Cardinals vs. Dolphins final score, immediate reactions

The Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals finished their Week 8 game at Hard Rock Stadium with the biggest story the return of Miami starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The Pro Bowl starter from last year was placed on injured reserve after sustaining a Week 2 concussion, causing him to miss the team’s last four games. With him back in the lineup, the Dolphins’ offense looked completely different than whatever it was they put on the field without him.

However, they could not do enough down the stretch. A safety on a bad snap turned the momentum of the game and Miami never was able to recover. The Cardinals continued to chip away at the Miami lead until a last second field goal won the game for Arizona.

Final Score

Cardinals 28 – 27 Dolphins

First Quarter Reactions

1. Welcome back, Tua! What a perfect drive – even with two fumbles the team had to recover. Wow. That felt so much more like how this offense is supposed to operate. The opening drive of the game saw running back De’Von Achane pick up 11 yards on the first play, then Tagovailoa find fullback Alec Ingold on a wheel route for 16 yards. After Tagovailoa was stripped for a seven-yard loss, with offensive tackle Austin Jackson falling on the loose ball, Tagovailoa threw to Tyreek Hill on two straight passes, picking up eight and 13 yards, respectively. Achane then ran for nine yards, followed by a six-yard catch. An incomplete pass was followed by a shovel pass to tight end Julian Hill that could have resulted in a touchdown, but the ball was punched out just before the goalline, with guard Robert Jones recovering. Running back Raheem Mostert finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Explosive play after explosive play, even on what looks like a dive up the middle. It is only one possession, but wow did that feel so much better. Dolphins 7-0.

2. Okay defense. The focus is on Tagovailoa and the offense, but the defense wants everyone to see them as well. A run from James Conner for four yards was followed by a blitz from cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who batted down the pass. After the Cardinals had to use a timeout to avoid a delay penalty, defensive lineman Calais Campbell batted down the next pass attempt. The Cardinals punted on the three-and-out. Great job by the defense.

3. Miami’s second possession just continued to look so much better than anything the team did during the last four games. A third fumble, this time on a snap, threatened to end the drive, but Tagovailoa fell on it and Miami continued to move forward. They ultimately stalled and settled for a 53-yard field goal from kicker Jason Sanders, but overall, the offense looks more in rhythm, more like the 2023 high-octane offense we all expected to see this year as well. Dolphins 10-0.

First Quarter Score: Dolphins 10-0.

Second Quarter Reactions

4. Starting in the first quarter, the Cardinals’ second possession opened with a 25-yard pass from quarterback Kyler Murray to wide receiver Marvin Harrison, Jr. After a penalty on Miami for holding, Murray again found Harrison, this time for eight yards. After the quarter break, Arizona continued to move the ball down into Miami territory, eventually getting to a 3rd-and-Goal from the six-yard line. Ramsey blitzed and just missed the sack as Murray scrambled away, then found wide receiver Michael Wilson for a touchdown. Dolphins 10-7.

5. The teams traded punts, Miami after a six-play, 14-yard drive and Arizona after an 11-play, 38-yard possession, after the Cardinals’ touchdown. The Dolphins started their subsequent possession at their own five-yard line after great special teams coverage of the Arizona punt. Miami looked like they were going to be shutdown, but a 3rd-and-9 play featured Tagovailoa throwing to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle for 10 yards. After the two-minute warning, Tagovailoa threw to Hill for 10 yards, then Achane for eight yards. An incomplete pass brought up 3rd-and-2, with Miami converting on a 31-yard perfectly placed pass from Tagovailoa to Hill. Miami eventually worked the ball to the Arizona seven-yard line, but settled for a field goal. Dolphins 13-7.

Halftime Score: Dolphins 13-7.

Halftime Thoughts

This offense is so very different when Tagovailoa is on the field. There are so many different options for the team. And, critically important if Miami is going to make a run back into relevance this year, there does not seem to be any rust as Tagovailoa returns. The offense is clicking. They are not yet up to the team that put up 70 points in a game last year and averaged almost 30 points per game for the 2023 season, but they are already over their 11.7 points per game average for this year and they look like they will be able to keep scoring in the second half.

The defense has been solid allowing just 2.7 yards per rush attempt so far and just 79 total yards through the air. They have to get to Murray and actually bring him down – that is probably the most dangerous aspect of the Cardinals’ offense in the second half.

The biggest issue for Miami in the first half was an offensive fumble issue. The ball hit the ground three times during the first 30 minutes, with Miami lucky to recover it each time. They have to clean that up in the second half.

