After three games he’s already our flavor of the week, isn’t he yours already?
Let’s call it out now. Tua Tagovailoa is the Miami Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa is hot right now and will stay hot in 2023.
We’re only going to type this out once but, Tuanigamanuolepola Tagovailoa was electric against the Denver Broncos. Tua, as he is known, thankfully, played his heart out at Hard Rock Stadium as the Miami Dolphins crushed the opposition 70-20, with only the first quarter being competitive. Tua threw four touchdowns as he masterfully conducted play with his teammates. In the first half, he was at 100% for his passing accuracy with all 16 attempts connecting, showcasing his ability with the football in his hands. He made the much more experienced Russel Wilson look a bit like a chump, to be honest.
Let’s not forget the team performance here either, they set a record as the only team since 1966 to score 70 points and in theory could have broken the overall scoring record here but chose to rest their key players for the upcoming games.
Winning ugly isn’t a new phrase but it’s certainly more popular than ever. The notion has been around forever. The best teams across all mediums of sport can win games even if they don’t play well. Tua has already shown he can help the Miami Dolphins do just that this season. Think back to week two. That game at Gilette Stadium against the New England Patriots wasn’t clinical. Tua wasn’t at his best at all. However, he did enough with his two-yard pass to get a touchdown for the team and it essentially won the Dolphins the game. More of that and more barn-burning 70-20 wins and they might as well take the Lombardi Trophy now.
The game against the Los Angeles Chargers was also a narrow win but he played very well throughout – which is also great – but the Patriots' result was a bigger testament to his resolve and capability to dig deep when needed.
What is the worst thing that could happen to the Miami Dolphins in 2023? Skylar Thompson. As severe as it sounds, he’s a firm second choice. When Tua got injured last year it was on Thompson’s watch that the Dolphins exited the wild card round. It was on his watch that the team lost to the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings. For context, as to how bad the first result was the Jest only won seven games all year. While he’s a rookie and there’s no reason to think that he won’t develop and become NFL-grade in the future, he’s not there yet. Tua needs to keep fit and in the team. If he can’t play the entirety of a season, then the Dolphins are going nowhere fast and he won’t become the MVP anytime soon.
