Miami, FL
What should Dolphins do with Tua Tagovailoa? Predicting how offseason unfolds for Miami QB
It’s not fair that one game can define how you view an entire season, but that’s what likely will happen with the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins finished the regular season with the No. 1 offense in the league (401.3 yards per game) and No. 2 scoring offense (29.2 points per game), but fans aren’t feeling great about the future following the 26-7 Super Wild Card Weekend loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday night.
The Dolphins underachieving against good teams was a common theme all year. Miami went 1-5 vs. eventual playoff teams in the regular season, and 10-1 vs. teams that did not make the playoffs. If you count the most-recent Chiefs loss, Miami went 1-6 vs. playoff teams, and finished with a -110 point differential in those games. The monster victories over teams like the Denver Broncos or New York Jets don’t seem as great when you’re disappearing against teams that are half-decent.
Miami also crumbled down the stretch. Over the final four games of the 2023 campaign, the Dolphins scored 20-plus points just one time, and scored one touchdown on their final 16 offensive possessions. There’s plenty of blame to go around, but the play of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is and will continue to be a major storyline.
Tagovailoa had a great year overall. He finished the regular season as a top seven favorite to win NFL MVP, and helped guide the Dolphins to their first 11-win season since 2008. The 25-year-old led the NFL in passing yards with 4,624, was tied for fifth in passing touchdowns with 29, finished third in completion percentage (69.3%) and picked up 222 first downs through the air, which was tied for the second-most in the NFL. But, he was not dominant consistently or vs. everyone.
|
W-L |
1-5 |
10-1 |
|
Completion % |
65.0 |
71.7 |
|
Passing yards per game |
232.3 |
293.6 |
|
TD-INT |
7-6 |
22-8 |
Against Kansas City on Saturday night, Tagovailoa completed 20 of 39 passes for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Miami recorded just 264 yards of total offense. Tagovailoa froze in what was the fourth-coldest game in NFL history, as one of the best offenses during the regular season didn’t even get to the red zone. Even Tagovailoa’s lone touchdown pass wasn’t a thing of beauty.
Tagovailoa entered this week having lost each of the five coldest starts of his career. It’s a narrative that has been around for a couple years now. Tagovailoa is 6-14 in games under 70 degrees, and 23-4 in games of 70 or more degrees. Is Miami just doomed to lose every road playoff game it will play in the future that’s not in a warm climate or indoors?
This offseason will be an interesting one for Miami. Tagovailoa is under contract for one more year thanks to Miami picking up his fifth-year option, which is fully guaranteed. So, sorry to those overly outraged fans who are hoping Tagovailoa will be cut this offseason. That’s not happening. Instead, Tagovailoa’s representation will likely ramp up talks on a potential extension.
Spotrac’s market value tool predicts Tagovailoa is in line to sign a six-year, $302,781,786 extension that carries an AAV of $50.46M. That hypothetical contract would place Tagovailoa over Russell Wilson as the fifth-highest paid quarterback in the NFL. Is Miami comfortable locking in Tagovailoa on a deal near $50M per year? Is Miami even sold on Tagovailoa as its future quarterback? These are questions general manager Chris Grier and the front office will have to ponder in the coming months. There are benefits to locking down the quarterback you’re sold on as soon as possible, but Tagovailoa’s situation is not like the ones of Joe Burrow or Justin Herbert.
Some will look at how the 2023 season ended and be completely sold that Tagovailoa cannot take the Dolphins where they want to go. I don’t know if we can say that definitively. I think we can say Tagovailoa is not someone like a Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson who can shoulder the load by themselves offensively, and will teams to victories. I also think we can say Tagovailoa is not the first quarterback you’re choosing in a game played in freezing conditions.
If I had to guess what happens next, it’s that the Dolphins do not sign Tagovailoa to an extension, and handle the upcoming season as a true “prove-it” campaign. Tagovailoa has made strides each year under Mike McDaniel. What’s that next step? Performing well against your best competition, and winning postseason games.
To no one’s surprise, FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF engaged in a scorefest May 13 at TQL Stadium.
A hat trick by one of the best goalscorers in the history of the game, Lionel Messi, sparked Miami to a 5-3 win. Miami scored three times from the 79th minute on to come from behind.
A sellout crowd of 25,513 witnessed the showdown, the club’s sixth home sellout of the season.
FC Cincinnati falls to 4-5-4, staying at 16 points, taking its first loss since April 4 at Red Bull New York. Miami improves to 7-2-4 for 25 points, improving to 7-1-1 on the road this season. Miami moved into second place in the Eastern Conference behind Nashville. Cincinnati started the night tied for fifth but could drop depending on games later on.
