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Marcel Louis-Jacques, ESPN
MIAMI — In one of the most lopsided games in NFL history, the Dolphins pummeled the Broncos 70-20 on Sunday as the league’s best offense went berserk in its home opener.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed his first 17 passes and finished 23-of-26 for 309 yards and four touchdowns by the time he was pulled one play into the fourth quarter. He finished the game with more incompletions (3) than the Dolphins had empty drives (2).
The point total marked a franchise record and was the most points any NFL team has scored since Washington scored 72 against the New York Giants in 1966.
The eye-popping stats from the win were plentiful.
Running back Raheem Mostert finished with 142 total yards and four combined touchdowns. Not to be outdone, rookie running back De’Von Achane compiled a whopping 233 total yards and four touchdowns, including 203 rushing yards on 18 carries.
The Dolphins recorded nearly as many rushing yards (350) as passing yards (376), averaging 10.2 yards per play in the process. They are the first team in NFL history to record five passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns in the same game and the second team in NFL history to record more than 700 yards of offense since the Rams did so in 1951.
Their record day started when Tagovailoa found Tyreek Hill for a 54-yard touchdown on the third play from scrimmage. They went on to score on 10 of their first 12 offensive drives, excluding the one play they ran to end the first half.
Miami had an opportunity to tie the Bears’ single-game scoring record of 73 from 1940 but opted to kneel the ball on fourth down from the Broncos’ 28-yard line.
Defensively, the Dolphins pressured quarterback Russell Wilson 20 times, forcing three turnovers and sacking him once.
They take an undefeated record into Buffalo in Week 4 for an AFC East showdown with the Bills.