Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
For the second year in a row, the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts clashed in a battle of AFC playoff hopefuls. In the first meeting Andrew Luck set rookie passing records as he led his Colts to a three-point win. On Sunday, it was Ryan Tannehill’s turn to earn his team a win, and he did so in impressive fashion.
Tannehill came into this season with even more expectations placed on his young shoulders than he had last year as a top ten draft selection, and so far he looks completely capable of handling the load. He has stayed calm when his team has fallen behind, and he has been smart with the football. On Sunday, Tannehill posted a 23-of-34 line for 319 yards and a touchdown. The performance earned him a 107.4 quarterback rating compared to the 79.7 put up by Luck.
The Dolphins’ defense certainly did its part in creating such disparity between the two sophomore quarterbacks, but Tannehill’s poise cannot be denied.
With two games under their belt, the Dolphins are tied with the New England Patriots at the top of the AFC East, and the 2-0 start is the exact start Miami needed this season. The next three games have them playing at home against the Atlanta Falcons, on the road against the New Orleans Saints and back home again against the Baltimore Ravens. This stretch of their schedule is as tough as it gets, and they absolutely needed this start to give them a chance at a playoff run as the season progresses.
The next few games will test the mettle of the Dolphins’ young signal caller, but if he carries himself with the composure he has shown in the first two weeks of the season, Miami will have plenty to cheer about come January.
Jeff Everette covers the Miami Dolphins, for www.RantSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter @jeverettesports, “like” his page on Facebook, “Trust” him on Sulia or join his circles on Google.
Related:
Indianapolis Colts: Breaking Down 24-20 Loss to the Miami Dolphins
Indianapolis Colts: Secondary and Offensive Line Play Reason For Loss to Miami
