The 2022 season was the Miami Dolphins' 53rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 57th overall, the first under new head coach Mike McDaniel, and seventh under general manager Chris Grier.
[2] They ultimately won their final regular-season game over the New York Jets to secure another winning season, matching their 9–8 record from the previous year, and made it into the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
[3] The Dolphins attempted to get their first playoff win since 2000 with third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson replacing Tagovailoa.
The Ravens attempted to end the game with a 51-yard field goal courtesy of Justin Tucker to go ahead 38–35, but on the ensuing drive, Tagovailoa hit Jaylen Waddle for the game-winning touchdown with 14 seconds left to make the score 42–38.
The Dolphins' defense held for the rest of the game, and hung on for the comeback win, and left M&T Bank Stadium with a stunned partisan crowd of Raven fans behind.
The undefeated Bills traveled south to visit the Dolphins, back home at Hard Rock Stadium.
Following the game, CBS showed footage of Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey throwing his headseat and playbook onto a table repeatedly in frustration.
The Dolphins' chance at clinching their 500th victory in franchise history came to a screeching halt against a Bengals team still looking to find its footing.
Backup Teddy Bridgewater stepped in for Tagovailoa beginning in the 3rd quarter, where he threw for 193 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception.
Rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson made his first career start due to starters Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater dealing with concussions.
Throwing for just 89 yards, Thompson's first career start was cut short due to a thumb injury he suffered during the 2nd quarter.
In the 3rd quarter, cornerback Noah Igbinoghene intercepted a throw by Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett in the final seconds of the game to end a nail-biting 16–10 slugfest.
The Dolphins flew to Ford Field following their close victory against the Steelers at home to play the slumping Detroit Lions.
The Dolphins halved the deficit after Tua Tagovailoa hit Jaylen Waddle for a 5-yard touchdown to make the score 14–7.
Following a defensive stop by the Dolphins, the Lions lined up to punt for what would have been the first time all game, but a clever trick play fake converted the 4th and 2 and kept the drive alive.
For the rest of the game, however, the Lions' once high-scoring offense was completely neutralized by a rejuvenated Dolphin defense, which shut out Detroit during the entire second half.
McDaniel revealed on September 23, 2022, that he used clips of NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson to guide his receivers during his lone season in Cleveland.
McDaniel previously served as the offensive and run game coordinator for San Francisco under head coach Kyle Shanahan from 2017 to 2021, appearing in Super Bowl LIV in 2020.
It was also Dolphins running backs Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson's first returns to Levi's Stadium.
This game was also the last with Jimmy Garoppolo in a 49ers uniform as he suffered a season-ending foot injury early in the first quarter.
Irrelevant of the 2022 NFL draft Brock Purdy took over for the remainder of the game, surprisingly leading the 49ers to a 33–17 win over the Dolphins.
Purdy would go on to lead the Niners to their third NFC Championship Game in four seasons, while Garoppolo would go on to sign with the Las Vegas Raiders as a free agent three months later.