Tua in Rare Company and Other Dolphins Tidbits
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa became the first rookie in Miami Dolphins history to win his first three starts.
He's also the first QB in Dolphins history not to throw a pick in any of his first three starts. Actually, he joined Carson Wentz (2016) as the only quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era to win their first three starts without throwing an interception.
Tagovailoa has five touchdown passes with no picks in his three starts, and has produced a passer rating over 100 each of the past two games — 122.3 against Arizona and 106.9 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
As a point of reference, Dan Marino had a passer rating of 96.0 as a rookie in 1983 when he became the starter in Week 6 and went on to be selected to the Pro Bowl.
Interestingly, Tagovailoa's five touchdown passes have gone to five different receivers: DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, Mack Hollins, Jakeem Grant and Durham Smythe.
OGBAH ON A STREAK
Emmanuel Ogbah's sack in fourth quarter, which came right before Xavien Howard's key interception, extended his streak of games with a sack to six.
It's the longest current streak in the NFL and also tied for second-longest in Dolphins history.
The only Dolphins players with streak of six games or longer are Jason Taylor and Doug Betters.
Taylor holds the record with an eight-game streak in 2002, and had six-game streaks in 2000 and 2003. Betters had a six-game streak in 1983.
NOTEWORTHY NUMBERS
-- The Dolphins did not allow a sack for the first time since the October 2018 game against Chicago.
-- The Dolphins reached 21 points for an eighth consecutive game, their longest such streak since the 2001-02 seasons.
-- The Dolphins have scored at least 17 points in the first half in each of their past five games, their longest streak since at least 2000.
-- With Baltimore failing to create a turnover Sunday night against New England, the Dolphins now have the NFL's longest streak of games with at least one takeaway at 16.
-- Cornerback Nik Needham, who dropped Justin Herbert for a 13-yard loss in the first quarter, became the 10th different Dolphins player with a sack this season.