Dolphins’ Tua throws interception on first preseason play vs. Texans, bounces back to lead TD drive

HOUSTON — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa saw his first game action since his 2022 season was cut short due to a concussion sustained Dec. 25.

And it didn’t quite start the way he would’ve hoped in the preseason exhibition against the Houston Texans on Saturday afternoon at NRG Stadium, but he then rebounded.

Tagovailoa was intercepted on his first throw Saturday, the first play from scrimmage. Texans linebacker Denzel Perryman, a Miami native, picked off the throw intended for tight end Tyler Kroft and returned it 19 yards to the Miami 7-yard line. Tagovailoa, after suffering multiple concussions last season, put his body in the way to get credited with the tackle on Perryman.

Tagovailoa was much better after that, however.

After the Dolphins defense forced a turnover on downs to keep the Texans out of the end zone, Tagovailoa led a 14-play, 93-yard touchdown drive that was capped on the ground by a 2-yard score from running back Raheem Mostert on the ground.

Tagovailoa went 5 of 6 on the drive for 61 yards. He was 3 for 3 on third down, converting passes to tight end Durham Smythe, wide receiver Tyreek Hill and running back Salvon Ahmed. He got Miami inside the 10-yard line with a throw to receiver Braxton Berrios.

Tagovailoa also took his first hit from the pocket. He threw incomplete as he was pushed to the ground by Houston defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, and he was just fine to finish the drive.

That was all for Tagovailoa. After two drives, he was replaced early in the second quarter by Skylar Thompson, who is competing in training camp for backup duties behind Tagovailoa with Mike White.

Thompson entered first ahead of White after coach Mike McDaniel said he would flip which one went in first, following White’s start in the preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

Thompson started off by throwing a strong deep ball to Cedrick Wilson Jr., that he couldn’t come up with, diving with a step on a defender. He then nearly lost a fumble on a strip-sack by Texans edge rusher and rookie first-round pick Will Anderson Jr. but recovered the loose ball.

Thompson’s second series got rolling when rookie running back De’Von Achane reeled off a 20-yard scamper up the middle on third-and-14. The second-year quarterback then converted a fourth-down pass to Wilson on a short out to the sideline to keep the drive alive before Thompson threw an 8-yard touchdown to Ahmed.

Dolphins offensive lineman Robert Jones was injured in the second quarter Saturday. He was evaluated in the medical tent on the sideline before being taken into the locker room for further examination.

The Dolphins lead, 14-3, deep into the first half.

This story will be updated.