Tua, Tyreek put on spectacular show as Miami Dolphins beat Chargers, 36-34, to open season | Opinion

There were so many Miami Dolphins fans in Los Angeles on Sunday that, at the pulsating end, Tyreek Hill stood looking at the stands and whipping a towel over his head to exhort the crowd to get even louder.

And they did.

Because Jaelan Phillips sacked Justin Herbert on fourth down to snuff all Chargers hope and finish one of the great games — and great victories — on a day that began the Dolphin franchise’s 58th season.

Miami, 36-34.

Tua Tagovailoa to Hill, other-worldly.

We have never seen anything quite like this.

We have seen Dan Marino, for years, feasting on NFL defenses with Mark Clayton and Mark Duper at the end of his missiles.

But this!

Tagovailoa, 28 completions in 45 attempts, for 466 yards and three touchdowns.

Hill, 11 catches for 215 yards and two of those scores — including the game-winner with 1:45 left.

“I was super excited to be out there again,” said Tagovailoa. “It’s the first game. You don’t necessarily know what to expect.”

Last season, same place, the Chargers dominated Miami, 23-17, holding Tua to 145 passing yards.

Said Hill: “I’m glad that we started with this game. Last year those guys did a great job of pressing us. So I feel like this year, we had a chance to go back and get a full understanding of the offense. And you see that the results were different.”

We were that last winning TD pass from this having a whole other narrative.

Miami’s defense was not good for most of the day. Especially against the run, giving up 234 yards rushing to the Chargers. Whatever new Miami defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is doing is a work in progress, and a work that needs work.

There are other quibbles. Like snap issues between center Connor Williams and Tagovailoa, something else that could have been a story line today had Miami not won.

But Miami won.

And how the Fins won was pretty spectacular.

“It was validating for me, because I don’t feel crazy,” coach Mike McDaniel said of the show Tagovailoa put on. “That’s kind of what I expected to happen.”

We got a whole game in a packed first half that went 20-17 to Miami, book-ended by each team gifting the other a huge break.

It began with The Dolphins moving impressively on the opening drive to the L.A. 6 only to turn the ball over on a muffed exchange between Williams and Tagovailoa — their second of the series.

I cannot overemphasize how inexcusable that is. An impressive opening touchdown drive being derailed by a blown hike ranks with your commercial flight being delayed because of repair issues with the tray tables.

But the Chargers returned the favor late in the half when the dumbest pass-interference penalty ever committed as time expired gave the Fins a 41-yard field goal and a 20-17 edge at the half.

In between there was a ton to like about the Dolphins’ early showing.

Tagovailoa had 264 yards passing in the half — 104 on six catches by Hill. Raheem Mostert ran well and scored on a short TD run. Tua had a scoring hookup to River Cracraft, whose name sounds like the villain in a novel. (Although Raven would be an even better first name than River.)

The second half was better.

There were seven lead changes in this game. You don’t get that in some NBA games.

It was great TV, great theater.

The best game of NFL Week 1 for back-and-forth drama.

Cornerback Xavien Howard’s penalties helped L.A. to a 24-20 lead.

Tua to Hill for 36 yards and a TD made it 27-24, Miami.

Chargers went right down the field as Fangio shrank in his pressbox seat; Chargers, 31-27.

Fins eked out a 45-yard field goal and were within 31-30.

Bolts countered, up 34-30. Time running out.

Tagovailao stood up. Rose.

Hit Hill for 47 yards, the drive finished by Tau’s 4-yard floater to Hill, who can’t always outjump you but almost almost will outrun you.

Then, a missed extra point. Of course.

Because Dolfans weren’t freaking out enough by now.

That’s when Christian Wilkins and Phillips and the defense — the one that had been run-over pretty good most of the day — said, “We got his.” And did.

Miami’s defense closed this game, but didn’t win it.

Tagovailoa to Hill did.

Tyreek vowed to be the first NFL receiver to get 2,000 yards in a season. Laughter. Because no one has ever done it.

Still laughing?

Tua teased last season with how good he can be when healthy.

We saw that again Sunday in Los Angeles.

And it is starting to look a little less like potential than proof.