How does Tagovailoa do with the Dolphins down late? Here’s what the data shows
Much is expected from quarterbacks who have membership in the $50 million (annual salary) club.
And for all of the good that Tua Tagovailoa did on Sunday – 315 yards passing, two touchdown throws, just six incompletions in 32 passes — the decisive moments also exposed one of several shortcomings in Miami’s franchise quarterback:
He isn’t consistently good enough in late and close situations.
He’s not dismal in those high-pressure predicaments, but the career body of work is mediocre when his team needs to be dug out of a hole late.
After failing on two such possessions in Sunday’s 33-27 loss to the Patriots, Tagovailoa now is 68 for 113 for 741 yards, with seven touchdowns and six interceptions, when his team is trailing in a one-possession game with less than five minutes remaining. That computes to a subpar 78.1 passer rating, hardly the stuff of which legends are made.
Last season, he was 8 for 14 for 73 yards, one TD and one pick in that late-and-close situation, leading Miami to a game-tying touchdown in Buffalo (a game Miami lost) and a game-tying field goal against the Jets (a game Miami won in overtime) but throwing a pick late in a 20-12 loss in Houston.
In 2022, he adeptly guided Miami on game-winning drives against Dallas and the Chargers but couldn’t hit Cedrick Wilson Jr., who was streaking open, with his team down a touchdown and two minutes left against Kansas City in Germany.
Down 28-27 against Tennessee and 1:45 left, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins mustered only 19 yards on six plays. He threw an interception with just over a minute left and his team down by a touchdown in the 2023 regular-season finale against Buffalo.
Sunday was somewhat reminiscent of the end of those 2023 games against the Chiefs and Bills.
In the final five minutes of the game, Tagovailoa completed 7 of 10 passes for 67 yards and an interception, with many of those yards coming on short completions and run after the catch.
But he overthrew an open Tyreek Hill on the first of those two possessions, which included a delay-of-game penalty and a false start by Ollie Gordon II.
He was sacked on third-and-7 (blame right tackle Larry Borom for that) and then threw an interception to Marte Mapu on fourth-and-9 from the Dolphins’ 48 and 2:21 left.
After a Patriots’field goal pushed their lead to 33-27, Tagovailoa had another chance to be a hero. His first three passes churned out 34 yards — 7 yards to Waddle, 9 to Alec Ingold and 18 to De’Von Achane to the Patriots 26 with 1:09 to go.
Elite quarterbacks create their legacy in those situations: down six, just more than a minute left and 26 yards from the end zone.
Instead, the Dolphins had another false start (Aaron Brewer) and another delay of game, followed by a Tagovailoa incomplete pass, an 8-yard completion to Dee Eskridge and two sacks, including one in which Milton Williams beat right guard Kion Smith.
Now let’s be clear: Teammates share plenty of blame for the final two failed possessions. But that failure has happened a bit too often for a quarterback in his pay grade.
It also exposes how Tagovailoa’s lack of elusiveness and mobility are so damaging during situations that call for improvisation. How many times have we seen the game’s top quarterbacks pull a Houdini when they’re seemingly on the verge of being swallowed by pass rushers?
That’s not something Tagovailoa can do. And that makes the margin of error smaller for Miami in late-game situations. If a pass rush is collapsing on him, he’s not going to rescue Miami with his legs.
Here’s the bottom line: With his team down by eight points or fewer in the final five minutes of games, Tagovailoa had a 64.4 passer rating in 2023, 65.4 rating in 2024 and 48.7 in 2025. His team is 3-6 in those games.
And that’s not good enough for the NFL’s sixth-highest paid quarterback, at $53.1 million per year.
On Sunday, Tagovailoa expressed frustration with communication and operation issues.
“We have until the 15-second mark until it cuts off with communication with Mike [McDaniel],” he said, referring to the audio of play calls from his coach. “... Frustrated with guys with communication, inside the huddle. Do we have too many guys in? The whole operation was not up to standard, not up to par. The presnap communication, the timing, that is where the alert is. Trying to find the urgency back for our team.”
The final two possessions overshadowed an otherwise strong game for Tagovailoa, who had a 115.5 passer rating and completed six passes for 109 yards to Hill (including a 47-yarder), eight for 92 to Achane and five for 68 to Waddle.
“The interception [on the penultimate possession] was trying to make a play on fourth down; I wanted to give one of those guys a chance,” he said. “The sack [to end Miami’s final possession] was trying to maneuver in the pocket.”
Here’s what McDaniel had to say after the game.
This story was originally published September 14, 2025 at 6:19 PM.
