Miami Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa led the Miami Dolphins to an incredible 42-38 comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday with the help of a call known as the "f--k it" play.

On a 3rd-and-10 with the Dolphins down 35-21 in the fourth quarter, Tagovailoa found Tyreek Hill for a 48-yard touchdown pass that had just a 20.7 completion probability, according to Next Gen Stats:

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel explained the strategy after the game.

"So we had a play ready, in case things weren't going right, or in case there were various frustrations," McDaniel told Peter King of NBC Sports. "We installed that play with the expletives, that the quarterbacks knew as the 'f--k it' play. Tua loved the play. If we really needed to make something happen, that was the play we'd call."

Tagovailoa was on board with the strategy going into a tough matchup with Baltimore.

"We had talked the night before at the quarterback meeting," McDaniel said. "Tua knew he liked the opportunity there. He goes, 'Yeah, 3rd-and-12, 3rd-and-long, I really like the f--k it play.'"

Miami trailed by 21 points at halftime, but the long bomb to Hill was one of six touchdown passes for Tagovailoa in the come-from-behind effort. The two connected on another long score to tie the game with 5:19 left in the fourth quarter, while a touchdown to Jaylen Waddle with 14 seconds remaining served as the game-winner.

This offense has looked dangerous through two games, with the ability to score from anywhere on the field.

Tua Tagovailoa might just be a little less divisive after Sunday.

The Miami Dolphins quarterback overcame some early blunders against the Baltimore Ravens (1-1) and was spectacular in the second half, leading a 42-38 comeback win after the Dolphins trailed 35-14 to start the fourth quarter but outscored the Ravens 28-3 in the period.

Tagovailoa threw for 469 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions, shutting up his critics in the process. Tyreek Hill (11 catches for 190 yards and two scores) and Jaylen Waddle (11 catches for 171 yards and two scores) were the main beneficiaries.

And yes, his critics were chirping after his two first-half turnovers:

But he went absolute sicko mode in the second half, and Twitter gave him his justified flowers for the performance:

Throughout his career, a Tagovailoa performance—and critics' corresponding reactions—has often been a mirror into the preconceived notions fans brought into the contest. People see the quarterback they believe him to be. At various points Sunday, a similar script was followed.

But the good drastically outweighed the bad in Baltimore. Tagovailoa bent the narrative arc in his favor. Six touchdowns will do that.

And the Dolphins needed every last one to outpace Lamar Jackson, who was absolutely brilliant himself (318 passing yards, three touchdowns, 119 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown).

This was Tua's coronation. His every throw will continue to be dissected, no doubt, but he proved to his doubters that he still has tantalizing upside. And the Dolphins are an encouraging 2-0 in the process.

With bigger responsibilities comes better hygiene, at least for Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.

McDaniel explained the change in his weekly schedule compared to last year:

The 39-year-old spent last season as offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers after serving as the run game coordinator for the previous four seasons. It's clear his focus was completely on the team—helping the offense rank seventh in total yards in 2021—although it came at an expense.

Now that he's a head coach and spending more time in the public eye with weekly press conferences and more, he has to present himself better than a college kid cramming for a final.

McDaniel's family and friends are likely also happy with the new standard.

Miami Dolphins fans were surely pleased with what happened inside Hard Rock Stadium during Sunday's 20-7 victory over the New England Patriots.

But there were some frightening developments outside the stadium.

Scott Dellorfano, the owner of one of the cars that was destroyed, told NBC 6 South Florida that police informed him that a grill caught fire in the parking lot. Parker Branton of ABC News in South Florida also noted that witnesses mentioned a grill as the cause:

The result was a fire that could be seen from inside the stadium. It destroyed several cars while the game was ongoing.

As for the game, Miami defeated its AFC East rivals thanks to a strong showing from its defense that included a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Jaylen Waddle also caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa during the win.

The Miami Dolphins announced Thursday's scheduled joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles has been canceled.

Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reported the Dolphins' locker room is dealing with a stomach "bug"—some team members believe it may be food poisoning—that left several players sick and vomiting overnight.

Miami and Philadelphia held their first joint practice Wednesday ahead of the teams' preseason game against each other on Saturday night.

The Eagles confirmed they'll now hold their own practice Thursday, while the Dolphins will shift to virtual meetings "out of an abundance of caution," per Adam Beasley of Pro Football Network.

Wednesday's session featured some scuffles between the teams, as is quite customary in the joint NFL workouts.

"Man, it's hot here," Eagles wide receiver Quez Watkins told reporters. "It's going to happen. We're all competing. We're all trying to go hard, compete, stuff like that, so grown men, stuff happens."

Both teams are set to enter the 2022 season with playoff-level expectations.

The Eagles have made the postseason in four of the past five years, highlighted by winning the Super Bowl at the end of the 2017 campaign, and they should once again be in the thick of the division race in the wide-open NFC East.

The Dolphins are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The arrivals of head coach Mike McDaniel and wide receiver Tyreek Hill have generated a lot of buzz, but their fate likely rests on the development of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Miami's signal-caller crossed paths with Jalen Hurts during their time at Alabama, and he discussed the Philly QB's impressive work ethic.

