Dolphins’ Mike Gesicki keeps rolling with second touchdown in as many games
The Miami Dolphins had been running the play since organized training activities in the offseason and, as tight end Mike Gesicki recalls, the ball had never been thrown in his direction.
The 6-foot-6 Gesicki rolls into the right flat, turns uphill and, if all works out, ends up behind a shorter defensive back in prime position to make a play.
The opportunity to make said play finally came on Sunday, and Gesicki all of a sudden is riding a multi-game touchdown streak.
Gesicki’s 15-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick in the right corner of the end zone over Philadelphia Eagles 6-foot cornerback Jalen Mills was his second in as many games — and the Dolphins’ fourth in as many drives — to help the Dolphins to a 37-31 win over the Eagles at Hard Rock Stadium.
“It was a play that I kind of knew I had a shot on,” Gesicki said. “He scrambled out, put it in the back of the end zone and I was able to go up and get it.”
The touchdown, however, was just part of another solid game for Gesicki, who is finding his groove as his second NFL season comes to an end.
In a game that included the Eagles’ one-two punch of Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, it was Gesicki who had the best production among tight ends on Sunday.
Gesicki finished the game with 79 yards on five catches against the Eagles.
Goedert had 66 yards on six catches. Ertz had 24 on three catches (and six targets).
Gesicki, the Dolphins’ second-round pick in the 2018 draft, is now up to 401 yards and two touchdowns on 36 catches this year. Goedert, selected by the Eagles seven picks later, has 355 receiving yards on 37 catches.
Gesicki’s other highlight Sunday: A 21-yard gain on a fourth-quarter slant after which he attempted — and failed — to hurdle over Eagles safety Rodney McLeod.
“Oh, yeah. I knew right away that was stupid,” Gesicki said. “And then I turned around and Fitz was laughing at me, so I started joking with Fitz for mocking it. It was funny. It was a fun game. It was a cool experience.”
It helped that Miami came out with the win, too. The Dolphins had season highs in points (37) and total offense (409) on Sunday.
“Once we got rolling,” Gesicki said, “we really got rolling.”
