MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Mike McDaniel has seen a change in quarterback Tua Tagovailoa over the past month.
“He's found a way to improve the way he plays the position throughout the game,” the Dolphins coach said Sunday, after Tagovailoa threw for four touchdowns in a dominant 34-15 win over the New England Patriots.
“The most monumental thing that you have to overcome as a quarterback is playing the position regardless of the ebbs and flows," McDaniel added, "so not changing how you play based upon positive or negative results and letting every play stand on its own.”
Tagovailoa has mastered that ability to remain even-keeled during Miami's three-game winning streak, McDaniel noted, highlighted by his 317-yard passing performance on Sunday.
The Dolphins (5-6) have a thin margin for error the rest of the season but have kept themselves afloat with a strong stretch that includes two-straight 30-point games. With their win at New England (3-9) in Week 5, the Dolphins have swept their division rivals in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1999-2000.
Tagovailoa, who moved to 7-0 in his career against New England, entered the game with a league-high 73.4% completion rate and went 29 for 40. He has 11 passing touchdowns and just one interception since returning from injured reserve in Week 8.
“We’re still below the .500 threshold, and it’s a long way to where we want to get to," Tagovailoa said. “We’ll enjoy this win, but this next one is going to be big for us.”
The Dolphins have a short turnaround with a game at Green Bay on Thursday.
Backup Skylar Thompson replaced Tagovailoa with about 11 minutes left in what was already a blowout, but a bad handoff on his first play resulted in a fumble that was recovered by cornerback Christian Gonzalez and returned 63 yards for a touchdown. It cut New England's deficit to 31-15, and Tagovailoa returned the next drive.
Miami's defense held the rest of the way. Linebacker Tyrel Dodson intercepted rookie quarterback Drake Maye on New England's penultimate drive, then Miami stopped the Patriots on fourth down on the next.
Jaylen Waddle caught eight passes for a season-high 144 yards and a 23-yard touchdown that stretched Miami's lead to 31-0 entering the fourth. Running back De'Von Achane scored on a 9-yard screen pass and then walked into the end zone for an 11-yard TD in the first half.
Jonnu Smith finished with 87 yards on nine catches to continue his strong first season as a Dolphin. One week after catching two touchdowns with a career-high 101 yards receiving, Smith found the end zone for a 7-yard TD catch on the Dolphins' second drive.
New England was shut out until tight end Austin Hooper got behind the Dolphins defense for a wide-open 38-yard touchdown catch from Maye to make it 31-7 with 13:43 left.
Maye completed 22 of 37 passes for 221 yards with 26 yards rushing. But he couldn't overcome an overall sloppy performance by the Patriots in which they got nothing going offensively until the final quarter and had 10 penalties accepted against them.
“I always say I hate losing more than I like to win," Maye said. "We got our butts whipped today, and it’s only up from here. We’ve got a bright future and the right players in there for the Patriots.”
New England's best drive of the first half lasted 12 plays and covered 80 yards but included three accepted offensive penalties and ended in a missed 45-yard field goal by Joey Slye.
The Patriots forced a Dolphins punt and moved down the field again on the opening drive of the second half, with Maye completing an improvised 10-yard throw on third down to receiver Kendrick Bourne.
New England then tried a double pass with Bourne, whose cross-field throw fell short of Rhamondre Stevenson on 3rd-and-17.
DeMario Douglas led the Patriots with 61 yards receiving. Antonio Gibson had six rushes for 30 yards.
With the loss, the Patriots will finish their third straight season below .500. Its the first time since 1991-93 New England has had three straight losing seasons.
“Once those guys cross the white lines, there’s nothing I can do for them,” coach Jerod Mayo said. "There’s nothing any coach can do for them. It’s my job to continue to prepare not only them, but our coaches as well.”
Injuries
Dolphins: LB Anthony Walker Jr. sustained a noncontact hamstring injury in the second quarter. He was helped slowly off the field by trainers and did not return.
Up next
Patriots: Host Indianapolis next Sunday.
Dolphins: At Green Bay on Thursday.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Alanis Thames, The Associated Press
