The Arizona Cardinals spoiled Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s return from last month’s concussion Sunday.
Down 27-25 in the fourth, kicker Chad Ryland nailed a 34-yard field goal as time expired to deliver the 28-27 win for Arizona.
Tagovailoa was playing in his first game since September 12.
He received a standing ovation from the fans at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, as he ran out of the tunnel during introductions.
The 26-year-old led the team to a touchdown on the opening drive as running back Raheem Mostert scored on a 1-yard run.
Tagovailoa finished the game 28-38 for 234 yards and one touchdown as eight different players caught a pass from the starting quarterback.
The 27 points was the most the Dolphins have scored all season.
After the game, Tagovailoa said it felt good to be playing again.
“It feels good to be able to come back and play with my teammates, to hopefully help in whatever way I can, to get a spark going for us offensively, or get the mojo going for the entire team,” Tagovailoa said. “It was good but tough loss today against a really good team. That diminishes not just what I’ve done but a lot of what other guys have done individually as well.”
He added: “He felt like myself. I’ve been preparing for five weeks as if I were to play. … It felt normal coming out there.”
The Dolphins went 1-3 without their signal caller, as the offense averaged just 10 points per game during his four-game absence.
As for Tagovailoa’s return, the concern for many was whether he’ll be able to protect himself.
On a third and ten play in the third, Tagovailoa scrambled 13 yards and slid for the first down, much to the delight of the crowd.
“I thought that was super cool,” he said when asked about the crowd’s reaction to the play. “I would think anybody would find that awesome.”
In the September game where he had the concussion, Tagovailoa dove for a first down and took a hit from Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
The Cardinals improved to 4-4 this season as quarterback Kyle Murray, tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had a banner day in the victory.
Murray was 26-36 for 307 yards with two touchdowns. McBride caught nine passes for 124 yards while Harrison had 6 receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Next Sunday, the Dolphins — who drop to 2-5 on the season — face the Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.
The Cardinals host the Chicago Bears.