After a slow start, the Miami Dolphins battled their way back against the Detroit Lions to collect a 31-27 victory for their fifth win of the season on Sunday.
It was a scoring onslaught from the jump in this game as the Lions got off to a hot start, going just five plays and 75 yards with Jamaal Williams scoring on a 7-yard run to take an early lead. Then the Dolphins fumbled, which led quarterback Jared Goff (27-of-37, 321 yards, 1 TD) to find D’Andre Swift for his only touchdown pass of the afternoon.
But that’s when the Dolphins started to kick it into gear. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa used his matchup nightmare of a wide receiver, Tyreek Hill, all game long to wreak havoc on the Lions’ defense, and it started on their second drive where Hill totaled 60 of the 80 yards needed to set up a Jaylen Waddle touchdown.
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Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins runs against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Oct. 30, 2022, in Detroit.
(Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
Waddle was also a top option for Tagovailoa as he had a 29-yard second score right after the Lions made it 21-7 the drive before. Waddle would finish the game with 106 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches.
However, Hill tallied 188 yards on 12 receptions (14 targets) as the Lions had no answer for the speedy wideout in his very productive game. And that’s not even the most yards he has in one game this season; he had 190 in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Three field goals, two for the Lions and one from the Dolphins, would close out the first half as the fumble by Miami was the only non-scoring drive of the half.
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But the Lions couldn’t get a single thing going in the second half, which would be their downfall.
Miami began the half with a nine-play drive that resulted in a direct snap to Alec Ingold for a one-yard score to bring the Dolphins within three points. And they wouldn’t waste any time on their next drive, as Mike Gesicki found the end zone on an 11-yard catch to make it 31-27.
Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions throws against the Miami Dolphins, Oct. 30, 2022, in Detroit.
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Williams would finish the game with two touchdowns for the Lions on the ground, with 53 total yards on 10 carries. Tight end T.J. Hockenson was also the Lions’ most productive target through the air with 80 yards on three catches, and Kalif Raymond had 76 yards on three receptions.
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Amon-Ra St. Brown was the most targeted Lion with seven catches on 10 attempts for 69 yards.
Raheem Mostert was the leader on the ground for the Dolphins, totaling 64 yards on 14 attempts. But Tagovailoa was forced to get the Dolphins back in this game through the air, and he didn’t disappoint with his second game of the season of more than 380 yards.
The Dolphins will head to Chicago next week to face the Bears as they look to stay in the running in a tough AFC East.
Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins looks to pass against the Detroit Lions, Oct. 30, 2022, in Detroit.
(Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
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Meanwhile, the Lions are hoping to get their first win in six games against NFC North divisional foe Green Bay Packers.