Article 44NP8 Tannehill on miracle final play: 'Gronk's on the field? We got this'

Tannehill on miracle final play: 'Gronk's on the field? We got this'

by
Arun Srinivasan
from on (#44NP8)
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The Miami Dolphins defeated the New England Patriots on a miraculous last-second touchdown and quarterback Ryan Tannehill couldn't seem to believe their good fortune after the game.

Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake cut through the Patriots' defense on a lateral play, carrying the ball for the final 52 yards of a 69-yard touchdown to beat the AFC juggernaut with the clock expiring, avoiding an outstretched Rob Gronkowski en route to the end zone. Tannehill threw a 14-yard pass to Kenny Stills, who in turn tossed the ball to DeVante Parker, and Parker flipped the ball to Drake who took off untouched.

Tannehill said the play didn't go as they drew it up, however.

"The play kind of got messed up," Tannehill said post-game via NFL.com's Austin Knoblauch. "I saw Kenyan there, I said (to Parker) 'pitch it! pitch it!' He pitches it, Kenyan came back inside. ... Then I saw him and (Rob Gronkowski) about 10 yards away. I said, 'Gronk's on the field? We got this!' So, yeah, it was pretty amazing. I was following behind and I actually just turned around and collapsed just with the emotion of the whole thing."

Some questioned why Gronkowski was on the field as a makeshift defensive back, but he was essentially on the field to work as a receiver, in an attempt to field any potential passing attempt towards the end zone.

"Well, they could throw it deeper," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said of his decision to play Gronkowski. "They could have run the Desperado-type play, which is kind of an in between 20-yard pass, then it turned into a Desperado."

Tannehill had other ideas, however.

"Drake runs a 4.3 (40-yard dash) and Gronk probably runs a 4.6 or 4.7," Tannehill said. "We feel good about that matchup."

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