ATLANTA — Tua Tagovailoa completed 20 of 26 passes for 205 yards and four touchdowns on Sunday, leading the visiting Miami Dolphins to a 34-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Jaylen Waddle had five catches for 99 yards and a touchdown, Malik Washington had four receptions for 36 yards and a score and De’Von Achane ran for 67 yards and hauled in a 3-yard touchdown pass for the Dolphins (2-6), who snapped a three-game losing streak and picked up their first road win since December 29, 2024 at Cleveland.
Playing for the injured starter Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta’s Kirk Cousins completed 21 of 31 passes for 173 yards. Kyle Pitts had nine catches for 59 yards for the Falcons (3-4), who were outgained 338-213 in their second straight loss.
After trailing by 14 at halftime, Cousins’ miscommunication with wide receiver David Sills V forced Atlanta’s fourth punt, as the boos from the home crowd rained down.
Things went from bad to worse on Atlanta’s next drive, as Bijan Robinson’s fumble was recovered by Miami’s Tyrel Dodson at the Dolphins’ 16-yard line.
Tagovailoa then led the Dolphins on a 10-play, 84-yard drive, finished with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Waddle, to extend the Miami lead to 24-3 with 4:18 left in the third.
After Atlanta’s turnover on downs, Tagovailoa found Ollie Gordon II for a 20-yard score, giving the Dolphins a 28-point advantage at the 13:28 mark of the fourth. Riley Patterson’s 36-yard field goal gave Miami a 34-3 lead with 8:36 remaining.
Tyler Allgeier’s 6-yard rushing score gave Atlanta its only touchdown with 5:01 left.
Miami struck first when Tagovailoa’s touchdown pass to Achane stamped a 13-play, 79-yard drive at the 2:33 mark of the opening quarter.
John Parker Romo’s 45-yard field goal trimmed the Falcons’ deficit to four with 12:59 left in the second quarter, before Patterson’s 34-yarder pushed the lead back to seven for the Dolphins with 6:14 remaining in the half.
After Atlanta’s third three-and-out of the first half, Tagovailoa found Washington for a 9-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds left, giving the Dolphins a 17-3 halftime lead.
Miami outgained Atlanta 169-58 in the first half, while totaling 14 first downs to the Falcons’ two.
–Jack Batten, Field Level Media
