James Cook scores 3 TDs, Bills rout Dolphins; Tua Tagovailoa leaves field with concussion – Daily News

By Alanis Thames and Tim Reynolds AP Sports Journalists

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — James Cook caught a touchdown pass and ran for two touchdowns and the Buffalo Bills beat the Miami Dolphins 31-10 on Thursday night after Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left the field early with a concussion.

Tagovailoa left the field in the third quarter after colliding with defender Damar Hamlin and hitting his head on the turf. Tagovailoa was quickly sidelined with a concussion, casting doubt on his season after dealing with head injuries.

Josh Allen, who is playing with a glove on his non-throwing left hand after being injured in Buffalo’s opener, completed 13 of 19 passes for 139 yards. He is 12-2 against the Dolphins, and the Bills are 14-2 against Miami since coach Sean McDermott’s first year as head coach in 2017.

Cook caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Allen and scored on runs of 1 and 49 yards in the first half, turning in the end zone as he gave the Bills a 24-7 lead.

Allen didn’t appear bothered by his injured left hand after he broke through safety Budda Baker in Buffalo’s opener against the Arizona Cardinals. He had the hand heavily bandaged before returning to finish that game and practiced all week with a glove to protect it.

Backup Mitchell Trubisky replaced Allen late in the fourth Thursday with Buffalo (2-0) leading by 21.

Miami star receiver Tyreek Hill was held to three receptions for 24 yards in a week in which he dominated national headlines. Hill was dragged from his sports car by Miami-Dade County police officers, shoved facedown on a street and handcuffed during a traffic stop outside the Dolphins’ stadium hours before their season opener.

Officer Danny Torres was placed on administrative duty while the department’s director launched an internal investigation. Hill said he wanted the officer fired, but the 30-year-old also acknowledged he could have handled the interaction better in the moment.

Buffalo scored 10 points on two Tagovailoa turnovers in the first half. Ja’Marcus Ingram intercepted Tagovailoa’s pass on a deflected ball intended for receiver Grant DuBose on Miami’s opening drive. Then Christian Benford intercepted a pass on what appeared to be a miscommunication between the quarterback and receiver Robbie Chosen. DuBose and Chosen both came to the team after the preseason.

Tagovailoa threw another interception to Ingram as he attempted to throw the ball out of bounds on Miami’s opening drive of the third quarter. Ingram returned the ball 31 yards for a touchdown that gave Buffalo a 31-10 lead. It was Tagovailoa’s third career game with three interceptions.

Late in the third quarter, Tagovailoa ran up the middle for a first down but didn’t slide, lowering his right shoulder to initiate contact with Hamlin. Tagovailoa’s helmet slammed into Hamlin’s body and ended up crashing to the turf.

Bills players, along with Tagovailoa’s teammates, immediately signaled for trainers to come onto the field. The fifth-year quarterback was helped to his feet after a few minutes and walked under his own power to the locker room with trainers after throwing for 145 yards and a 5-yard touchdown to De’Von Achane. Third-year quarterback Skylar Thompson replaced him Thursday.

Tagovailoa was diagnosed with two concussions during the 2023 season and another while he was a college player at Alabama.

Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a contract that makes him one of the NFL’s highest-paid players — and led the league in passing through Week 1 this season.

Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injuries, though he positioned himself for a big pay raise with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins to the playoffs. He threw for a league-best 29 touchdowns and 4,624 yards last year.

When, or if, he will be able to return this season is anyone’s guess.

Tagovailoa landed on his back with both hands in the air after the collision with Hamlin, and Bills players immediately pointed at Tagovailoa as if to suggest an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly followed suit, motioning toward the sideline.

Tagovailoa appeared to clench his right hand into a fist as he lay on the ground. The movement was consistent with what is known as the “fencing response,” which can be common after head trauma.

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa left.

Hamlin was the player who suffered cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday Night Football game in January 2023 in Cincinnati, forcing the NFL to suspend a crucial game that quickly lost its significance following a frightening scene that played out in front of a national television audience.

Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a big part of the story of his career, and now it’s coming to the forefront again.

He suffered at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was injured in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and passed concussion protocol, although he appeared disoriented on that play, but he returned to play.

The NFL later amended its concussion protocol to require that if a player exhibits possible concussion symptoms, including loss of balance or stability, he must remain sidelined for the remainder of the game.