Questions exist following the 2023 Miami Dolphins’ all-too-familiar season-ending collapse. The most prominent among them are how can a team at the top of the league in multiple offensive and defensive statistical categories fail to win a playoff game, and what is the contract situation surrounding quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. With respect to the first question, that discussion typically revolves around the quarterback since the quarterback is generally regarded as the most important position on the team.
Tua finished the 2023 regular-season first in passing yards with 4,624, a 69.7 completion percentage, 29 touchdowns, a 101.1 passer rating, and was ranked third by pro football focus in their 2023 final analysis using Bayesian statistical method. Despite these impressive numbers, Tua failed to elevate the Dolphins to their first playoff win since 2000.
If a quarterback is the most important position on the team, and Tua is–statistically speaking–a top-three quarterback, why has he not been able to get the Dolphins over the hump to a playoff win? Are there aspects of quarterback play that can’t be explained by statistics alone? Are there hidden variables–“spooky action at a distance” as Einstein famously said when describing quantum entanglement? Does Tua not possess an “it” factor? This is doubtful. The Bayesian quarterback rating used by pro football focus is a more sophisticated statistical method than ratings based on simple arithmetic formulas alone. In the Bayesian method, prior information and new evidence are considered when assigning their rankings. These rankings account for uncertainty and variability in performance and provide an understanding of a quarterback’s true skill level. This can be particularly useful when comparing quarterbacks from different teams and systems.
Reasons for the Dolphins league season collapse are likely multifactorial. A large portion of the blame has centered around head coach Mike McDaniel, and this is deserved. Logic doesn’t follow that McDaniel’s playcalling is to blame, given Miami’s prolific offense of statistics, and he is revered by many players in the league for his playcalling ability. Other aspects of McDaniel’s approach, such as discipline, maturity, and attention to detail, should clearly be called into question. But one thing is certain, among the many problems facing the Miami Dolphins, quarterback is not one of them. Tua Tagovailoa is an elite quarterback. And he should be paid as such.
Tua is not an elite quarterback, Hill is an elite WR, if Hill wasn’t on the team Tuas stats would be drastically different.
Sorry, but Tua is not elite. Lots of missed reads, limited arm strength, limited ability to extend plays when they break down. If they are smart, they let him play out his 5th year option and go from there depending on how he does.
I agree 100%!! It would be foolish to just give him a HUGE contract extension at this point. Have him play under his 5th year option and reevaluate after next year! Put him on notice and see how he responds to the pressure, and potential, of losing his job!!
I agree. Tua is just decent at best. His supporting cast makes him look great. He is like his mentor Trent Dilfer. If you give him a great Ray Lewis led defense, he can win a Super Bowl. But HE can’t elevate an offense to win the Super Bowl for you.
Elite quarterback? Did you see him play at Arrowhead? Tyreek Hill is the majority of that offense and is most of Tuas yardage. Elite quarterback? Someone forgot their crazy pills.
We can all said the samething about any successful quarterback they have great receivers and great protection something the dolphins need to fix. Tue gets a bad reputation for whatever reason been small or soft but we have to give some sort of respect he led the league in passing yards that has to count for something?? Who would you replace Tua for at this moment??
Question
1. Can Tuna improve his arm strength, soon?
2. Can Tuna learn how to play in cold temperatures.
4. Does Tua need to extend plays, or could he learn to be more efficient on every posesion?
3. If he can improve in these two areas, then will he be Elite?
Tua is a good QB no denying that, but he can’t handle the pressure when the chips are down and it’s crunch time! He’s great when games either don’t really matter or they are playing bad teams. Put him under pressure and against an elite team and he’s just your average QB… Sometimes a below average QB. I love Tua I really do I think he’s got everything it takes to be an all time great, but he needs to get those legs moving and run more. QB’s have to be able to run in today’s game. That’s just how it’s evolved. And I agree.. if tua didn’t have Tyreek his stats this season would have been disasterously different. Waddle is a savage and a great as well but so many top plays and yards came from Tyreek and his speed.
Tua is a great quarterback, and Tyreek is an awesome wr, without question. The offenses major problem other than protecting the quarterback is learning to communicate. Waddle, Berrios,Moshtert and Achane are really good as well. Whoever doubts their abilities are also misguided. Mike McDaniel is doing a wonderful job as head coach. They will all get better with time, they just need to become more confident in each other and themselves. Respect is earned, not granted, and nothing worth having was not achieved without effort. With all that said, my best advice is to have faith in your own abilities and build on weaknesses and improve your strengths. Go find!!
Go Fins !!
Bottom line is, Tua folds under pressure, he doesn’t even look confident when the team falls behind on the scoreboard and don’t let it be a team over .500. He’s an average QB, without Reek running all over field catching 95% of his receptions Tua is a basic QB.
