The Dolphins started 1-3. They now are 6-3 -- their best start since 2001 -- after winning their fifth consecutive game, the last three of those started by rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa got plenty of help from his friends again as the Dolphins beat the Chargers 29-21.
In a meeting of rookies selected fifth and sixth overall, Tagovailoa went 15-of-25 for 169 yards and two touchdowns. He threw scoring passes of 3 yards to Jakeem Grant and 2 yards to Durham Smythe in remaining undefeated as a starting quarterback.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was 20-of-32 for 187 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
It was another one-score loss for Herbert and the Chargers, but it never felt as if the Dolphins were going to lose. Miami led 14-0 in the first quarter, 17-7 at halftime and 29-14 late in the fourth quarter before Keenan Allen caught a 13-yard score with 1:57 remaining. The Dolphins recovered the onside kick.
The Dolphins held the Chargers to 273 yards. The Dolphins special teams blocked a punt to set up a 1-yard touchdown drive, returned a punt 20 yards and got Jason Sanders’ field goals of 50, 35 and 49 yards, though his streak of made field goals end at 22 with a 47-yard miss.
Emmanuel Ogbah and and Nic Needham had sacks for Miami and Xavien Howard made an interception.