Dolphins shorthanded at cornerback vs. Steelers. Tua Tagovailoa sharp in first drive back
The Dolphins took on the Pittsburgh Steelers in their Week 7 prime-time game at Hard Rock Stadium without a trio of key defenders on Sunday.
Defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah and cornerbacks Keion Crossen and Kader Kohou were all inactive for the Dolphins’ 16-10 win because of injuries.
Ogbah (back) and Kohou (oblique), an undrafted rookie, were listed as questionable to play, while Crossen (knee) was listed as doubtful. It’s the second consecutive missed game for Kohou, who has started three games this season, and the first missed game of the season for Ogbah and Crossen, who has also made a start at corner.
The absence of Kohou and Crossen left the Dolphins with three true corners active: Xavien Howard, Noah Igbinoghene and Justin Bethel.
Igbinoghene, who caught the game-sealing interception, made his first start of the season opposite Howard as the boundary season, while Bethel took snaps as the slot corner. It was the first career interception for Igbinoghene, the No. 30 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
In the first quarter, Bethel, a special teams ace, also intercepted rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett. It was the fifth career interception for Bethel and his first since the 2017 season. The pick marked the Dolphins’ first interception since Week 1 and the defense’s first takeaway since Week 3.
Howard (groin), Terron Armstead (toe), wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (shoulder), defensive lineman Christian Wilkins (hand), tight end Durham Smythe (hamstring) and offensive tackle Greg Little (Achilles) were also active despite being listed as questionable.
The Dolphins also deactivated rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson (right thumb), rookie wide receiver Erik Ezukanma and running back Myles Gaskin.
No rust for Tua in return
If there were any questions about how quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would look in his first game since sustaining a frightening concussion on Sept. 29, he answered them quickly.
On the Dolphins’ opening possession, the third-year player completed 6 of 7 passes for 68 yards and an 8-yard touchdown pass to running back Raheem Mostert.
By the end of the first quarter, Tagovailoa had completed 8 of 13 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown as the Dolphins led 13-0. He also took his first big hit on a scramble, colliding with inside linebacker Devin Bush. Tagovailoa quickly bounced up to his feet and clapped his hands, receiving “TUA” chants from the crowd at Hard Rock Stadium.
Tagovailoa and the offense struggled after the strong start, though. After the first quarter, the Dolphins mustered just three points and went 1 of 3 in the red zone, including a failed fourth-and-3 attempt from the Steelers’ 14-yard line. Tagovailoa completed 21 of 35 passes for 261 yards and a one touchdown but threw a handful of passes that were almost intercepted.
Tagovailoa missed two games after being carted off the field on a stretcher in the Dolphins’ Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He missed the team’s Week 5 loss to the New York Jets while in concussion protocol and then was cleared for the Week 6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings but held out because of limited practice reps.
Before his injury, Tagovailoa was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the NFL, leading the Dolphins to a 3-0 start before the team’s three-game losing streak in his absence. He entered Week 7 with a 110.4 passer rating, second-highest among qualified passers.
Shell takes over at RT
The Dolphins made another change to their starting offensive line, replacing Little with Brandon Shell at right tackle.
It was the second consecutive start at right tackle for Shell, the seven-year veteran who signed to the practice squad in mid-September and was signed to the 53-man roster on Saturday. It marked the fourth different starting offensive line combination for the Dolphins this season.
Shell, who started his 63rd NFL game on Sunday, has filled in along the offensive line in the last three games. In Week 5, he took over for Armstead after he aggravated a toe injury. And when Armstead was sidelined against the Vikings, Shell started at right tackle, while Little moved from right tackle to left tackle.
Little had started four straight games at right tackle for Austin Jackson, who is on injured reserve with an ankle injury, before starting at left tackle in Week 5. The fourth-year player has struggled this season; he gave up nine pressures, six hurries and three sacks against the Vikings, according to Pro Football Focus, all season-high marks.
The Dolphins’ offensive line didn’t allow a sack in Tagovailoa’s first game back and the running game surpassed 100 yards for the second time in three weeks.
This story was originally published October 23, 2022 at 7:07 PM.
