Tua Tagovailoa is turning into the Dolphins’ main issue

Pressure Mounts on Dolphins Ahead of Week Three

The Miami Dolphins face a critical matchup against the Buffalo Bills in week three. Head coach Mike McDaniel feels the pressure as the team struggles with an 0-2 record, reflecting a disappointing trend, considering their 8-11 performance last season. Recently, they even had a “player-only” meeting to address these concerns.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has faced his share of criticism; metrics suggest he’s among the least effective quarterbacks in the league through the first two games. Statistically, his adjusted net yards per attempt sit at 5.13, placing him 25th in the NFL, where the average is above 6.07. This puts him behind even some less experienced quarterbacks like Caleb Williams and Mac Jones. His QBR of 22.3 is at the bottom of the league, surpassed only by first-year starters JJ McCarthy and Cam Ward.

Diving deeper into more advanced statistics, Tagovailoa’s predicted points added for each dropback rank similarly low, with a value of -0.12—only Joe Flacco and a couple of rookies trail him. Such figures reflect a concerning trend, as shown by data from Ben Baldwin, which illustrates both expected points added and overall performance grades.

It’s clear that Tagovailoa is underperforming compared to league averages in several key areas.

Interestingly, while his yards per completion are lacking, Tagovailoa’s completion percentage is above the league average. This may suggest that he’s occasionally willing to risk throws into tight coverage—but still, his efficiency metrics raise eyebrows.

Film analysis reveals further issues. Tagovailoa often locks onto targets early in the down, leading defenders to the ball as he looks off his reads. A notable play from last season highlights this: trailing 10-6 against the Houston Texans, he attempts to exploit a middle route but fails to recognize a safety lurking. This oversight could have resulted in either a field goal or a touchdown, yet the Dolphins left points off the board and entered halftime down 13-9 after a late Texans field goal.

Fast forward to this season—Tagovailoa has already thrown three interceptions. In week one against the Colts, despite scanning the field, he misses a critical defensive player who ultimately intercepts his pass. In a subsequent game against the Patriots, faced with pressure, he climbs the pocket but again overlooks a lurking defender, ultimately leading to another turnover.

Clearly, Coach McDaniel’s job is on the line as the Dolphins prepare for this crucial game in week three. If Tagovailoa doesn’t improve his gameplay, his starting position could be at stake.