Dolphins and Tua Back In Prime Time, Hoping To Get Back On Track

If it feels like it has been awhile since the Miami Dolphins have made an appearance on Sunday Night Football…that’s because you’ve been paying attention.

The last time the Dolphins were permitted to play in the NFL’s prime prime time spot? That would be 2017. The last time before that? Tony Sparano was the head coach.

Needless to say, it’s been a minute. A fact due in no small part to how separate the days of those perfect 1972 Dolphins getting a 50th anniversary halftime tribute Sunday feel from…well from anything anyone reading this article has ever witnessed from this organization. Season-long perfection is obviously a big ask, unmatched by any other team in league history. But season to season consistency? That’s been sorely wanting these past two decades. As has anything resembling a week in, week out must watch star.

Just like it would for the confidence and prospects of this 2022 team. After Miami’s most promising start to a season in twenty years, they’ve fallen to prey to some absurdly horrific luck. Three weeks, three different starting quarterbacks, three different starters knocked out of three different games. But original starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returns to action for this one, and does so with what could be the healthiest Dolphins offense since the Baltimore game. It’s been three weeks of bad press during this losing skid. Beat the Steelers, and almost all of that positive buzz they’d built up comes right back. Lose, and it’s suddenly just another same old Dolphins season.

Can the Dolphins get that needed win?

Ask Terron Armstead’s toe. If he suits up, and if Miami can manage to get four quarters out of the same quarterback, that should be enough to secure a victory. If Jaylen Waddle suits up as well, there’s a chance this game isn’t even close. The Steelers have struggled all year against the pass, and Hill and Waddle project to put up some big numbers with Tua back under center.

The one real threat to the Dolphins in this game, beyond their own injury issues? The Steelers’ receiving corp. For the fourth game in a row, the Dolphins are facing a very deep and talented group of pass catchers. Those first three wins? Really only one threat that needed to be accounted for. Miami’s secondary is about as banged up as it has been all season. They’ll need to get creative with the pressure to keep Pittsburgh in check. Miami flashed that creativity in the

first quarter last week, and then never really regained it once Nik Needham left the field.

Fortunately though, the Dolphins have plenty of firepower of their own. If the offense from the first three weeks shows up, it should be enough. Just don’t be surprised if this game is closer than you’d like it to be.

Dolphins 27, Pittsburgh 17.