It is officially Tua Time in Miami. Tua Tagovailoa not only made his first career start, but the Miami Dolphins came out with a win. While the team as a whole played great, we will be focusing mostly on Tua here. How did the rookie do?
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The beginning of the game was rough for Tua. Early in the first, Aaron Darnold broke through the offensive line and stripped the ball from Tua’s hands. Tua also took a big shot on the same play, a warm welcome from one of the league’s better defensive lines.
It wasn’t until the closing seconds of the first quarter when Tua finally got into the endzone. A three-yard pass to DeVante Parker gave Tua is first NFL touchdown, and it was a pretty looking pass.
The rest of the game wasn’t bad but honestly wasn’t good. Tua completed 12 of 22 passes for 98 yards and one touchdown. Thankfully, for Tua and the Dolphins, Tua did not turn the ball over any more the rest of the game.
The Dolphins offense as a whole struggled throughout the game. It was the defense and special teams that won the game for Miami. They forced four turnovers on Rams QB Jared Goff, and Dolphins WR Jakeem Grant returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown. It was a total team victory.
Final Grade: C-
Tua gets a passing grade because he protected the ball well after the first turnover, and the Dolphins won the game. This is the best defense Tua will face this season, and he seemed to handle the pressure, ok. He appeared flustered at some times and missed his receivers. But the Dolphins didn’t ask much from him through the air today. The experience today will go a long way.
Tua Tagovailoa should get more reps as the season moves forward. With today’s win, the Dolphins are within striking distance in the AFC East. This team is playing phenomenal football, and all the credit has to go to head coach Brian Flores. He is a good coach who had a rough first year but is already starting to make real changes. The Miami Dolphins may be the most exciting team in football, and I am here for it.
