Sportsnaut
Tua Tagovailoa did not have his best game against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1. In fact, the veteran quarterback’s performance was one of the worst of his career.
Tagovailoa completed 14-of-23 passes for 114 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Tagovailoa also lost a fumble in what was a nightmare afternoon. The quarterback never looked comfortable, and his decision-making was questionable at best.
After the game, former Dolphin and current Colt Xavien Howard took shots at Tagovailoa. Howard said the Colts knew that Tagovailoa would go into “panic mode.”
“We knew,” said Howard. “He gets the ball out pretty quick, and once we take away his first read, I feel like it’s panic mode after that. And it showed (Sunday).”
Howard does seem right about getting Tagovailoa to panic, but it was surprising to see a player call out a former teammate like that.
Tagovailoa, for his part, responded to Howard’s criticism.
“I’ve still got a lot of respect for him,” explained the quarterback. “If you look at the games where I have performed well, it’s when I’m getting off of my first read and going through the progressions.”
It’s admirable that Tagovailoa chose to take the high road while also countering Howard’s point. An interesting stat is that it’s been a full calendar year since star wide receiver Tyreek Hill has had a 30+-yard reception. This seemingly counters the narrative that Tagovailoa locks on his first read, considering Hill is the unequivocal WR1 in Miami.
In Week 2, the Dolphins are taking on the division-rival New England Patriots. This game could be the perfect opportunity for Tagovailoa to prove naysayers wrong and get the Dolphins’ season back on the right track. However, another game like Week 1, and the criticism of Tagovailoa will likely only get louder.
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