This under fire QB has the same passer rating as Patrick Mahomes in 2021 NFL season
Patrick Mahomes' early-season struggles seem to be in the rear-view. Over the Kansas City Chiefs' four-game winning streak, Mahomes has found his groove again. The 2018 MVP has thrown seven touchdowns with just to two interceptions in his last four games and has silenced critics who belabored him.
But one quarterback who is constantly under fire is Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa has struggled at times with turning the ball over too much and not being aggressive enough. But statistically, his numbers are better than you'd think. For proof, look no further than his passer rating being the same as Mahomes' through 12 weeks.
Patrick Mahomes has the same passer rating as Tua Tagovailoa.
Both quarterbacks have a passer rating of 94.7. For reference, the league average in passer rating in 2020 was 93.6. Meaning Tagovailoa and Patrick Mahomes are just above league-average this season in that category.
Tua Tagovailoa's season passer rating is all the way up to 94.7.
Patrick Mahomes is at 94.7.
Patrick Mahomes has a career average passer rating of 105.7. That's the best career passer rating in NFL history. This season hasn't been his best, as his ten interceptions in the first eight weeks were alarming. But he's rebounded nicely since then and has the Kansas City Chiefs getting hot at the right time.
But Tagovailoa hasn't earned the same respect as Mahomes this season. Tagovailoa has the Miami Dolphins riding a three-game winning streak and is back in the playoff hunt with a record of 5-7. With the New York Giants and New York Jets on hand next, the Dolphins could wind up at 7-7.
Tagovailoa earned the same passer rating as Patrick Mahomes despite having to overcome a horrid offensive line. The Dolphins' O-line is defective at pass blocking, which is a reason they've struggled to win.
Tua Tagovailoa ranks 8th in QBR this season, despite the Dolphins ranking last in pass block win rate.
The most potent trait of Tagovailoa is his accuracy. He ranks second in the NFL in completion percentage this season behind Mac Jones. He doesn't attempt the most passes downfield, but it's due to the playcalling and system.
His connection with former Alabama teammate Jaylen Waddle has been on point in recent weeks. The remaining six games will be a showcase for the first-round pick to show he deserves another chance.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa completed 27-of-33 (81.8%) of his passes on Sunday, making him just the 4th QB in NFL history to complete at least 80% of his passes in back-to-back games with at least 30 attempts.
Tua has now completed 70.5% of his passes this season, 2nd in the NFL.
For all the flack and criticism Tagovailoa receives, it's somewhat unwarranted. He's now started 16 games and has a large enough sample size to evaluate himself. He has a 9-7 record as a starting quarterback. He's thrown for 3,515 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
These stats don't blow you away like Patrick Mahomes did his rookie season. But they're respectable enough to the point where the Dolphins should stick with him in 2022.
Deshaun Watson will be the name looming over the Dolphins this offseason. But to avoid controversy by signing Watson during his legal investigation, the Dolphins should trust the process and stick with Tagovailoa.
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