Where Dolphins’ Tagovailoa ranks among the best in the league. And where growth is needed
As the Dolphins continue to evaluate Tua Tagovailoa, there are snapshots - a deep completion here, an interception there - that can tilt the assessment at any moment in time.
Ultimately, the Dolphins won’t be making any snap decisions on their second-year quarterback. They will judge Tagovailoa — and whether to continue on with him or try to trade for the Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson next spring — based on a total body of work that will include six more games this season, health permitting.
And so far, through a season interrupted twice by injury, Tagovailoa’s body of work falls somewhere on the spectrum of above average — usually pretty good, sometimes very good, and in some cases (including the Buffalo game) and a few statistical measures, not good enough.
“I think he’s getting better every time he steps out on the field,” coach Brian Flores said. “He made a lot of good decisions [in Sunday’s win against the Jets]. He’s playing well.”
What is sometimes questioned but shouldn’t be, quarterbacks coach Charlie Frye said, is his arm. When healthy, “he can make all the throws,” Frye said.
Tagovailoa’s 65-yard touchdown pass to Mack Hollins on Sunday was the longest of Tagovailoa’s career.
“We know he can throw the ball down the field,” Flores said. “It’s all about the opportunity to do so in the game. There’s a timing element to it. Get the exact look you’re looking for, the matchup you’re looking for.”
Here’s where Tagovailoa (9 TDs, 6 interceptions, 1,471 yards passing, three rushing TDs in barely more than six games) stands among quarterbacks in 10 statistical measures this season:
▪ Among quarterbacks who have appeared in at least seven games, Tagovailoa is tied for 20th in passer rating at 91.4.
Tagovailoa isn’t far behind Pat Mahomes (94.7) and Lamar Jackson (93.1).
He’s ahead of Baker Mayfield (91.3), Matt Ryan (89.8) and Ryan Tannehill (86.1), among others.
▪ If you remove the one game (against Buffalo) when he left early in the first quarter with a rib injury, he would be 15th in the league in average passing yards per game, at 243, less than one yard behind Tannehill.
Among others, that’s ahead of Ryan, Jimmy Garoppolo, Mac Jones, Carson Wentz, Russell Wilson and Mayfield.
▪ Among quarterbacks who have played at least seven games, Tagovailoa is seventh in completion percentage at 68 percent. That trails only Kyler Murray, Daniel Jones, Dak Prescott, Teddy Bridgewater, Joe Burrow and Kirk Cousins. Tagovailoa’s 81.8 completion percentage on Sunday was the best of his career.
▪ Tagovailoa’s fourth-quarter passer rating of 105 is eighth best in the NFL, sandwiched between Aaron Rodgers and Jalen Hurts.
Among those behind Tagovailoa in that category: Justin Herbert (96.7), Prescott (93.4) and Wilson (89.8).
▪ When Tagovailoa throws on third down, 42.3 percent of his passes have been converted into a first down. That’s 15th best in the NFL.
▪ Overall, Tagovailoa throws for a first down on 35 percent of his pass attempts, which is 16th in the league.
▪ His 92.9 passer rating inside the opponent’s 20-yard-line is 18th best in the league.
▪ This is evidence of how well Tagovailoa has avoided being sacked behind a subpar offensive line:
He has been sacked on only 3.8 percent of his drop backs (8 of 211). That’s tied with Josh Allen for fourth best in the league, behind only Tom Brady, Kirk Cousins and Matt Stafford.
▪ His 104.6 passer rating at home is 11th best in the league.
▪ One area to improve: Three percent of his pass attempts have been intercepted, which is among the worst in the league, ranking 28th. He’s ahead of a few in that category, including Tannehill, Burrow and Sam Darnold.
Sunday’s interception, he said, “was just a bad ball. It would have had to have been a good throw to Jaylen [Waddle] as well. There’s some pressure, [but] that’s just part of the game.”
Tagovailoa often has thrived when the Dolphins use a no-huddle offense, which was the case during much of Sunday’s opening scoring drive.
“The thing that I like about going fast-paced offense, tempo offense,” he said, is that “it forces defenses to communicate with the linebackers to the back end, to the D-line, what front they want to be in, all of that. Then when you do get things going, those guys up front get a little tired.”
What has he learned this season?
“I learned a lot more being able to play than... being on the sideline, understanding a little more of the protections, understanding where guys need to be within their route distribution and then also for myself, stepping up in the pocket, maneuvering my way throughout the pocket and then finding the open guys...
“At Alabama you just knew where the guys lined up and you just go out there and play. Whereas in the NFL, you have to know what everyone is doing, the protection, where you’re hot. We could go on forever about that.”
This story was originally published November 22, 2021 at 2:49 PM.
