Time to Stop the QB Comps for Tua

Sufficient with the Tua comparisons with Josh Allen or Justin Herbert or anyone else!

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is not like both of them no matter what similarities media analysts need to provide you with and he’ll by no means be like both of them.

And earlier than we go any additional, that is completely positive.

The Dolphins do not want for Tagovailoa to turn into prime Josh Allen or prime Justin Herbert, they want for Tagovailoa to turn into the very best Tua he probably could be.

HOPE FOR TUA FOR 2022 AND BEYOND BUT ALSO QUESTIONS

And at the moment nobody is aware of for certain precisely what stage he’ll be capable of attain within the NFL, although the 2022 ought to present a a lot clearer image after the hiring of head coach Mike McDaniel and his loud public assist and the additions of Tyreek Hill and Terron Armstead, amongst others, to assist him out on offense.

However, once more, let’s cease with the comps with Allen or Herbert.

With Herbert, let’s cease pretending that Tua was on a par with Herbert the previous two seasons as a result of he had a greater document as a starter, as a result of neither staff made the playoffs, or — and that is the worst one in every of all — as a result of the Dolphins defeated the Chargers when Tua and Herbert began towards one another in 2020.

Soccer is the last word staff and the won-loss document must be thought of solely one of many measures for achievement, and a small one at that.

Bear in mind, Trent Dilfer received a Tremendous Bowl and Dan Marino did not. Would anybody even put Dilfer in the identical stratosphere as Marino as an NFL quarterback?

Herbert was higher than Tagovailoa in 2021 by any measure, and even these fast to level out that “Herbert got here up brief” in a late-season sport towards the lowly Houston Texans conveniently pass over the actual fact the Texans had been 9-for-13 on third downs that day and rushed for 189 yards.

When the Dolphins defeated Houston earlier final season, the Texans had been 6-for-17 on third down and rushed for 76 yards.

Oh, and yet one more factor, whereas Herbert did throw two interceptions that day, his passer ranking for the sport was 92.1 — you already know, two full factors larger than Tua’s 90.1 for the season.

And if anyone who watched the Sunday night time finale final yr thinks for a millisecond Herbert was the explanation the Chargers misplaced in extra time towards the Raiders to get eradicated from playoff competition — after finishing 5 consecutive fourth-down passes — nicely, let’s simply say that is absurd.

Put it this manner, there is no such thing as a query in any way across the Chargers as to whether or not they have their franchise quarterback, that Herbert will get a long-term extension as quickly as he is eligible to play for it.

And the identical goes for the opposite high six quarterback in that 2020 draft, Joe Burrow out in Cincinnati.

THE JOSH ALLEN COMPARISON AND WHY IT’S A STRETCH

As for Josh Allen, what comes up fairly incessantly is the massive leap Allen made in his third NFL season after the Buffalo Payments added Stefon Diggs to assist out on offense.

The issue with that comparability is that although Allen was wildly inconsistent as a passer his first two seasons — you might even say he was spreading the ball all over — his otherworldly athleticism all the time was apparent.

Now, most likely no person may have predicted he’d turn into pretty much as good a passer as he has since 2020, however the arm expertise was simple from the beginning and Allen made some throws in his first two seasons that different quarterbacks merely could not make.

So there all the time was motive to assume he may turn into efficient as a passer.

And, this is one other ignored issue, Allen was a significant component as a scrambler in his first two seasons, evidenced by his 1,141 yards and 17 touchdowns mixed.

Oh, and for these so fast to level to Tua’s document as a starter, let’s not overlook that the Payments went to the playoffs in Allen’s second season.

So, fairly frankly, this notion of Tua and suggesting he is due for a giant leap with the addition of Hill as a result of that is what occurred with Allen after Diggs arrived is only a stretch.

WHY TUA COULD SUCCEED IN 2022

Now, this is not to recommend that Tagovailoa is not going to take a giant step ahead in 2022 as a result of he very nicely may.

In truth, I am on the document as saying that 90.1 passer ranking will make a transparent leap in 2022 and may even method triple digits.

And the reason being that McDaniel goes to run a QB-friendly offense that may reap the benefits of Tua’s power, which stays short- and intermediate-range accuracy.

As said earlier than, Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo every topped 100 in passer ranking in that system, so there is not any motive to assume Tua cannot do the identical in 2022.

But when it does occur, it nonetheless can have nothing to do with Josh Allen and his third-year leap. And it additionally will not imply that Tagovailoa has turn into pretty much as good as Justin Herbert.

These are all separate conversations.

The main focus must be on Tua and what he can turn into as an NFL quarterback. All different QBs must be inconsequential by now.