Teddy Bridgewater regarded very succesful final night time, other than the interception, in fact

Prayers up for Tua.

Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins quarterback, suffered head and neck accidents within the second quarter of Thursday night time’s sport and needed to be wheeled out of Paycor Stadium on a stretcher.

Thankfully, Tagovailoa was discharged from the hospital and was on the aircraft again to Miami along with his workforce later that night time. He’ll have further time to get better earlier than the Dolphins’ Oct. 9 sport in opposition to the New York Jets, but when we’re being actual, Tua shouldn’t play. I hope the Dolphins don’t attempt to pressure him to. They want to offer him at the very least a number of weeks to get his head proper.

With that stated, until the workforce medical doctors horribly mismanage Tua’s scenario, once more, the 3-1 Dolphins will depend on Teddy Bridgewater to maintain them atop the AFC East. Can he try this? Well, based mostly on how he performed final night time…completely!

In Tua’s stead, Bridgewater accomplished 14 of 23 passes for 193 yards, one landing, and one interception. That might not sound too nice, however Bridgwater’s play was higher than the fieldrating signifies, and albeit, if the Dolphins trusted Bridgewater just a bit bit extra, they may have had a shot late within the sport.

Here’s how every of Bridgewater’s full drives ended: Missed subject aim, landing, punt, one other punt, a 3rd punt, an interception, and a turnover on downs. That sounds fairly terrible till you look just a little nearer. Obviously, the primary drive can’t actually be counted. Bridgewater got here into the sport for Tua in a third-and-17 scenario. Bridgewater managed to realize 16 yards on his solely play of the drive on an in to Trent Sherfield, who discovered the smooth spot within the Bengals’ Cover 4 zone. That’s tough to guage although. It’s clear the Bengals had been simply trying to keep away from an over-the-top shot to Waddle or Hill. It was a very good look by Bridgewater, but it surely was in opposition to smooth protection and the Bengals’ protection in the end achieved their aim of stopping a primary down.

The second drive although was nice, and it was the one time the remainder of the sport that Dolphins’ head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed any belief in Bridgewater, other than the ultimate drive when the Bengals knew Teddy B. was dropping again to go each time.

The Fins began off with two straight runs by Raheem Mostert after which handed the reins to Bridgewater. A 16-yard completion. An incompletion. An 11-yard completion. A six-yard completion, followed by completions of 4 yards, 12 yards, and 7 yards, with that final one leading to a landing. Now, the drive wasn’t executed so effectively due to Bridgewater; it was a really well-thought-out assault down the sector. By establishing the run on the primary two performs, Bridgewater was in a position to execute play-motion to a T, and each the 12-yard completion and landing go got here off of play fakes. Bridgewater performed his function effectively, and with as harmful of weapons because the Dolphins have, that’s all they actually need him to do: Execute gradual, methodical drives downfield and infrequently pressure the protection to respect the lengthy bomb to Hill. We’ll get to that later.

The Dolphins opened up with an terrible drive to begin the second half. Three-and-out for minus 5 yards. There had been a few incompletions plus a penalty. Bridgewater tried to attach with Sherfield once more on a deep look on the left aspect. It didn’t work. That occurs. Just final week, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs had two three-and-outs to begin their sport in opposition to the Colts. These sorts of drives occur. Moving on.

Next drive, two runs adopted by a brief go to tight finish Mike Gesicki. Three and out. I’ll be sincere right here, this wasn’t a very good throw from Bridgewater. I consider he was attempting to throw to his outdoors shoulder and lead him upfield, however the throw was simply too excessive for Gesicki to deal with cleanly. He couldn’t flip his physique upfield in time and in the end received stopped earlier than the road to realize. Would Gesicki have reached the primary down marker if the throw was higher? I’m unsure, however Bridgewater actually didn’t assist with that throw. Still, that was solely his second legitimately off-target throw of the night time. I’ll let it slide.

