The Dolphins welcome the Cardinals to Hard Rock Stadium for a Week 8 inter-conference showdown. Miami, at 2-4, is coming off a 16-10 loss to the Colts while the Cardinals will make the cross-country trek on a short week following their 17-15 win over the Chargers on Monday Night Football.
The game will provide football fans with their third look at one of the sport's more exciting quarterback matchups. Tua Tagovailoa returns to the lineup for Miami in search of his third head-to-head win over former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall draft pick, Kyler Murray. The two faced off in the 2018 Orange Bowl where they combined for over 700 yards of offense and seven touchdowns when Alabama defeated Oklahoma 45-34.
Two years later, Tagovailoa and Murray did battle again – this time as pros – and again the victory went to the southpaw. In his second career start, Tagovailoa threw for two scores and 248 yards including a game-winning field goal drive at the buzzer. Murray threw for three touchdowns and ran another one across the goal line, but never got his chance to match Tagovailoa's late-game heroics.
Fireworks could be in store for a pair of offenses that are loaded with artillery but have started slow. The Dolphins, playing all but one-and-a-half games without Tagovailoa, are averaging 11.7points per game while the Cardinals rank 19th in the league scoring 21.4 points per game.
During Tagovailoa's absence, the Dolphins uncovered one of the game's best run games posting 388 yards on the ground over the last two games. If the Dolphins can maintain that success,while incorporating wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle from previous production, the Dolphins could get back to the complementary brand of football that produced 11 wins a season ago.
Hoping to slow Murray and a Cardinals offense that features standout tight end Trey McBride, running back James Connor and the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., is Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver's unit.
Under the first-year Dolphins coordinator, the Dolphins have the league's best pass defense (154.5 yards per game), third down defense (26.5 conversion rate allowed), and second-rankedoverall defense (285.5 yards per game).
Weaver's defense also boasts the NFL's best pressure rate (43.6 percent), per Next Gen Stats. They'll need their best for a quarterback that has made plenty of big plays in his career – with both his arm and his legs.
In the Cardinals three wins this season, Murray has two touchdown rushes of 44 and 50 yards, as well as a 26-yard non-scoring scamper in Arizona's third victory. Containing his running ability and providing constant pressure will be key. Murray is averaging just 4.8 yards per pass when pressured by the defense, ranking 26th in the NFL.
Make sure to check out the Injury Report and the team's official social media accounts 90 minutes before kickoff to see who is active for the game.
Watch the game live on Sunday, October 27 at 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX, and listen on the Dolphins Radio Network and view the Game Center for the latest coverage.
