 23 of 38 for 217 yards and a touchdown. His top target, Adam Thielen, caught that score as one of 11 balls caught for 115 yards, and running back Chuba Hubbard, taking top back duties for the injured Miles Sanders, had 88 rushing yards and a touchdown.
The Dolphins took their first lead late in the first half when Tagovailoa hit Hill in stride for a 41-yard touchdown over Carolina cornerback Donte Jackson. Tagovailoa said McDaniel gave his players the freedom to check to the play if they got the look they wanted.
“He said, ‘Here’s the play, but if you want to do this, if you want to do that, I don’t care,'” Tagovailoa said. “It’s not basically giving you full control, but, ‘I trust that you’re going to make it right.’ So that’s what we did.”
For the second consecutive week, Hill was flagged for his celebration following a score. This time, he grabbed a social media videographer’s cell phone beyond the end zone to record himself doing a backflip. Last week against the New York Giants, Hill went into the stands to give the football to his mother.
The quick strike gave Miami a 21-14 lead that held up before halftime as Panthers kicker Eddy Piñeiro, a Miami Sunset High grad, missed a field goal as time expired in the half.
Miami expanded the lead in the third quarter. Mostert punched in his second touchdown on the ground after catching one in the first half. Hill had a 47-yard catch and run on the drive, but he pulled up while heading to the sideline, immediately going to the bench and then walking into the locker room. He later returned after an IV in the locker room.
Mostert scored again early in the third quarter to put the Dolphins ahead by three scores.
With Tagovailoa benched midway through the fourth quarter, backup Mike White threw a pick-six to Panthers cornerback Troy Hill, but Miami got those points back with a 9-yard touchdown from tailback Salvon Ahmed.
After sleepwalking through a first quarter that put them down, 14-0, the Dolphins woke up to start the second quarter. They drove 75 yards in nine plays to cut the early deficit in half.
Mostert took a pass to the right flat from Tagovailoa into the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown that was sprung by a block from tight end Durham Smythe.
On the ensuing Panthers possession, they tried a fake punt on fourth-and-8. Punter Johnny Hekker threw to Laviska Shenault Jr., but Duke Riley and Elijah Campbell combined to keep him just shy of the first-down marker on a fake Miami was prepared for with a number of its regular defenders on the field.
The Dolphins then scored the tying touchdown three plays later. Tagovailoa connected with Waddle for a 4-yard touchdown over the middle after Mostert rolled for a 48-yard gain that involved broken tackles and a sprint up the sideline at the second level.
Miami fell into a two-touchdown deficit when Young found Thielen open over the middle for an 8-yard touchdown. Earlier in the 10-play, 74-yard series that took more than 5 minutes, Panthers wide receiver Tommy Tremble leaped over Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard for a lengthy catch and run.
The Panthers scored first Sunday with Hubbard plunging up the middle on a 6-yard run where the Dolphins’ defensive front was pushed back. Young made an impressive 27-yard completion deep over the middle to Thielen as Andrew Van Ginkel hit him to get the drive going.
Van Ginkel started Sunday although fellow outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips returned to the lineup. Phillips rotated in on some pass-rushing downs. Opposite edge rusher Bradley Chubb had a sack against Young on the second play from scrimmage. Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins had two sacks in the second half and fellow defensive tackle Zach Sieler had another.
The Dolphins now prepare for a trip to Philadelphia for a Sunday night showdown against the NFC East-leading Eagles, who just suffered their first loss of the season to the New York Jets.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa hands the ball off to running back Raheem Mostert against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert runs with the ball against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert runs into the end zone for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert celebrates with wide receiver Braxton Berrios after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throws against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill catches a pass against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill runs for yards after a catch against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill runs into the end zone for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill takes a cell phone from a photographer to celebrate after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans cheer as the Miami Dolphins take on the Carolina Panthers at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa before a play against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throws against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle catches a pass against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel during his game against the Carolina Panthers at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans cheer as the Miami Dolphins take on the Carolina Panthers at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips tries to get around Carolina Panthers tackle Taylor Moton during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle catches a pass against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins running back Salvon Ahmed runs into the end zone for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins running back Salvon Ahmed celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
