Ryan Tannehill didn't "grow up" before our very eyes on Sunday. He didn't KILL. He didn't become "magically delicious." He's a good quarterback. We knew this already. But the rookie reminded everyone that the Dolphins' enduring search for a franchise quarterback may finally be over.
With eight minutes to go, the game tied, and Miami's playoff hopes fading, Tannehill marched the Dolphins 65 yards in six plays and led them into field-goal range, where Dan Carpenter booted the 43-yard game-winner, taking down the visiting Seattle Seahawks 24-21.
The victory ended a three-game Dolphins losing streak and has people making ridiculous statements. But winning is intoxicating, and since that's a rare thing for the Dolphins, we'll allow a little ridiculousness.
This was the first time the Dolphins were able to overcome a late-game seven-point deficit since 2005.
But it wasn't all roses and sunshine Sunday. The Dolphins secondary remains a bag of broken dicks, allowing Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to go 21-for-27 and throw for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
Special teams also allowed Leon Washington to return a kickoff 98 yards for a game-tying score late in the fourth quarter.
Also, a computer problem at Sun Life Stadium set off the sprinkler system during the third quarter, like in one of those Buffalo Wild Wings commercials. Because, the Dolphins.
Throughout most of the game, we saw what we always see from Miami: an inconsistent passing game fueled by an epically middling receiving corps, and a running game mostly sputtering.
And yes, Vagina Feet had himself probably his best game as a Dolphin, running for 60 yards on nine carries and scoring a touchdown. So there's that. Only took him 27 games to show us he was worth trading up for and taking over Stevan Ridley, Leonard Hankerson, and Kendal Hunter.
As bananas as it seems, the Dolphins are actually still alive for the playoffs. Not so much because they're good (they're not; 5-6 is not the record of a good football team) but because the rest of the AFC is Shitsville, USA.
As of Sunday, Miami is on the outside looking in. And if the playoffs started today, they'd be watching the games on TV like the rest of us. But Sunday's win keeps them alive to make a run for a chance to get trounced in the first round against the Patriots.
But forget the playoffs. 2012 was never about the playoffs. It was about Ryan Tannehill locking up the quarterback position after trying to fill it with the Trent Greens, John Becks, and Joey Harringtons for the better part of a decade.
Tannehill still needs help. He still needs to stop throwing bone-headed interceptions (let's not forget the INT negated by a seriously questionable roughing-the-passer penalty called against the Seahawks in the fourth quarter). And he still has ass as receivers.
But Tannehill is a good quarterback with a bright future.
So that's something.
The Dolphins host the New England Patriots next Sunday at Sun Life Stadium. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
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