What Tagovailoa is doing that even Brady and Marino never accomplished. And Dolphins notes
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa isn’t merely leading the NFL in several key statistical categories. He’s also setting bars that haven’t often been reached, let alone surpassed.
Consider:
▪ As Dolphins football communications official Brett Brecheisen noted, Tagovailoa’s 118.4 passer rating not only leads the NFL, but is the third best by an NFL quarterback in the past decade, behind only Aaron Rodgers (121.5 in 2020) and Nick Foles (119.2 in 2013).
He is the first NFL player to have three consecutive games with a passer rating above 135.0 since Lamar Jackson achieved that in November 2019. That streak is ongoing.
▪ Tagovailoa’s 149.8 third-down passer rating is the best by any quarterback since at least 1991, when the NFL started keeping track of that. He was 7 for 7 for 80 yards on third down against Cleveland.
▪ Tagovailoa’s fourth-quarter passer rating of 123.2 not only leads the league but is the seventh best of any quarterback in the past decade.
▪ His 118.4 passer rating is far better than Dan Marino’s passer ratings during any season of his career.
Marino had a 108.9 rating during his record-setting 1984 season, when he threw 48 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
Tagovailoa has thrown 18 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Passer ratings were typically lower in the 1980s and 1990s than they are today.
One reason Tagovailoa’s is higher than Marino’s: fewer interceptions. Tagovailoa is throwing interceptions on just 1.2 percent of his pass attempts, better than Marino ever achieved. Marino’s career average was 3 percent.
▪ Tagovailoa’s 118.4 passer rating is better than Tom Brady ever produced in his 23-year career. Brady’s personal high was 117.2 in 2007.
Brady was at 102.2, 102.1 the past two seasons and 91.9 this season.
▪ During Rodgers’ 18-year career, he has produced a passer rating higher than Tagovailoa’s current rating only twice: 122.5 in 2011 and 121.5 in 2020.
▪ Tagovailoa’s passer rating has jumped by 26 points from a year ago. His passer rating is the highest ever for a quarterback in his third season.
The Dolphins, incidentally, are 14-1 in the past 15 games that Tagovailoa has finished.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Not only have the Dolphins risen to seventh in points per game at 25.2, but they have punted only twice in the past three games.
It’s the first time in team history the Dolphins have punted two times or less in a three-game span.
What’s more, the Dolphins have scored at least 30 points in three consecutive games for the first time since 2009.
▪ The playing time between running backs Jeff Wilson Jr. and Raheem Mostert was more lopsided than the previous week, when Wilson made his Dolphins debut.
Wilson played 42 snaps compared to 19 for Mostert. Wilson had 17 carries for 119 yards (a 7.0 average) and Mostert ran 8 times for 65 yards (an 8.1 average). Both scored touchdowns.
This is the first time in four years that two Dolphins have had two different players rush for 100 yards in a game in the same season; Wilson did it against Cleveland and Mostert against the Jets.
Frank Gore and Kallen Ballage did it in 2018.
Also notable: fullback Alec Ingold played a season-high 42 snaps against Cleveland.
▪ The Dolphins - who are heading into a bye - allocated receiver and tight end snaps this way on Sunday:
Receiver: Jaylen Waddle played 51 of 69 snaps, Tyreek Hill 49, Trent Sherfield 45, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. 21.
At tight end, Durham Smythe played 37 snaps and Mike Gesicki 32. Hunter Long missed the game (concussion protocol) and Tanner Conner played only on special teams.
▪ To replace injured Brandon Jones at safety, Miami used Eric Rowe on 50 snaps, rookie Verone McKinley III on 32 and Elijah Campbell on 6… Rookie linebacker Channing Tindall didn’t play defensively after logging five snaps against Chicago.
▪ Pro Football Focus’ five highest-graded Dolphins on offense Sunday: Ingold, Tagovailoa, Mostert, Sherfield and Robert Hunt.
▪ PFF’s five highest-graded Dolphins on defense Sunday: Melvin Ingram, Campbell, Jaelan Phillips, Kader Kohou and Bradley Chubb.
▪ The Dolphins’ offensive line allowed no sacks and just five hurries on 32 dropbacks. What’s more, Miami has permitted just 21 pressures in 150 dropbacks since Tagovailoa returned from concussion, per the Dolphins’ Travis Wingfield and PFF.
▪ Mike McDaniel and Dave Wannstedt (in 2001) are the only Dolphins coaches in history to win seven of their first 10 games. Miami’s 7-3 start is its best since 2001.
▪ The Dolphins have committed only one turnover and permitted only two sacks since Tagovailoa returned from his concussion, a span in which he has 10 touchdowns, no interceptions and a 137 passer rating.
Tagovailoa’s ongoing streak of 138 passes without an interception is the fourth-longest streak in team history.
This story was originally published November 14, 2022 at 11:57 AM.
