Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill Rises to the Occasion for His 1st Career Win

Ryan Tannehill's first career NFL start was a rude awakening from the Houston Texans. The defensive pressure and the intensity of an NFL game proved too overwhelming for the Texas A&M protégé, even in his own home state.

But with his first career start behind them, Tannehill entered his home opener against the Oakland Raiders with a much more relaxed mindset. And it showed in his play.

Leading Miami to a 35-13 victory, Tannehill showed the composure that the Dolphins felt worthy of a first-round pick. He completed 18-of-30 attempts for 200 yards and a touchdown, and finished with a solid QB rating of 91.0. On top of this, Tannehill added three carries for 14 yards and a touchdown.

From the first drive of the game, something was different in Tannehill. The nerves were apparent against the Texans; the desperation to complete throws turned into interceptions.

But the matchup against the Raiders was different. On the Dolphins first scoring drive, Tannehill rolled out of the pocket and saw the open field in front of him. He tucked the ball under his arms and plowed his way into the end zone for his first career touchdown. It was easy to recognize the leadership and determination in this young football player as he put the Dolphins on the scoreboard.

The rest of the afternoon featured the dominant running of Reggie Bush and a solid effort from the defensive line and linebackers limiting the production of Darren McFadden.

But Tannehill still remained composed. He played pitch and catch with Brian Hartline all afternoon. He even found Anthony Fasano for a 14-yard score in the fourth quarter for his first career passing TD.

The future is bright for Ryan Tannehill. We only got a taste of his potential in the first win of the season for the Miami Dolphins.