Second half highlights as FC Cincinnati squandered a late lead
Cincinnati took a 3-2 lead in the 64th minute.
Evander fired a rocket from the top of the 18 into the top left corner. Deneky passed ahead to him, then he maneuvered around two defenders, and no one stepped up to him. It is Evander’s seventh goal of the season.
Miami tied it in the 80th minute, 3-3.
After a Cincy turnover, Rodrigo De Paul quickly found Messi in transition, who delivered to Mateo Silvetti. Silvetti, playing his first game in a month, maneuvered in space and scored from the top of the box for his fourth of the season.
Miami took a 4-3 lead in the 83rd. A Messi free kick from 35 yds was saved by Cincy keeper Roman Celentano. He collided with Andrei Chirila, which knocked the ball out of his hands. Miami’s German Berterame pounced on the rebound to give Miami the lead, his fourth goal of the season.
Chirila landed hard after the collision and was taken out of the game.
Miami took a 5-3 lead when Messi made a sliding shot after a cross from Silvetti. The ball went off the post, then off Roman Celentano, who was on his stomach trying to get the ball, then in. Messi was credited with the goal and a hat trick.
FC Cincinnati took a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute.
Pavel Bucha scored from close range. He took a crossing pass from Bryan Ramirez after Denkey found him on the left side in transition.
It was Bucha’s second goal of the MLS season and the second assist for Ramirez. Bucha was hit in the head late in the first half and examined by trainers, but stayed in the game.
Moments later, Messi had a free kick from 30 yards saved by Celentano.
Messi scored again in the 56th minute to tie it, 2-2. He had a nice give-and-go with Rodrigo De Paul, who dribbled near the end line and crossed to him from the right side. Messi was unmarked and scored easily from near the penalty spot.
In the 62nd minute, Luis Suarez missed an open shot that Celentano saved, set up by a quick transition by Miami.
Miami ended with 17 shots to 10 for Cincinnati, six on target. After an even first half, Miami controlled the expected-goals mark, with 4 to 1.6 for the home team.
First half highlights
Messi scored from close range in the 24th off a turnover by Matt Miazga. Miazga tried to pass to a teammate on the side but the pass went straight to Messi.
He had a goal in the fifth minute waved off by offsides.
In the 32nd minute, Cincinnati won a corner kick, which Evander placed right in front of the goal line but the ball was cleared away.
In the 42nd minute, a Kevin Denkey penalty kick tied it up. Denkey drew the PK after collecting a good pass into the box by Pavel Bucha and being grabbed by Gonzalo Lujan. Denkey converted for his team-high eighth goal of the season.
The first half was tied 1-1 and virtually even on statistics. Both sides had seven shots, one on goal, and 1.1 expected goals. Neither keeper made a save.
What’s next for FC Cincinnati?
Cincinnati heads to the West Coast to play San Diego FC 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16. It is the first meeting between the teams. San Diego, 3-5-4 for 13 points, was set to play Austin later May 13. Cincinnati will leave for California on May 14.
A wildfire has scorched over 11,000 acres in Florida’s Everglades, just outside the Miami metro suburbs, prompting officials to warn nearby residents of dangerous smoke.
The Max Road Miramar Fire is straddling the line between Miami-Dade and Broward counties. At least 11,000 acres have been burned, and the fire is 80% contained, according to the Florida Forest Service.
The fire was first reported Sunday. The Pembroke Pines Police Department said that drivers stopping to watch the fires along US-27 were causing dangerous traffic backups.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said they were working with state forest officials to protect nearby properties.
Florida Senator Rick Scott urged people on social media to adhere to any local road closures.
Aerial footage showed flames in the vicinity of a local subdivision, and smoke could be seen billowing for miles.
This comes in the middle of Florida’s wildfire season, which is being compounded by a historic drought ongoing across the state.
Almost 2,000 wildfires have burned nearly 120,000 acres just since the start of the year, the forest service said earlier this month.
Wildfires south of Jacksonville canceled and delayed Amtrak service last month.
While the vast majority of the state is under Exceptional or Extreme Drought conditions, Miami itself is roughly an inch below average rainfall, year-to-date.
However, parts of the Everglades are also experiencing Extreme Drought.
Fire officials are warning residents to take precautions if smoke is impacting your area. Those with respiratory conditions, older adults and children may be especially sensitive to smoke exposure.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is advising people to stay indoors when possible and set home and vehicle A/C systems to recirculate.
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