Now, we get to the “bomb to Hill” drive. As is customized for these Dolphins’ drives with Bridgewater, it kicked off with a run by Mostert. On the subsequent play, Bridgewater faked the handoff to Mostert whereas Hill ran in entrance of Bridgewater, faking a possible contact go. All of Cincinnati’s linebackers froze on the faux. Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt, and Vonn Bell (I do know he’s a security, however he was lined up simply outdoors the fitting deal with, so he was principally enjoying linebacker on this play) all froze or stepped as much as watch the run. That allowed Sherfield to get behind them for a 16-yard acquire. Once once more, Bridgewater executed the system effectively. Then got here the deep shot to Hill. This was the primary time shortly that McDaniel let Bridgewater throw on 1st down, and he wasn’t letting that chance slip away. Hill by no means actually beats his man on this play. He will get behind him certain, however by no means will get excessive separation. Regardless, Bridgewater made an awesome learn right here. The lone security deep, Jessie Bates, was watching Waddle on the alternative aspect. He by no means even noticed Hill. Waddle ran a submit and Bates instantly adopted him. That left Hill one-on-one in opposition to Chidobe Awuzie. Anytime you get Hill one-on-one on first down, it’s important to take that shot. While the drive didn’t finish in a landing as you’d count on, Bridgewater proved that he can hit these deep pictures to Hill and Waddle ought to Tagovailoa be sidelined for a number of weeks.

Despite this nice learn from Bridgewater, the Dolphins opted to run the ball on the subsequent two performs. I perceive that Bridgewater was relying closely on play motion, however he simply made a tremendous effort. Run the ball on first, certain, however then perhaps contemplate giving Teddy an opportunity to indicate the ball to Hill wasn’t a fluke. Instead, Bridgewater solely had one probability to attain from the two-and-a-half-yard line. By the time Bridgewater had gone by his first learn, the Bengals’ go rush was on him. He made a very good effort to get the ball to Hill, but it surely didn’t work.

If you’re going to run just one go play on the aim line, I believe a aim line fade or a choose play, just like the one which the 49ers ran in opposition to the Broncos final weekend for their solely landing would’ve been a greater choice than an out-go route combo with a drag coming throughout. The Bengals even confirmed an identical protection to the one the Broncos ran. There was a security deeper within the endzone in opposition to Miami the place there wasn’t one in that play in opposition to Denver, but when Miami ran the choose successfully, the security would’ve been a non-factor. I’m getting away from the purpose. Bridgewater didn’t have a lot time to truly make a learn or a throw. He did effectively to flee the pocket, however sadly couldn’t discover a receiver whereas rolling to his weak aspect. Not a nasty play from Bridgewater in any respect.

Bridgewater continued to push the ball downfield successfully when given the chance. The interception wasn’t nice, clearly. I’d prefer to say there was a miscommunication between Gesicki and Bridgewater. Gesicki ran a submit and Bridgewater threw to his outdoors shoulder. That makes me assume Gesicki was both purported to run a nook or a cease. Either Gesicki ran the mistaken route or Bridgewater thought Gesicki would see the blitzing linebacker and see that there was no person lined up throughout from him and search for the ball instantly. Either manner, Bridgewater made a nasty resolution and it value the Dolphins the sport.

All in all, although, Bridgewater proved greater than able to main Miami’s offense. Sure, it’s going to take a protracted of nice teaching from McDaniel to arrange sure performs and benefit from Bridgewater’s talent set, however so long as Bridgewater can handle the sport, management the clock, and never flip the ball over, I’ve a sense Miami’s offense goes to be simply wonderful. The Dolphins’ subsequent six video games are on the New York Jets, Minnesota at house, Pittsburgh at house, at Detroit, at Chicago, and Cleveland at house. Even if Tagovailoa misses all six of these video games, I wouldn’t be shocked if the Dolphins go 4-2 and even 5-1. Bridgewater’s all the time been a wonderful QB. There’s a purpose they introduced him to South Beach.