CBS 4's Steve Goldstein on Tua's scary injury and Dolphins first loss
MIAMI - The game Thursday night is a complete afterthought for the Dolphins after a vicious hit, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was taken off the field on a stretcher and taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in an ambulance.
He suffered head and neck injuries and his fingers were in such awkward positions that it was hard to look at.
The good news is Tua has feeling in his extremities, is alert and reportedly will fly home with the team.
It was as gut-wrenching, scary and heartbreaking a situation as you'll see in a game. It's also the second consecutive game Tua has had to leave with an injury. The Dolphins also lost Xavian Howard to a groin injury.
After Tua
Teddy Bridgewater came on in relief and immediately led a touchdown drive. The veteran showed his arm strength on a 64-yard pass to Tyreek Hill that set up a go-ahead field goal. Bridgewater showed his leadership rallying the team after the scary injury but innthe end he threw an interception on the potential game-winning drive.
Special Trouble
For the third consecutive game, special teams cost the Dolphins points. 4 points were lost in the first half on Jason Sander's leg. Last week there was a safety on a botched punt and the week before, Baltimore ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown. It's become an issue and the Dolphins will need to clean it up moving forward.
Time for a break
Despite Thursday's loss in Cincinnati, it's been an eye-opening 3-1 start to the season. The Dolphins get 10 days off and they need it with a bamged-up roster. They got through a very difficult September stretch but the injuries, right now anyway, particularly to Tagovailoa, overshadow the solid overall play.
What's Next?
There has been an entire season of drama packed into the first four games. Big wins, wild comebacks, heroic plays and the devastating Tua injury. The Dolphins still have 13 games to play. They'll get a much need physical and mental rest, with the next game on October 9th on the road against the Jets.