Dolphins Struggling as Waddle is Underutilized
The 1-6 Miami Dolphins find themselves facing a lot of questions, especially concerning the performance of their leading receiver, Jaylen Waddle. This became particularly apparent during the team’s recent loss to the Cleveland Browns, especially since Tyreek Hill is out for the season.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has offered some insight, though it’s perhaps not what Dolphins fans want to hear. “I think part of it has to do with their players being up front as well and being able to meet our players,” he told reporters. He added, “I’m not the tallest guy in the back either. So, you know, when that happens sometimes, you can’t just throw it blindly. You have to progress. So that might explain why Waddle was underutilized.”
Tagovailoa, who stands at 6-foot-1, is not exactly the biggest quarterback around. Acknowledging that he might struggle to see his receivers while in action isn’t ideal, but it does shed light on the situation. In the 31-6 loss, he targeted Waddle a mere four times, resulting in just one catch for 15 yards.
Waddle’s Frustrating Game
This was, I believe, a significant drop in involvement for Waddle, who hasn’t had such few targets since Week 14 of last season. Interestingly, during that game against the Texans, he suffered a knee injury and was only targeted twice without making a catch.
On that fateful day, Tagovailoa had a tough outing too, as the Browns’ defense pressured him into three interceptions, and he ended up completing just 12 passes for a loss of 100 yards.
Head coach Mike McDaniel has previously showcased Tagovailoa’s potential to work well with his teammates, but maintaining consistent execution this season has proven challenging. McDaniel mentioned he had a solid hour-and-a-half meeting with Tagovailoa just the day before, calling it “excellent.” He emphasized his trust in Tagovailoa, stating, “I don’t think there’s any uncertainty about my belief in Mr. Tua. We’re both eager to improve and have a passion for what we do.”
As for Tagovailoa, he’s had a rocky season, currently leading the NFL in interceptions with 11 and throwing for 1,313 yards while completing passes 67.8% of the time. It’s a situation that leaves fans and analysts alike scratching their heads, wondering how things might turn around for the Dolphins moving forward.
