Alabama Crimson Tide in the NFL Week 8 Tracker: Tua Tagovailoa Notches First Win

Nearly a year to the day Tua Tagovailoa suffered a hip injury to end his Alabama career, the quarterback will make his first NFL start for the Miami Dolphins

Author:
Kristi Patrick
Publish date:
Nov 2, 2020 12:26 AM EST

Tua Tagovailoa got his first win as a starting quarterback, but he didn't have a lot to do with it.

For the first time since 2009, the Dolphins scored touchdowns on defense and special teams. Miami took advantage of four turnovers on its way to a 28-17 victory over the Rams on Sunday.

"I don't think I played to the standard of what this offense is capable of," Tagovailoa told reporters afterward. "There were certain plays where I could have stepped up and made the right throw, made the right decision. But it's good that we still came out with the win.

"Thank God we've got a good defense."

Tagovailoa was 12-for-22 for 93 yards, with one touchdown. He was the first quarterback to win his first career start with fewer than 100 passing yards and 20-plus attempts since Donovan McNabb in 1999.

For more coverage, check out AllDolphins.

A'Shawn Robinson, Saivion Smith and Levi Wallace Activated

There was a bunch of activity on Saturday as teams made final roster moves in preparation for this weekend's games.

Cornerback Levi Wallace (ankle) was activated from the Bills' injured reserved.

Defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson was activated from the Rams' Reserve/Non-Football Injury List.

Defensive back Saivion Smith was activated from the Cowboys' practice squad (standard elevation).

Bo Scarbrough was released by the Lions, who had a glut at running back.

Another Historic Game by Julio Jones

Julio Jones had a typical Julio Jones game on Thursday, which was good news for the Atlanta Falcons.

The wide receiver had seven catches for 137 yards to help lead a 25-17 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Per NFL Research, Jones finished with 125-plus receiving yards in a game for the 35th time in his career, which tied Randy Moss for the second-most during the Super Bowl era. The only player with more is Jerry Rice, with 49.

Jones also passed Torry Holt (12,660) for the second-most receiving yards by a player in his first 10 seasons in NFL history. Again, he trails only Rice (13,275 yards to 12,709).

Josh Jacobs 'Embarrassed' by Loss

Josh Jacobs isn't into excuses.

Even though the Raiders were without their entire starting offensive line last week after right tackle Trent Brown tested positive for the coronavirus and the other four starters were sent home because they had “high risk” contacts with Brown, and the Buccaneers allow a league-low 3.0 yards per carry, he as unhappy with Sunday's game.

“I was embarrassed. It was very embarrassing for me,” Jacobs told reporters Wednesday. “I went and looked at film. I went and watched practice. I watched previous games. I was trying to see where I could improve my game, what I could bring to this team to try to get the guys motivated to be where we want to be.”

Jacobs was held to 17 yards on 10 carries.

The Raiders are at the Browns this week.

Week 8 Preview

It's Tua time in Miami.

Sunday afternoon, Alabama fans will finally get to see Tua Tagovailoa make his first start since suffering a season-ending hip injury last year against Mississippi State, although it'll be with the Dolphins after they took him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Last week, Miami named Tagovailoa its starting quarterback going forward even though the Dolphins had been playing well under Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Thing is, Tagovailoa, drafted fifth overall, is considered the future of the franchise. He was the fourth quarterback selected in the first round by the Dolphins during the common-draft era (since 1967), joining Dan Marino (1983), Bob Griese (1967), and Ryan Tannehill (2012).

He'll become the third rookie quarterback this season to make his first career start, joining Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and the Chargers’ Justin Herbert.

Per the NFL:

Tagovailoa bids to become the first rookie quarterback to win his initial NFL start since Denver’s Drew Lock in Week 13 of last season. Lock and his Broncos host Herbert and the Chargers on Sunday.
Including Tagovailoa this week, quarterbacks under the age of 26 are expected to start their collective 100th NFL game in 2020. So far this season, that group has started a combined 91 games, tied for the second-most through Week 7 in NFL history.
Of those 91 starts by a quarterback under the age of 26, 40 have resulted in wins, the fourth-most victories by quarterbacks under the age of 26 through Week 7 in NFL history.

Matchup of the week

Fresh off the hard-hitting win against Derrick Henry and Tennessee, the Pittsburgh Steelers have another showdown with the rival Baltimore Ravens. Running back Mark Ingram II has the benefit of coming off a full week of rest during Baltimore's bye, but his status is uncertain due to an ankle injury. The Ravens also have offensive linemen Bradley Bozeman and D.J. Fluker and cornerback Marlon Humphrey. Defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick is a key player for the Steelers, who also have defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs and center J.C. Hassenauer.

NFL Schedule Week 8

Monday's game

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Giants, 8:15 pm, ESPN

Byes: Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington Football Team

Week 8 Notes

• There have been numerous reports out of New York that the Jets will listed to trade offers for defensive lineman Quinnen Williams. “Honestly I just don’t read it, man,” Williams told SiriusXM SEC Radio. “Just don’t look at it, just don’t read it. You just don’t really listen to it, just don’t really pay it any attention, man. ‘Cause like I said, I gotta go out there every single day. I can’t control being traded. I can’t control being not traded. So it’s like, I can’t control being cut, released or anything like that. I can control what I can control, and that’s going out there every Sunday, every day, during practice, putting my best foot forward, working hard and just trying to be the best player I know I can be and the best player that I am."

• Trade rumors have also been heard in regards to New York Giants defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson, although he probably won't be moved prior to the trade deadline on Tuesday. Tomlinson, a second-round selection in 2017, is in the final year of his rookie contract. “I think we just come in each week and just worry about the game plan so we can execute the game plan each week,” Tomlinson said recently. “That’s what we just focus on, what we can control.”

• Julio Jones was asked if he wanted to be traded following Atlanta's 23-22 loss to Detroit on Sunday. "No," was his quick response. "I play football. I know who I am, I know what I got going on. I know what I mean to this team."

• Bears safety Eddie Jackson had his third-career fumble return for a touchdown on Monday. His six defensive scores since 2017 lead the league.

• Chargers defensive tackle has his first sack of the season last week, while Lions defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand had his third career forced fumble.