I agree with the sentiment that Tua is a NFL quarterback. The eye test for me is the head coach, I respect what is often said about the coach, knowledgeable. The coach has to have a killer instinct in order for the quarterback to mirror him.
Nice has it’s place in life, I support nice, but we’re talking about a violent game and you’re not going to win when you’re just nice and see no other way but to be who you are.
You really don’t know football. Tua is a avg qb. Can’t play in the cold. Can’t beat winning teams. How could he ever beat the elite qbs?
Take hill away and he’s another tannehill. Having the division title won and losing it at home to a team you should have beaten doesn’t make you an elite quarterback. When the pressure is on tua just falls apart
Dan Marino, top 5 quarterback ever lacked mobility and wasn’t a playmaker 0 superbowl victories. Stats off the charts. Stats don’t win superbowls. Tua has always been surrounded by playmakers who make him look better and pad his numbers college and pros. I’m a 50 year diehard I’m done with Tua, lacks size, no mobility, panics instantly, can’t make a second read and can’t extend a play. Brock Purdy CJ Stroud Jordan Love. Didn’t have to build a whole team around those youngsters. Stop it!
They better pay him but no more than 30M! He needs a large support team, but if he is greedy he will go somewhere else and make 40M!
To the diehard members of TuAnon: There are three types of lies; lies, damned lies and statistics. Tua’s statistics are not what matters, wins are. Does Tua make his teammates and coaches look better than they are or do the teammates and coaches make Tua look better than he is? From what I’ve seen Tua plays with no chip on his shoulder nor with any heart, fire or the “eye of the tiger”. He doesn’t audible, rarely looks off his primary read and failed to get a single fourth quarter first down against Tennessee, Baltimore, Dallas or Barfalo when it mattered the most. Not elite. Not the guy. Not going to lead us to super bowl. If 9 or 10 wins every year beating bad teams and losing to all good teams and losing road wild card game (if they get in) is the goal of this franchise, then keep Tua.
Tua has a lot of “tells” any good team with a brain know you put pressure on Tua you win ! It’s cold you win! The person writing this article like many media are so disconnected from reality it’s sickening. How can anyone trust or respect anything these people say . Tua Is Not an elite quarterback. The last few years has PROVEN the case. How much more proof do people need, you all have battered wife syndrome.
Tua can’t handle pressure for sh..t
Tua Is a scared quarterback afraid of getting hit
McDaniel has to run an offense just to protect him limiting his hand the team’s ability to expand.
Tua Is a sitting duck, he can’t run for s…hit ,he has to much weight on his butt and legs .
Tuas arm is week. Are you all not looking at all these other QB throw the ball down with ease???
And most importantly Tua Is not able to win important games!! Miami literally couldn’t contend with any team above .500!! Dallas was in my opinion just a matter of luck. They didn’t confidently win.
So this person who’s putting this crap out their needs to stop pushing some false narrative you look stupid. Nobody trusts you brah. Stop it, get help! Tua Is not elite and they should trade him, unfortunately there’s not a team who would spend the money t o pick him up , unless they need a good back up .
Hahahahaha Elite QB…. You certainly just started watching football and you obviously don’t understand shit yet about it. Zero mobility in our out of the pocket. Zero leadership on and off the field. Zero creativity and play extension. The guy is not bad is average not more than that. Now is there anything better than him available I don’t think there’s a big upgrade but.still they should.pay him.long.term.yet.
Tua is definitely not an elite QB. Elite QB’s take over games and beat high caliber teams. Teams usually take on the Head Coaches demeanor. Smash mouth physical teams dominate the Fins. Smash mouth football trumps finesse and speed. Everything has to be in sync for Tua to win.
I disagree with “it’s the qb’s fault we win or lose because he’s the most important player” because when Tua has good protection he makes good plays, but the majority of the time he pressured and that’s a big problem. He’s often compared to the qb’s that get all the time in the world to throw or look passed read 1, and that’s when they say he’s trash. The O line needs to protect better and the CB’s need to stop leaving the receivers wide open. Idk what going on but it seems that every play there’s always a receiver not covered, and all of that leads to us losing so NO, it’s not Tua’s fault we didn’t make it. Plus he have played better, yes, he needs to learn to make plays if his read 1 isn’t available and when he’s forced to scramble he gets nervous because again, read 1 is t an option anymore but other than that, he has the accuracy, the arm strength (enough to make deep throws), and he has the smartness to learn to find his read options and field vision. Let’s stop putting the blame on 1 player when we all know our defense is not doing their job, and defense is what wins championships ! Let’s go FINS! 2024.
Tua is the worst QB ever can’t throw the long ball, and doesn’t spread the ball around especially to the tight ends. Tua only throws to hill and waddle when they are double or triple teamed. Trade turnover TUA to Carolina and let that dumb owner pay him. Tua is the reason the dolphins lose bad throws, no arm strength and field sense. TUA IS OVERRATED PERIOD.