Tua Tagovailoa shoulders blame for Dolphins' dismal 5-7 record: "This has a lot to do with myself"
Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins' 30-17 loss on Thanksgiving Day to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field saw them drop to 5-7. The defeat has left them with no room for error. They have to win their remaining five games to stand a chance of making it to the playoffs.
While they could still earn a postseason berth, many have already labeled the 2024 campaign as a failed season for the Dolphins. They were expected to challenge the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East title. But instead, the race is already over, as Miami's arch-nemesis improved to 10-2 on Sunday and clinched the division title for the fifth season running.
The main reason for their dismal 5-7 record is their offensive regression. Last season, they were third in the league in points per game with 27.9. In 12 games this year, they have averaged 19.3 points, which ranks 24th.
While head coach Mike McDaniel has taken the brunt of the blame for their astonishing dip, Tagovailoa believes he's just as culpable. During his media availability on Tuesday, the quarterback said:
“I don't think [the record] shows the character of who we are as a team, doesn't show the work we've put in together this offseason. But nobody else will say it but me: I feel like this has a lot to do with myself, obviously putting myself in harm’s way in the second game, basically leaving my guys out to dry.”
Tua Tagovailoa's head injury derailed Dolphins' season
Tagovailoa has a long history of head injuries and he suffered another one in the Dolphins' Week 2 loss to the Bills, which sidelined him for four games.
In that four-game span, Miami averaged only 10 points and lost thrice. Tagovailoa's return did not improve their results as they lost the first two games that he played after recovering from his head injury.
However, the offense looked significantly better, as they scored 27 points in both games. The Dolphins suspended their slump with a 23-15 win over the Los Angeles Rams, before recording a 34-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and a 34-15 blowout victory over the New England Patriots.
A fourth straight win would have made them favorites to earn a wildcard spot, but the loss at Lambeau Field to the Packers has left them in a tricky spot. Given how potent the offense has looked in the eight games Tagovailoa has played, it's difficult to not believe that the Dolphins could have won all three games they lost in his absence.
They could have been 8-4 and fifth in the AFC standings. Instead, they are 5-7 with no margin for error. If the Dolphins miss the playoffs, they'll look back at the injury Tagovailoa suffered in Week 2 and ponder what could have been.