Defense was optional in the first half between the Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears with the visiting Dolphins taking a 21-17 halftime lead. The Bears allowed the Dolphins to score touchdowns on each of their first two possessions just one week after allowing the Dallas Cowboys to find the end zone on each of their first four drives.
Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed each of his first nine passes and finished 11-for-13 for 162 yards while throwing a three-yard score to NFL receiving yards leader Tyreek Hill. Hill also set up the Dolphins’ first touchdown with a defensive pass interference call in the end zone. Running back Raheem Mostert capitalized and scored on a drop down the middle on the next play.
Not to be outdone, Justin Fields also showed little trouble with the opposing defense, totaling 94 yards passing, two passing touchdowns (each over 15 yards) and a game-high 53 rushing yards. The Bears did a great job of designing plays for Fields to move outside of the pocket to set up comfortable plays for the second-year passer.
The difference in the first half came when the Dolphins defense was the first to force the opposing offense to punt. Instead of the Bears punt cutting through the windy Chicago air, Miami linebacker Jaelan Phillips came through the line to block it, and linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel caught the football for a 25-yard touchdown yards It was the Dolphins’ first punt blocked and returned home for a score since Week 12 last season against the Carolina Panthers. The Dolphins also had a special teams error. Kicker Jason Sanders missed a 29-yard field goal to end the half, the shortest miss of his five-year career after the wind appeared to catch the kick and push it wide left.
This Week 9 matchup between Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Fields looks to be shaping up to be a fireworks show, so stay tuned to the live blog below for all the real-time updates and analysis from the second half!