Miami has only committed two penalties on the day, one a defensive hold for five yards and one offensive hold for 10 yards. The offensive hold, called against tackle Austin Jackson, was a justifiable penalty. The blitz came through late and rather than allowing a clean shot at Tagovailoa, Jackson held. That was a good penalty.

Arizona gets the ball to start the second half. A quick defensive stop and Miami adding points could allow the defense to simply attack the rest of the game.

Third Quarter Reactions

6. A defensive stop is needed to start the half for Miami. A 37-yard catch and run from Murray to tight end Trey McBride on first down is not the stop. Linebacker David Long, Jr., who was beaten on the pass to McBride, came in to clean up, along with linebacker Emmanuel, a Conner run attempt for a 10-yard loss. After a holding penalty on the Cardinals brought up 2nd-and-30, the Dolphins defense held and forced a 57-yard field goal. Dolphins 13-10.

7. What a start to a drive! Achane breaks a 47-yard run, following fullback Alec Ingold into the hole and then staying behind Jackson to keep moving forward. Waddle dropped an easy catch into his chest, setting up a 3rd-and-9. Tagovailoa scrambles for a 13-yard gain, sliding after passing the sticks. Hard Rock Stadium erupts in cheers as he gets down to protect himself. Two plays later, a screen pass to Achane scores. Dolphins 20-10.

8. The defense forces a three-and-out, giving Miami a chance to add to the lead. The punt starts the Dolphins at the their own 13-yard line. After an incomplete pass, the ball is snapped over Tagovailoa’s head, with the quarterback forced to bat the ball out of the back of the endzone for a safety. Ouch – point scored but not the right way. Miami letting the Cardinals stay in the game right now. Dolphins 20-12.

9. Arizona is looking to use the spark from the safety to get back into this game. A Conner run for 13 yards and a pass to McBride for 17 yards starts the drive and quickly moves the Cardinals into Miami territory. The defense needs to stiffen up quickly to make up for the safety, Or not. six plays later and Murray finds Harrison for a touchdown. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks make a greast stop on the two-point conversion attempt to keep the Dolphins in the lead. Dolphins 20-18.

10. Can Miami’s offense respond, put the safety behind them, and extend the lead back out to 9? Achane runs for four yards, then Tagovailoa throws a quick run-pass option hitch to Waddle, who catches it and turns up field for a 20-yard gain. A Mostert run for 13 yards and a pass to Ingold for two yards moves the ball to the Arizona 31-yard line as the quarter ends.

Third quarter score: Dolphins 20-18.

Fourth Quarter Reactions

11. Miami continues their offensive attack after the break, starting with a pass to Hill for three yards, then to Waddle for 15 yards. Julian Hill then caught a pass for six yards, before two Mostert runs finishes the drive for a touchdown. The touchdown run was a thing of beauty, with the entire offense flowing to the left and Mostert taking the handoff right for a walk-in score from six yards out. Dolphins 27-18.

12. Calais Campbell starts the possession with a strip of Murray, but the ball bounces back to the quarterback who throws it away to avoid the sack or turnover. Two plays later, a deep pass to Harrison was called incomplete, but a Cardinals challenge overturned the play, giving Arizona a first down on a 16-yard gain. Murray back to Harrison for another 22 yards, then to McBride for 16 yards. Two plays later, on a 2nd-and-Goal from the two, Conner punched it in for the score. Dolphins 27-25.

13. A controlled, deliberate, scoring drive is needed here. Eat the 8:47 left and add points. The Dolphins run the ball on the first three plays, with Achane picking up nine yards and Ingold three, before Achane lost two yards. An incomplete pass sets up a 3rd-and-12, with Tagovailoa throwing to Smith over the middle of the field. The initial call said Smith was short of the line of gain, but Miami challenges and it is overturned. The drive stalls after that, with a run for no gain, a pass to Julian Hill for one yard, and an incomplete pass leading to the punt. Miami burned nearly four minutes off the clock, but they did not put up any points. This is dangerous for the Dolphins. They needed points there. The Cardinals offense has found its rhythm. The defense is going to need to come up with a stop.

14. Not exactly the stop the defense needs to make. At the two-minute warning, the Cardinals have moved the ball 56 yards already. After the break, the Dolphins were forced to use their timeouts, but could not make a stop. With one second remaining in the game, the Cardinals kicked a field goal to win. Cardinals 28-25.