MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a chance to put the New Orleans Saints away before the threat of their 2-point conversion attempt to tie, their successful onside kick or throw to the end zone that would’ve won the game if not dropped.

It was third-and-4 with just more than three minutes to play and the Dolphins just beyond midfield. Tagovailoa scrambled up the middle, and thought he had a first down but he slid a yard shy, bringing up a fourth-and-1.

The Dolphins, up 19-11, and able to bleed out much more clock with a first down decided to go for it. Running back Ollie Gordon II was stopped on the short-yardage attempt, and Miami turned it over on downs before the Saints touchdown that could’ve tied it with a successful 2-point conversion.

Tagovailoa reflected on the play Wednesday.

“Those are quick decisions that you have to make,” Tagovailoa said. “I’ve had a conversation with (coach Mike McDaniel). We’ve talked through it. We’ve talked about it, and I got to make the right decision for the team and for us to keep us on the field. I got to be better there.”

McDaniel offered some of his coaching points relayed to Tagovailoa.

“For scrambling in general, there’s a relative risk-reward,” McDaniel said. “The situation, as the quarterback of the team that has the ball in his hands and you’re trying to win the game, how important is that yard, and that is an imperfect thing that’s very difficult to do. But you’re trying to assess that. You take your chances when the chances are necessary to take.”

It’s understandably difficult to prepare ahead of time to make the right decision in the moment. The quarterback has a plethora of responsibilities on every play in order to execute. Between receiving a play call, communicating it to teammates, orchestrating pre-snap motions and reading a defense, it’s a tough ask to also expect before the play he tells himself, “Oh yeah, and if I scramble, I should dive for the first down on this play.” It’s especially tough when Tagovailoa has been trained so much to protect himself given his concussion history.

“It’s hard to have that on top of your mind as you’re going through your process with the plays, but it’s also tough, too, as things are happening in-game. A lot of the time it’s reactionary,” Tagovailoa said.

Said McDaniel: “You don’t coach off of abstract, ‘here’s a notecard for how you approach scrambling.’ ”

McDaniel also mentioned Tagovailoa wasn’t necessarily trying to slide on the play, but the ref viewed it as a slide, meaning the ball is downed at the start of the act. That’s another thing Tagovailoa must take into account.

“As it’s happening, the refs stop it right as you’re about to slide, not where your momentum takes you,” he said, “so finding a lane in a direction outside of harm’s way, that would be it.”

The Dolphins were in such a position where they nearly blew a 16-point lead for more than just that costly turnover on downs.

Tagovailoa was off, going 12 of 23 for 157 yards and an interception. The offense settled for an array of field goals, never scoring a touchdown after the opening drive last Sunday, and Tagovailoa missed on many of his throws.

“Just bringing my feet with my eyes,” Tagovailoa said.

What he did like on his successful passes he can expand on: “The conviction with my footwork. The conviction through the progression.”

When the Dolphins (5-7) face the rival New York Jets (3-9) on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, it won’t be super cold, but the South Florida-based team will still see its coldest temperatures of the season thus far. The high of 40 degrees is expected to hit during the afternoon, with the game largely played in temperatures in the high 30s.

“It’s going to be cold. You kind of have that on your mind,” said Tagovailoa, who has historically struggled in colder weather. “It’s a mentality. It’s a mindset. This is what we get paid to do, to play football, regardless it’s raining, it’s snowing, it’s sleeting, it’s hot, it’s cold. Regardless, we got to go out there and play and do our jobs.

Tagovailoa appreciates he won’t have to face former Jets All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, who was sent to the Indianapolis Colts at the trade deadline.

“We know we’re going to get their best,” McDaniel said, “and we’re preparing as if that’s going to happen.”

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