Tua Focus Stays on Team
Tua Tagovailoa is not used to any kind of failure as a football player, but he's now had his first setback as an NFL quarterback.
The Miami Dolphins rookie first-round pick was pulled from his fourth NFL start after failing to move the offense against the Denver Broncos.
Veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who started the first six games before the Dolphins switched to Tagovailoa during their bye week, came early in the fourth quarter with Miami trailing 20-10.
Fitzpatrick led the Dolphins to a field goal drive and them in position to tie the score in the final minute after starting a drive at the Miami 1-yard line before he threw a game-clinching interception in the Broncos end zone.
“My thoughts were whatever was going to be best for the team," Tagovailoa said of his reaction to being benched. "When I was in, we couldn’t really get things going. Coach felt like it was the best decision to put Fitz in to try to give us a spark. When I heard that, it’s really what’s best for the team. If we were to win with Fitz in there, the locker room would be a lot different. Everyone would be a lot happier, but it just sucks to lose.”
Tagovailoa completed 11 of 20 passes for 83 yards, the second time in four games he's failed to throw for at least 100 yards.
But the first time it happened, the Dolphins defeated the Los Angeles Rams in his starting debut 28-17 thanks to touchdowns scored by the defense and special teams and an offensive score that came after a fumble return to the Rams 1-yard line.
Tagovailoa threw a touchdown pass against Denver to cap a 22-yard drive after Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard had an interception.
The only other scoring drive Tagovailoa engineers was a 52-yard field goal drive that took 14 plays.
Tua was sacked a season-high six times, though he admitted to sometimes holding the ball too long.
"What we were doing, we just couldn't execute and for me, it was a great learning experience," Tagovailoa said. "And I felt like I was holding the ball a little too long. I’ve just got to get completions and got to get the ball in the hands of our guys to make plays for us.
"Completions for me are the biggest thing for any offense to get drives starting. And I couldn't get the ball in the hands of our playmakers and our guys consistently to get a rhythm going. And so when Fitz got in, as you could see he got completions right away and he was able to lead our guys down to put points on the board and then towards the ending of the game as well."
Fitzpatrick said he spoke to Tagovailoa on the sideline and in the locker room about being benched and what advice he might have had for the rookie.
“It’s probably a conversation that’s over with now," Fitzpatrick said. "For him, he’s going to put his head down and keep working hard and keep trying to be a better quarterback, keep trying to get better every day. But we’ve got a great chance here as a team. Tua has done a nice job, so it’s about putting it behind you and moving on to the next one. I know that he’ll do a good job of that."
