Is Tua Tagovailoa the reason behind Dolphins' recent struggles?
The Miami Dolphins are 1-5 this season after their most recent loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as part of the NFL's London series. The Dolphins went into Week 6 with high hopes as starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned to the team after missing the last three weeks after suffering a rib injury in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills.
Tua Tagovailoa's return wasn't enough as the Jacksonville Jaguars won their first game, thanks to the the foot of kicker Mathew Wright with a 53 yard field goal as time expired, stopping a 20 game skid dating back to last season.
👋 @Tua
#FinsUp https://t.co/tU8DH7Zwf6
Is quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to blame for Dolphins losing streak?
The Miami Dolphins have now lost five straight games after a Week 1 victory on the road against the New England Patriots. When Tagovailoa went down with a rib injury in Week 2, many believed that his absence may have caused some of the Dolphins' struggles as backup quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Reid Sinnett both had time under center.
.@Tua finds @mackhollins downfield and converts a HUGE fourth down.
@NFLUK | @MiamiDolphins | #FinsUp
📺: #MIAvsJAX on CBS
📱: NFL app https://t.co/gZmI1BZit5
Tagovailoa was already under the microscope from skeptics heading into the 2021 NFL season. After veteran and journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had to become the 'closer' for the Dolphins last season, many wondered if Tagovailoa would be successful as the sole starter for the Dolphins. He seemed to be headed in the right direction in Week 1 and in Sunday's matchup against the Jaguars, Tagovailoa's final line wasn't bad: 33/47 329 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The interception won't help in defending him as a NFL starting quarterback, but every quarterback has their moments.
After the interception, Tagovailoa showed poise when he got back on the field, going 6/6 for 83 yards and, at the time, a game-winning touchdown.
Now, as the Dolphins drop another game, speculation around Tagovailoa continues to build. That speculation about his future could also be due to the reports that the Miami Dolphins have been interested in making a trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Watson, who has requested a trade out of Houston, has impending legal issues that make the asking price for a trade more difficult. The Texans have reportedly asked for a significant return in exchange for Watson that has made Miami and other NFL teams hesitant considering his future playing time is in question.
While quarterback Tua Tagovailoa wasn't the sole reason that the Miami Dolphins lost on Sunday, he may get the brunt of the heat because of the rumors that he will be replaced.