How Is Tua Tagovailoa Having a Season This Good?

Suspicions about Tagovailoa’s future mounted because the Dolphins group heaped slightly an excessive amount of reward on their embattled younger quarterback all through the low season. Tagovailoa may barely toss his socks in a laundry hamper throughout minicamp with out the crew posting a video of the throw and McDaniel providing a testimonial about its accuracy and velocity. Hill known as Tagovailoa “essentially the most correct QB within the N.F.L.,” reward which, on the time, learn extra as an try to slight Patrick Mahomes than authentic statement.

In the meantime, the Dolphins signed the veteran Teddy Bridgewater because the kind of premium insurance coverage coverage a crew not often invests in when it’s actually dedicated to a younger quarterback.

By the top of coaching camp, the Tagovailoa-led Dolphins have been poised to flop like an overhyped summer time blockbuster. As soon as the season started, nonetheless, it turned clear that Hill, Waddle and McDaniel have been accentuating Tagovailoa’s strengths reasonably than masking up his weaknesses.

Hill, who leads the N.F.L. with 87 receptions and 1,233 yards, is the league’s most elusive receiver. Waddle, fifth within the N.F.L. with 963 yards on 56 receptions, can be the quickest receiver on any crew that didn’t make use of Hill. No crew has sufficient expertise of their secondary to cowl each of them, so opponents not often blitz and invariably align their safeties deep to forestall quick-strike touchdowns.

With defenses consistently on their heels, Tagovailoa has loads of time to throw and many open area for intermediate passes. Per Professional Soccer Reference, Tagovailoa’s common supposed go is 9.1 yards downfield, the second-highest determine within the N.F.L., and he’s pressured on solely 19.2 p.c of his makes an attempt, twenty fourth within the league. As an alternative of a glorified handoff machine, Tagovailoa has been a extra constant downfield passer than Mahomes or Josh Allen of the Payments.

Tagovailoa makes use of shoulder fakes to feint defenders out of place and barely seems to his supposed receiver till it’s time to throw. A fast launch and a deft contact compensate for his lack of a big-league fastball, and he lofts simply sufficient deep bombs to Hill and Waddle to maintain defenders cautious. Decreased strain and elevated expertise have additionally resulted in fewer errors: Tagovailoa has not thrown an interception or misplaced a fumble in his final 5 video games.

Followers and analysts at the moment are warming to Tagovailoa. He’s third amongst quarterbacks in early Professional Bowl balloting, behind Mahomes and Allen. He’s additionally getting +500 odds for the Most Helpful Participant Award, behind solely Mahomes (-160) and the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts (+350).