DETROIT (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa threw a go-ahead, 11-yard touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki late in the third quarter, capping the Miami Dolphins' rally from a double-digit, second-half deficit for a 31-27 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The Dolphins (5-3) have won two straight since Tagovailoa returned from a concussion. The Lions (1-6) have lost five in a row.
Dan Campbell said the reason the drop-off on defense in the second half: “We didn’t handle their speed well.”
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 30, 2022
Campbell’s reason for the offense’s drop-off: “Penalties.” pic.twitter.com/0HGhLVOGBF
Detroit scored on all five of its possessions in the first half to lead 27-17 after scoring a total of six points in its previous two games.
The Dolphins opened the second half with a touchdown drive, scoring when fullback Alec Ingold took a snap that fooled the defense and scored on a 1-yard sneak.
They took their first lead late in the third on Tagovailoa's pass to Gesicki, who was wide open in the end zone, to score on a fifth straight possession.
Jared Goff said the Lions fixed issues today, but need to go back to work and fix more pic.twitter.com/uKbSBfxbPh
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 30, 2022
Tagovailoa was 29 of 36 for 382 yards with three touchdowns, including two to Jaylen Waddle, who had eight catches for 106 yards. Tyreek Hill had 12 receptions for 188 yards for the Dolphins.
Hill and Waddle have 1,688 yards receiving combined, setting a Super Bowl era record for two teammates through the first eight games of a season.
Detroit's Jared Goff was 27 of 37 for 321 yards with a touchdown. Goff would have had a second scoring pass at the end of the first half, but Josh Reynolds dropped a pass in the end zone and the Lions settled for a field goal. The four-point difference proved to be critical.
Jamaal Williams had two touchdowns for the Lions, who had a 21-7 lead after he scored for a second time early in the second quarter.
INJURIES
Dolphins: LG Liam Eichenberg had a game-ending knee injury in the second half.
Lions: TE Brock Wright left the game with a concussion and CB A.J. Parker (hip) was injured during the game.
UP NEXT
Dolphins: Play at Chicago.
Lions: Host Green Bay.
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