I think about having a sports activities automotive is fairly enjoyable.
Driving quick with the roof down blaring “Beer For My Horses” by Toby Keith whereas everybody else stops, stares and desires they have been you. I think about it’s fairly exhilarating.
Till winter comes. Then you definitely actually want you had an SUV.
That’s what the Miami Dolphins are. They’re the NFL’s convertible. And as a substitute of saving their cash for an improve, they received antsy and invested all of it right into a car that gained’t get them the place they should go by paying Tua Tagovailoa.
The Tua Tagovailoa downside
In the event you simply take a look at stats alone, you’d say Tua is without doubt one of the finest quarterbacks in soccer. During the last two seasons, he’s had a passer ranking over 100, thrown 54 touchdowns, is fifth in EPA per play, fourth in adjusted EPA per play, and sixth in CPOE. The Dolphins additionally led the NFL in complete offense in 2023 and have been second in factors.
Nevertheless, Miami has been dreadful in the case of taking part in the nice groups throughout the NFL. Final season (together with playoffs), the Dolphins have been 1-6 towards playoff groups. In these video games, they averaged 16.6 factors per sport and Tua threw eight touchdowns to seven interceptions.
They weren’t simply dropping these video games, they have been getting humiliated. Of their six mixed losses to the Payments, Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs, they have been outscored 203-91. On a per-game foundation, that averages out to a 34-15 loss. And for those who return to 2022 (together with playoffs), they’re 5-12 towards groups that completed the 12 months with profitable information during the last two seasons. To match, the Payments are 12-7 towards groups that completed with profitable information during the last two seasons (together with playoffs).
Miami has been all splash and no swim with Tua, particularly when the climate will get chilly. Miami is 0-11 of their final 11 video games when the temperature at kickoff is below 40 levels. Taking part in in a convention the place you must go to Cincinnati, Kansas Metropolis, Buffalo, Baltimore Pittsburgh, Cleveland, New York and many others. with the intention to get to a Tremendous Bowl, that’s greater than sufficient to low cost the Dolphins as severe contenders by itself till they show they will win within the chilly.
The dearth of profitable pedigree towards the highest tier groups of the NFL mixed with Tua’s lackluster performances in these video games and the lack to carry out within the chilly are all huge pink flags that Miami ignored whereas sitting on the negotiating desk, and that can all however actually come again to hang-out them when they’re despatched house each January between now and the tip of Tua’s new extension.
NFL coaches don’t concern Tua Tagovailoa
If any of the earlier proof was damning sufficient for Tua, the opinions of NFL coaches must be.
In a bit for Sports activities Illustrated written by Matt Verderame, a number of NFL defensive coordinators are quoted as saying that Tua isn’t feared across the league, one among which mentioned how they put together to play the Dolphins and the way a lot of that prep is allotted in the direction of stopping Tua.
“One of the simplest ways to take a look at it’s, you put together for the pace at ability positions and Mike McDaniel, after which Tua,” one coordinator mentioned. “He doesn’t wish to get hit or learn protection. When is he at his finest? RPOs and the short sport. Subsequent query to ask your self is what number of quarterbacks would you are taking earlier than him?”
The final a part of that quote is possibly crucial. Are you taking Tua over Trevor Lawrence? Kyler Murray? Hell, Brock Purdy? I’m not. General, I’d take 18 quarterbacks over Tua, and relying on how Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Anthony Richardson look this season, that quantity will most likely climb to 21.
The Dolphins shouldn’t have handcuffed themselves to Tua just because his numbers are gaudy. Have a look at what number of groups in latest reminiscence have finished that as a result of they felt like their palms have been tied. The Jacksonville Jaguars did it with Blake Bortles and the New York Giants did it with Daniel Jones. Whereas Tua is best than these two, a minimum of Bortles and Jones can say they’ve gained playoff video games.
The Dolphins have had the league’s most explosive offense within the common season with two of one of the best receivers in soccer for 2 years, they usually have as many playoff wins as you the reader do to point out for it. And whereas shifting on could have been a threat, it will have been higher to take that leap of religion than to marry a quarterback that lowers their ceiling.
