Whereas Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel did not formally rule out quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for the workforce’s Week 17 recreation in opposition to the New England Patriots, he did say he was taking the method that veteran Teddy Bridgewater would be the starter.

As McDaniel has stated, it is conditions like these the Dolphins had in thoughts after they made Bridgewater one of many highest-paid backup quarterbacks when signing him within the offseason.

It is a powerful spot certainly for Bridgewater with the Dolphins needing to cease their shedding streak in the event that they wish to keep away from an epic collapse and make the playoffs.

COMPLETE DOLPHINS PLAYOFF OUTLOOK THROUGH WEEK 16

However the narrative that the Dolphins cannot win if they do not have Tagovailoa for the New England recreation or the Week 18 recreation in opposition to the New York Jets merely would not go the scent take a look at.

And all anybody has to do to comprehend that’s return to the final time Bridgewater appeared in a recreation for the Dolphins.

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 BRIDGEWATER’S LOW-KEY IMPRESSIVE OUTING AGAINST THE VIKINGS

The Dolphins ended up on the fallacious finish of a 24-16 choice in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6, their third consecutive loss with Tagovailoa sidelined together with his first confirmed concussion, and a number of people level to that three-game shedding streak as exposing a serious hole between Tua and his backups.

By no means thoughts that the Dolphins protection didn’t drive a turnover in any of these three losses — in opposition to the Bengals, Jets and Vikings. By no means thoughts that the Dolphins had double-digit penalties in opposition to the Jets and Vikings, the one two occasions it is occurred this season. Oh, and by no means thoughts that left sort out Terron Armstead missed the final three-plus quarters in opposition to the Jets and your complete recreation in opposition to Minnesota.

Let’s additionally not neglect that the Dolphins had an opportunity to take the lead within the fourth quarter of all three of these losses earlier than an interception, missed subject aim and fumble ended these scoring threats.

However, based on some narrative, that three-game shedding streak was all about “the Dolphins misplaced as a result of they did not have Tua.”

Hogwash.

Take the Minnesota recreation, and Bridgewater’s efficiency that day.

As a result of he missed follow time that week after being yanked from the Jets recreation after one play, the Dolphins determined to go together with rookie seventh-round choose Skylar Thompson because the starter in opposition to the Vikings.

After Thompson left the sport with a thumb damage, Bridgewater got here in at quarterback when the Dolphins began a possession with 11:38 left within the first half.

Bridgewater ended up going 23-for-34 for 329 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and a 93.9 passer score.

Let’s first begin with the passing yardage and what that might have appeared like over a full recreation, which tasks to 470 yards over 60 minutes.

Let’s then consider that Bridgewater — and Thompson earlier than him — was beneath stress most of that recreation as a result of, let’s face it, the Dolphins go safety simply is not terribly spectacular when Armstead is out of the lineup.

Together with being sacked 5 occasions, Bridgewater was pressured on 27.5 % of his go makes an attempt that day, based on Professional Soccer Reference — by comparability, Tua has been stress on 20 % of his makes an attempt this season. And Bridgewater was hit 5 occasions, matching Tua’s season excessive.

Another for the analytics crowd, Bridgewater was assessed a nasty throw share of 9.4 % that recreation, once more per Professional Soccer Reference; Tua’s season share is 15.8 %.

After which let’s additionally notice that one of many two picks got here when Jaylen Waddle misplayed a straightforward catch to tip the ball over to Vikings security Harrison Smith.

DOLPHINS CAN WIN WITH TEDDY

The above stats aren’t meant to disparage Tagovailoa, however relatively to dispel this notion that the offense cannot operate with out him and that Bridgewater cannot make the offense work.

Return once more to that Minnesota recreation and do not forget that the Dolphins trailed 16-3 within the fourth quarter earlier than Bridgewater led a scoring drive to make it 16-10 and had the Dolphins on the transfer once more when he related with Waddle on a go that might have transformed a third-and-14 and put the ball contained in the Vikings 30-yard line.

It wasn’t Bridgewater’s fault that Waddle was stripped of the ball, the Vikings recovered and Dalvin Cook dinner then ran 53 yards for a landing.

In that fourth quarter in opposition to Minnesota, Bridgewater handed for 237 yards with a passer score of 133.5 — regardless of an interception. If you want, you possibly can take away that remaining drive after it was 24-10 (since you may say it was rubbish time), and Bridgewater nonetheless handed for greater than 100 yards in that quarter alone.

In that Minnesota recreation and in his earlier prolonged look — in opposition to Cincinnati after he got here in for Tua late within the second quarter — Bridgewater made a number of of the identical form of completions we have seen all 12 months, with deep passes over the center to Tyreek Hill, Waddle and Mike Gesicki, a shot excessive to Hill, and a few performs off schedule.

The underside line is that this offense is pushed, at the start, by the velocity of Hill and Waddle after which the scheme.

Have a look at what’s occurred in San Francisco, the place the system is at the start, and see how they’ve continued to thrive now with their third quarterback.

It is the identical factor with Miami.

This is not to recommend that Bridgewater goes to go for 450 yards in opposition to the Patriots as a result of the New England protection is fairly good and can current a problem, significantly with McDaniel suggesting at his Wednesday media session that the Dolphins might need to do with out some key gamers.

However it might have offered a problem for Tua as properly.

And it says right here that Bridgewater has nearly the identical form of probability, or near it, of creating good issues occur for the Dolphins offense.

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