Tua Tagovailoa threw for three touchdowns after the Miami Dolphins fell behind by a pair of touchdowns in a 42-21 victory against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon at Miami Gardens, Fla.
The Dolphins (5-1) didn’t score in the first quarter, but the NFL’s highest-scoring team got rolling after that.
Miami running back Raheem Mostert, who ran for 115 yards on 17 carries, scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) and NFL receiving leader Tyreek Hill racked up 163 receiving yards with one touchdown on six receptions.
The Panthers (0-6) remain the only winless team in the NFL despite going to the second quarter with a 14-0 lead.
Carolina’s Bryce Young, who like Tagovailoa is a former Alabama quarterback, threw for 217 yards and one touchdown on 23-for-38 passing. Chuba Hubbard rushed for 88 yards on 19 carries and Adam Thielen had 11 catches for 115 yards.
Tagovailoa finished 21-for-31 passing for 262 yards. Mike White threw a pick-six, which was the game’s only turnover, and it resulted in Troy Hill’s 61-yard return for a touchdown with 4:26 remaining to break Miami’s string of 35 consecutive points.
Miami outgained the Panthers 424-296 in total offense.
The Panthers scored on Hubbard’s 6-yard run for the game’s first points and then extended their lead on Young’s 8-yard toss to Thielen with six seconds left in the first quarter.
Tagovailoa threw for 3 yards to Mostert for Miami’s first points. Jaylen Waddle’s 4-yard touchdown catch helped the Dolphins pull even. That tying possession took only three plays and covered 57 yards following Carolina’s failed fake punt.
Miami took its first lead on Tagovailoa’s 41-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill on the first play after the two-minute warning.
Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro missed on a 43-yard field goal attempt on the last play of the first half.
Mostert, who filled in well for injured De’Von Achane, scored on runs of 4 and 1 yards in the second half. Salvon Ahmed ran for a 9-yard touchdown with 2:31 left.
–Field Level Media
