Down 10-0 early in the second quarter and grasping for anything to get back into the game, disaster appeared to strike as Dolphins running back Jeff Wilson fumbled the ball at the end of a bruising long run. A lost fumble in that tenuous moment would have surely sparked a blowout.
But have no fear, Dolphins fans: Cheetah Man was near!
What ensued involved the man they call "Cheetah" following Wilson's fumble can only best be described as a scene one would encounter on Animal Planet as an impressive example of what mammals are capable of when acting on instincts alone.
After a brief scrum, Hill found himself in the right place at the right time, scooping up the loose ball and scampering untouched for an indescribable 45-yard fumble-recovery-touchdown-run you need to see to believe.
Behold: a play you've likely never seen before and you probably will never see again.
No, seriously. Hold on to it. It's all the Dolphins gave you in what was otherwise another letdown performance.
TYREEK HILL SCOOPS IT AND TURNS ON THE JETS! #FinsUp #MIAvsLAC on NBC and @peacock. pic.twitter.com/p8KOPIltEw
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 12, 2022
.@cheetah was ready for it 💯
— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2022
📺: #MIAvsLAC on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/Fjz0sbDEsG pic.twitter.com/Ov74uo29rC
None of Hill's incredibly heads-up play makes sense to the naked eye, yet at the same time, having watched what Hill has been capable of in his first season in Miami, it was totally believable in real time. In a career filled with the unexplainable, Hill has conditioned fans just to sit back and enjoy his unique brand of awesomeness.Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/qICmVKH2RF
— Will Manso (@WillManso) December 12, 2022
As for the Dolphins, while the final score hints at a closely contested game, the much-anticipated showdown between 2020 NFL draft alums Tua Tagovailoa (fifth overall pick) and Justin Herbert (sixth overall) was anything but: Herbert dominated.
The Chargers signal caller finished the night with a career-high 39 completions, 367 yards, and one touchdown pass. Tua completed just 10 of 28 passes for 145 yards, nearly half of which came on one 60-yard touchdown catch by Hill.
Factoring in the context that the Chargers were without up to eight starters on defense, including All-Pro safety Derwin James and defensive end Joey Bosa, reveals Tua's and the team's performance — a measly 55 yards of offense in the first half — all the more pathetic.
The Dolphins' performances in the past two games have been extremely believable to anyone who has watched the franchise poop the bed late in the season over the years. It's written in the stars at this point that if anything can go wrong after a solid start to a season, it will.
After a hideous showing in a blowout loss in San Francisco last week, the Dolphins capped their California vacation with a bad performance against the Chargers. Now the Dolphins need a win in Buffalo next weekend to prevent an 0-3 road trip ending with their playoff hopes on life support.
Oh, and after the Buffalo game, Aaron Rodgers comes to Miami for a Christmas Day game that could have all the makings of a holiday groin punch for the ages.
But hey, at least we have Tyreek Hill!
