The Good, Bad & Ugly from the Miami Dolphins’ week four loss to the Cincinnati Bengals

Sep 30, 2022 - 12:55 PM

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There are some things that are bigger than the game of football.

On Thursday night, Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa suffered what appeared to be a very serious concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals that resulted in him being stretchered from the field and taken to a local hospital.

His team gathered at midfield in support of the young player, with Coach Mike McDaniel at Tua’s side before he was carted away.

The Dolphins would end up losing the hard-fought contest to the Bengals by a score of 27-15. It is fair to wonder if things would have been different if Tagovailoa didn’t suffer the head injury, but that’s not what we’re here to do with this column today. The only thing that matters in regards to Miami’s QB position is the health and safety of the Tua, the human being - not the football player. The good news is that he was discharged from the hospital following the game and he was able to fly home with his teammates. Here’s hoping that he is able to make a full recovery very soon.

With that being said, let’s take a look at the good, bad and ugly from Thursday night’s loss to the Bengals.

GOOD

Tyreek Hill continues to prove that he’s worth every penny the Miami Dolphins are paying him

The Cheetah had another stellar game on Thursday, catching 10 balls for 160 yards. Through four games this season, Tyreek Hill leads the NFL in receiving yards at 477. Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills is second with 344.

Whether it was Tua or Teddy Bridgewater throwing him the ball, Tyreek Hill was unstoppable all night long.

He also did plenty of damage when he didn’t have the ball in his hands, because the threat of his speed allowed for his teammates to produce as well. There were a few plays where Hill was tasked with running deep in order to clear out defenders so the QB could hit a shallower receiver underneath.

Tyreek Hill is the most valuable skill position player in the NFL, and his hot start proves why he was worth every draft pick - and every dollar - the Miami Dolphins gave him.

BAD

Chase Edmonds drops easy touchdown early in the game

You won’t see too many opportunities for a touchdown catch as easy as the one Chase Edmonds had early in the game against the Bengals on Thursday night as the Dolphins were surgically carving up the Bengals’ defense behind the arm of Tua Tagovailoa. Unfortunately for him, and unfortunately for the team, he dropped the pass and the Dolphins were forced to settle for a field goal.

On a night filled with “what-ifs” and “almosts,” Edmonds’ TD drop was a deflating blow to a team that could have used the lift.

Of course, there were plenty of opportunities for the team to overcome the mistake, but getting seven points on Miami’s opening drive, instead of the three they did score, could have set the tone for the offense moving forward through the rest of the game.

UGLY

Tua Tagovailoa suffers a scary head injury forcing him to be stretchered from the field and taken to a local hospital

Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa left Miami’s Thursday Night Football contest against the Cincinnati Bengals after a scary hit from Bengals DT Josh Tupou in the 2nd quarter.

Tupou drove Tagovailoa’s head into the turf, with Tua’s helmet slamming violently. It appeared as if the quarterback lost consciousness and his fingers locked up - known as a fencing response.

The play was not flagged and Tua’s teammate, Tyreek Hill, later said that he didn’t think Tupou did anything dirty and was just playing football.

Regardless, a similar looking tackle from Xavien Howard just a week before did draw an unnecessary roughness penalty against the Buffalo Bills.

Tagovailoa was eventually released from the hospital and was able to fly back with his team to South Florida. Let’s hope that Tua can make a quick recovery. A return to the playing field would be an added bonus, but right now, what matters most is the health and safety of the young man.

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Through four games, Miami has a record of 3-1. Are you excited about their start or more deflated after Thursday’s defeat? In your opinion, what does this team need to do to continue their success through the middle parts of the season? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter at @MBrave13. Fins up!