"The dude had to be the first into the weight room. He had to be the first out onto the field. Like sprints, he had to be first, so it really tells you how he goes about his life," Tagovailoa said. "It tells you about how he kind of sees things and how he looks at things. Obviously, he's a competitor. He never wants to be last, so that should tell you a lot about him."

Meanwhile, so far there's no indication Saturday's preseason game is in any danger as the Dolphins try to quickly mitigate further issues with the locker-room illness.

The Miami Dolphins have no shortage of offensive weapons with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and others, and the biggest question mark surrounding the team may be whether quarterback Tua Tagovailoa can maximize that talent.

Head coach Mike McDaniel seems to think he can.

"It's the most accurate, catchable ball I've ever seen," he said of Tagovailoa's throws during an appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show:

Le Batard pressed the first-year head coach on that answer, and McDaniel confirmed it after giving it some extra thought. He also said it was all the more impressive because Tagovailoa isn't even throwing with his dominant hand.

It should be noted that McDaniel has been an assistant coach for the Houston Texans, Washington, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers. He has worked with quarterbacks Matt Schaub, Robert Griffin III, Brian Hoyer, Johnny Manziel, Matt Ryan and Jimmy Garoppolo.

McDaniel's comments echo those from Hill.

"Tua actually has one of the prettiest balls I've ever caught," the wide receiver told reporters in May.

Considering Hill caught passes from Patrick Mahomes on the Kansas City Chiefs, that quote should give Dolphins fans plenty of confidence.

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross indicated to the NFL he wants control of the franchise passed down to his daughter, Jennifer, upon his death, according to Sports Business Journal's Ben Fischer.

Fischer reported the process hasn't been finalized, but the idea has been circulated by Ross to other NFL executives for months.

Ross remains under suspension by the NFL following an investigation into whether the Dolphins intentionally lost games in 2019 and whether they had impermissible contact with Tom Brady and then-New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.

Former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores filed suit against the NFL along with the Dolphins, Denver Broncos and New York Giants, alleging he was the victim of racial discrimination. Flores contended he was offered $100,000 for each game Miami lost in 2019 because the franchise wanted to prioritize its draft position.

The suit remains open, but the NFL filed a motion in June attempting to push the case into arbitration.

The NFL's investigation, which was led by Mary Jo White, seemed to reach a contradictory set of conclusions.

The league said Miami "did not intentionally lose games during the 2019 season" but that Ross "expressed his belief that the Dolphins' position in the upcoming 2020 draft should take priority over the team's win-loss record" on multiple occasions.

The NFL did, however, determine Dolphins officials reached out to Brady when he was with the New England Patriots and then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Among the ideas tabled was making Brady a limited partner in the organization and perhaps even his suiting up for the team.

Miami was also guilty of contacting Don Yee, Payton's agent, and failing to seek permission from the Saints before doing so.

Along with Ross, Dolphins vice chairman Bruce Beal was named in the report.

Fischer reported that Ross' previous succession plan called for Beal to take over, so giving control to Jennifer "would also forestall the awkward step of Beal seeking approval to ascend to controlling owner after being punished for tampering."

Per Fischer, Ross' decision was "not related to the recent tampering/tanking investigation," though.

CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora reported in April 2016 that NFL owners voted in favor of a plan paving the way for Beal to take over. He would gain the right of first refusal to purchase the Dolphins in the event Ross died or signaled his desire to sell the team.

Having gained a 50 percent stake in the Dolphins in February 2008, Ross became the controlling owner in January 2009. Forbes valued the Dolphins at $3.42 billion in its most recent calculation.

The Miami Dolphins appear to be leaning against playing starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday evening, although that decision is not final nor official.

NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe relayed remarks from Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel Thursday indicating that the third-year NFL pro would likely be out based on Tagovailoa's good practice form of late.

Tagovailoa would have two more chances to play preseason games if he does not suit up against the Bucs. Miami will host the Las Vegas Raiders on Aug. 20 before welcoming the Philadelphia Eagles into town one week later. The regular season opens on Sept. 11 against the New England Patriots.

Tagovailoa got a good review for his practice work from Alain Poupart of All Dolphins, who provided a report Wednesday from a joint session with the Bucs.

"Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was very efficient running the offense and taking what the defense was giving him. By our calculations, he completed 14 of 19 passes in team periods and did some nice work in the two-minute drill to get the Dolphins in field goal position (even though that ended poorly). There were no highlight bombs like we've seen at times in practice, but Tagovailoa was on target on most of his throws."

It's a year of transition for Tagovailoa, who is now working with a new head coach and offensive mastermind (Mike McDaniel), a new No. 1 wide receiver (Tyreek Hill) and a few new starting offensive linemen (Terron Armstead, Connor Williams).

On paper, all of those changes look like good additions as Miami looks to improve upon the No. 22 scoring offense in the NFL last year.

It should also help the development of a young quarterback in Tagovailoa, whose career has gotten off to a bit of a rocky start.

Football analyst Warren Sharp provided more information:

Now he's receiving far more support, providing a far more rosier picture for 2022.