Dolphins-Cardinals Five Biggest Storylines...And How They Played Out

Breaking down the Miami Dolphins Week 8 subplots against the Arizona Cardinals.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) drops back to pass in the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins' record dropped to 2-5 when they lost against the Arizona Cardinals, 28-27, at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.

The Dolphins lost for the fifth time in six games after squandering 20-10 and 27-18 leads in quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's return to the lineup.

The teams met for the first time since the 2020 season when the Dolphins won 34-31 in Arizona.

We broke down the five biggest storylines ahead of this Week 8 matchup, so now it's time to revisit them and see how they played out.

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1) TUA TIME

Before the Game

The top storyline in this game could not be more obvious, and, in fact, it's among the biggest storylines around the NFL this week. Tua Tagovailoa is back, and the hope is his return can jump-start the Dolphins offense, which has been wrong all season, particularly in the past four games with Skylar Thompson, Tim Boyle, and Tyler Huntley as quarterbacks.

During the Game

The Dolphins offense looked different from Tua's back in the lineup, which was obvious from the start. Tagovailoa was very efficient in his return, completing 28 of 38 passes for 234 yards with one touchdown, no interception, and a 97.9 passer rating. Most of the throws were quick hitters, except his pretty teardrop to Tyreek Hill, which was good for 30 yards. On the downside, there were ball-handling issues along with the failure of the offense to close out the game, which allowed the Cardinals to put together their game-winning drive. Tua played more than well enough for the Dolphins to win on this day; the problem was that Arizona QB Kyler Murray was better.

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2) TYREEK UNLEASHED

Before the Game

Despite being listed as questionable on the final injury report of the week, the expectation heading into the weekend was that Tyreek Hill would be able to play against the Cardinals, and it could be that the return of Tua to the lineup is what he needed to get going. After his 130-yard outing in the season opener against Jacksonville, Hill had 164 yards in the next five games combined. This won't get it done for the offense to get anywhere near the level it reached at its peak last season. Hill was downright giddy when talking about Tua's return this week, and now it's time for him to deliver.

During the Game

It sure started well enough for Hill, who had receptions of 8 and 13 yards on the game's opening drive and had five catches for 69 yards at the half. But in the second half? Poof. Hill had one target for the entire half, producing a modest 3-yard gain. Sure, the Dolphins ran a lot fewer plays in the second half (26 compared to 39), and other players were featured, but this is where one can't help but wonder whether the Dolphins needed to force the issue on him a bit on their final drive. Tua tried to go deep to Hill once, but his pass down the left side was badly underthrown.

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3) CAN SIELER-LESS DEFENSE CONTAIN CONNER?

Before the Game

The biggest challenge for the Dolphins' defense will be stopping James Conner's inside running, with a dose of Kyler Murray scrambling mixed in. This would be a much more manageable situation if not for the absence of Zach Sieler because of that freaky injury that reportedly broke an orbital bone. Sieler has been the one constant for the front seven, and his absence could be felt. It will be up to longtime Cardinals D-lineman Calais Campbell to play more snaps and the rest of the front seven to compensate for Sieler's absence.

During the Game

When it comes to stopping the run and Conner specifically, the Dolphins did an excellent job — until the final drive. Conner had 14 carries for only 26 yards before he ripped off a 17-yard gain up the middle, carrying a group of defenders almost 10 yards at the end of the play. So the absence of Sieler wasn't felt in that aspect. But perhaps he could have helped get pressure and down Murray, who hurt the Dolphins all game with his ability to keep plays alive.

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4) WILL DOLPHINS STAY ON THE RUN?

Before the Game

The Dolphins are coming off two games where they ran the ball at least 40 times, something they hadn't done since the second and third games of the 2012 season. With Tua back, it's highly unlikely a third straight game will happen, but the question is how far the number will fall off. The bigger question is how effective the running game can continue to be and how well it can complement what should be a better passing game.

During the Game

It's difficult to complain when you look at the final numbers of 25 carries for 150 yards and a 6.0 average. It featured De'Von Achane's 47-yard run, Raheem Mostert's two touchdowns, and Tua's 13-yard scramble — yes, he slid at the end of it, much to the delight of the fans at Hard Rock Stadium. But we knew the number of rushing attempts would dip, and it's fair to wonder whether this is where the Dolphins should have leaned on it on the final drive instead of calling for a pass play on second-and-9 on that final drive.

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5) SPECIAL TEAMS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Before the Game

The special teams have not had a good stretch. Last week's biggest issue against the Colts was Jason Sanders's missed 54-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter. If needed, it would be nice if the special teams could deliver some game-changing plays.

During the Game

There were no issues (thankfully) in this one. Malik Washington (12.5 average on two punt returns) and Dee Eskridge (35-yard kickoff return) did a nice job in Braxton Berrios' absence. Jason Sanders was a perfect 2-for-2, including a 53-yard kick, and Jake Bailey did his job when he forced Arizona to start its final drive at its 11-yard line.