MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Tua Tagovailoa went 5 for 5 with a touchdown pass in his only series to help the Miami Dolphins to a 13-6 preseason victory over the Washington Commanders on Saturday night.
Playing for the first time since he signed a four-year, $212 million extension, Tagovailoa was sharp, throwing for 51 yards on a 61-yard scoring drive that he capped with a 13-yard pass to River Cracraft on fourth-and-1.
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“It feels good any time you start to get back into a routine and get back into the games,” Tagovailoa said. “Jitters will always be there going into the first series and first plays. Other than that, we executed the way we wanted to and did what we wanted to do.”
Washington rookie Jayden Daniels was solid as well, playing two series and going 10 of 12 for 78 yards and rushing for 13 yards. The No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft led drives of 46 and 52 yards. The first ended on a missed field goal from 49 yards by Riley Patterson, who connected from 46 yards on the second.
“Go out there and just trying to execute at a high level,” Daniels said. “I wished we would have finished with some touchdowns but put the team in position to score points.”
Patterson went 2 for 4 on the night, also connecting from 38 yards and missing from 43.
Jason Sanders made field goals from 39 and 33 yards for the Dolphins (2-0).
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel appeared to follow the formula he has used in his previous two preseasons with Tagovailoa, who has sat out the opener and the finale while making a brief appearance in the second game.
“I thought it was probably the least amount of nerves that he’s had the first time stepping out on the football field,” McDaniel said. “He didn’t force any issues. I really liked his decisions, his ball placement. It was nice to see him out there. I know he was fired up.”
The Dolphins converted two fourth downs during the drive.
“Mike just trusted us that we’d get it done,” Tagovailoa said. “Very proud of it.”
After Daniels departed in the second quarter, backup Jeff Driskel took over for Washington (0-2). He completed 11 of 15 passes for 82 yards.
Trace McSorley, signed by the Commanders this week after quarterback Sam Hartman suffered a right shoulder injury in the team’s preseason opener, played in the fourth quarter. He went 11 of 21 for 93 yards with an interception.
For the second consecutive week, the Dolphins closed out the game with a stop on downs inside their 10 in the closing seconds. Washington’s bid to tie or win the game ended when McSorley’s fourth-down pass to Mitchell Tinsley in the end zone fell incomplete.
“That was a real cool game to be a part of at the end,” Commanders coach Dan Quinn said. “A number of the players absolutely emptied the tank. Here in the locker room you could see guys who were gassed but were also (upset) because they really went for it.”
Rookie edge rusher Chop Robinson, the Dolphins’ first-round draft pick, made his preseason debut and stopped Michael Wiley for a 4-yard loss late in the second quarter.
Tagovailoa was missing top targets Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, who combined for 2,813 receiving yards last season. Neither was in uniform.
INJURIES
Commanders: DE Jalen Harris limped off the field after stopping Je’Quan Burton for a 1-yard loss early in the fourth quarter.
Dolphins: RB Chris Brooks sustained an upper-body injury one play after his 59-yard run gave Miami first-and-goal at the Washington 10 in the third quarter. ... C Sean Harlow walked off the field after he hurt his left knee in the third quarter. ... LB David Long didn’t return after a left hand injury in the first quarter.
UP NEXT
Commanders: Host New England on Aug. 25.
Dolphins: At Tampa Bay on Friday.