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Dolphins Overcome Panthers' Hot Start, Sending Carolina to 0-6

The Carolina Panthers drop to 0-6 on the season.
Schuyler Callihan|
Dolphins Overcome Panthers' Hot Start, Sending Carolina to 0-6
Dolphins Overcome Panthers' Hot Start, Sending Carolina to 0-6

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Carolina PanthersMiami Dolphins

MIAMI, FL - Frank Reich's Carolina Panthers got out to a blistering hot start but allowed 35 points unanswered to the Miami Dolphins, falling by a score of 42-21.

Carolina went three and out on the opening possession of the game and no one thought anything of it. Same old, same old, right? Nope. The defense forced a three-and-out and Bryce Young went right to work with a 27-yard completion to Adam Thielen on the first play of the ensuing drive. A few plays later, the Young-Thielen connection helped move the chains with an out route just past the sticks on 3rd & 6. Chuba Hubbard gashed Miami for a 19-yard gain and then ended the drive by punching one in from six yards out for the first points of the game.

The Dolphins got a little too cute on a third down and inches by faking a QB sneak and throwing the ball backward to running back Raheem Mostert. Tagovailoa sailed the throw resulting in a fumble that went for a loss of one, making for another three and out.

Carolina had another explosive play to kick off their next possession with a 21-yard catch, hurdle, and run from tight end Tommy Tremble. The offensive line pushed Miami's front around, allowing the trio of Hubbard, Laviska Shenault Jr., and Raheem Blackshear to rush for 29 yards on six carries. Once Carolina reached the red zone Young went to his favorite target, Adam Thielen, dropping the ball just over the safety for the score.

Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami offense finally snapped out of it by spreading the field and airing the ball out. Tagovailoa went 5/5 for 65 yards on the drive which ended in a beautifully designed swing pass to Mostert who had an easy stroll into the end zone thanks to a nice block by tight end Durham Smythe.

Frank Reich knows his team has nothing to lose and everything to risk at this point in the season, so he gambled on a fake punt which came very close to working. Punter Johnny Hekker hit Shenault on the money but he stepped out of bounds about a half yard short of the line to gain. 

Miami wasted little time tying the game up as Mostert blew by the Panthers' defense for a 48-yard rush, setting up a touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle two plays later. Just before the two-minute warning, Tyreek Hill blew right by Donte Jackson and reeled in a 41-yard touchdown to give the Dolphins their first lead of the day. Following the play, Hill took someone's cell phone and recorded himself doing a backflip.

Young had a pair of incompletions to start the final drive of the half but ended up connecting on four of his next five attempts, guiding the offense into field goal range. Unfortunately for Carolina, Eddy Pineiro's kick from 43 was pushed wide right.

Tyreek Hill hauled in another deep ball (47 yards) which went a long way in helping the Dolphins execute a 91-yard scoring drive. Mostert found his way into the end zone for his second score of the day, first on the ground, giving the Fins a 28-14 advantage. Miami added on to their lead a few minutes later with a methodical 12-play, 76-yard drive which saw Raheem Mostert collect touchdown number three.

With a comfortable three-score lead, the Dolphins subbed in Mike White at QB for Tagovailoa and made a bad throw which was picked off by Troy Hill and returned the other way for six, snapping the 35-point run Miami had.

The Panthers failed to recover the onside kick, setting up a short field for Miami's twos. Chris Brooks busted a 28-yard run to move it deep into Carolina's red zone and Salvon Ahmed put the final nail in the coffin with a 10-yard scamper.

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.

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