It’s another edition of Miami Dolphins Q&A, where South Florida Sun Sentinel writers David Furones and Chris Perkins answer questions from readers.
Q: What do you think is the biggest cause of Tua’s poor on field play? Is it O-line, poor play-calling, or just him regressing? Also why’s his attitude completely changed from years past? — Benjamin Cannon on X
This is mildly refreshing to not start with something critical of Steve Ross as owner or how he needs to fire coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has now had back-to-back three-interception games.
Yes, it’s somewhat deceiving because, in the loss to the Chargers, one was bobbled by Jaylen Waddle and another was on a last-ditch effort where Miami needed laterals anyway. There’s no excuse for the ones against the Browns last Sunday, though. Not the weather, nor the ailing thumb on his throwing hand.
Tagovailoa can’t miss where he did to De’Von Achane in the flat, for the Tyson Campbell pick-six. He can’t just let it go blindly right to Rayshawn Jenkins when under pressure in the end zone. And he just wasn’t reading the defense when Ronnie Hickman picked him off later.
Honestly, I look back at “Show me the money!” Since he made that declaration in front of fans at training camp upon getting that lucrative contract extension, I hate to say it, but it feels like he has changed.
And there are other factors, as well. Obviously, he lost the veteran right guard who was supposed to help fix the offensive line three plays into the season and right tackle Austin Jackson went down later in that opener, so down goes his right side of the line. He obviously was under constant duress in Cleveland.
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By Week 4, star wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s leg turns the wrong way in a devastating knee injury. He now has tight end Darren Waller dealing with a pectoral injury. All these things add up.
Tua was looking like his old self in the first half against the Carolina Panthers. It has been awful in the 10 quarters since.
To an extent, teams have figured him out, given his known limitations — lack of size and mobility.
Q: Why have Tua and Mike turned on each other? Where did that come from? — @DolphinsDraft1 on X
This is an interesting one.
I’m not going to say definitively they have turned on one another, which the question implies. But there are little hints dropped.
McDaniel was adamant that Tagovailoa’s players-only film sessions were not a valid reason for the loss to the Chargers, when switching from backing his call-out of teammates to instead saying his quarterback shouldn’t have said that in a public setting.
McDaniel seemed to let out his frustration with a bit of sarcasm on Monday, with his quip about expecting Tua won’t throw 10 picks in remaining the starter.
These type of things just get magnified when the team is losing. Maybe there’s something going on behind the scenes. Maybe it’s nothing.
Let’s also not forget this is the coach that rebuilt Tagovailoa’s confidence in order to make stark improvements in 2022 and 2023. Remember the image of McDaniel kissing Tua on the head after last season’s concussion.
But could there be a feeling for McDaniel that Tagovailoa’s play is costing him his job after the coach went to bat for him in getting him that extension?
Q: Are they waiting for the bye week to make a change? — Will Brewer on X
My understanding is Ross legitimately wants to practice patience.
He likes the people he has running the football operation, as frustrating as that might be for fans to hear.
That said, patience has to be wearing thin for him with results like that Browns game.
If it all just continues downhill, the bye week, coming back from Spain, would make sense. If the Dolphins are embarrassed again between Sunday’s coming game in Atlanta and the following Thursday night at home against the Ravens, the mini-bye that follows could present an opportunity, as well.
