SAN DIEGO — Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Branden Albert, who finished the game with a soft cast on a dislocated left wrist, sauntered over to quarterback Ryan Tannehill in the locker room after the game.“You’ve got some big — ,” Albert said.
Statistically, it was the second-best game of Tannehill’s career.
For the first time in his career, Tannehill has led the Dolphins to four consecutive wins.
But if you watched the game, in person or on television, you couldn’t help but notice traits that extend far beyond arm strength and pocket presence and mobility (all of which he showed.)
You saw courage. You saw fearlessnes. You saw leadership.
“Have you seen that movie with Pedro Cerrano?” Albert said. “I’m not sure I can say exactly what I said, but let’s say our quarterback showed some guts today under durress.”
Albert, who was struggling to lift his t-shirt over his head, pointed to Tannehill with his non-injured hand.
“I’m proud of him,” Albert said.
Two of the best throws of Tannehill’s career came in this perfect day in Southern California, as time after time he led the Dolphins from behind.
The Dolphins were trailing San Diego 10-0 as halftime neared.
Tannehill went play-action, bootleg run right. He loaded up while standing on the Chargers helmet at midfield and he unleashed a perfect touchdown spiral to Kenny Stills, knowing full well a defensive tackle named Tenny Palepoi was about to drill him in the chest.
Tannehill’s pass hit Stills on the run, between the N in “SAN” and the D in “DIEGO,” beating Dwight Lowery. Tannehill’s chinstrap had been jolted up and was covering his mouth and he collapsed back into the grass and pointed both fingers to the sky, before slowly getting up.
“You don’t really think about it until after the ball leaves your hand,” Tannehill said. “Then you just prepare to take it.”
Tannehill has been hit so many times throughout his career and yet he always gets up. And he always lives to play another play.
In the fourth quarter, Miami was trailing 24-21, with less than four minutes left.
As a Chargers defensive end named Corey Liuget came across Tannehill’s throat with his forearm (roughing the passer, for the record) Tannehill stayed in the pocket, as he always does, and delivered a 56-yard strike to DeVante Parker along the left sideline.
When the play was over, Parker looked up to the scoreboard at Qualcomm Stadium. Parker warched in disbelief as he saw Tannehill hit across the throat he he unloaded.
“He’s is physically and mentally tough,” Parker said of his quarterback.
Parker shook his head.
“One tough guy,” he repeated.
Head coach Adam Gase has run out of superlatives to describe how many times Tannehill is hit, yet gets back up.
