Here’s a lesson that may be realized from Sunday’s Super Bowl: the Dolphins can get to the title recreation, and win, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. They simply want to complete constructing their workforce and discover a method to play to Tagovailoa’s strengths.
Obviously, that’s way more troublesome than it sounds, however it could occur.
Let’s take note of what’s actually occurring within the NFL. Teams have made it to Super Bowls with no star quarterback who throws for 4,500 yards and 30 touchdowns. And they’ve carried out it just lately.
Philly gained a Super Bowl in 2017 with quarterback Nick Foles.
Sometimes you get to Super Bowls due to your workforce — not due to your quarterback. You don’t want a strapping, 6-foot-5 man with a rocket of a proper arm.
Here’s hoping the Dolphins, who’ve made latest pursuits of famous person quarterbacks Tom Brady and Deshaun Watson, get that very same takeaway from this yr’s Super Bowl.
Kansas City, led by the dynamic passer, Patrick Mahomes, faces Philadelphia, led by the dynamic participant, Jalen Hurts.
Even if Hurts and the Eagles don’t win, the quarterback takeaway stays the identical as a result of Hurts isn’t your prototypical twenty first century NFL passing quarterback.
There are groups that know tips on how to construct and win whatever the quarterback and Philadelphia is one in every of them.
Similarly, the Rams went to latest Super Bowls with Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford at quarterback.
San Francisco reached Super Bowls with quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Jimmy Garoppolo, and got here shut this yr with rookie Brock Purdy.
It’s not essentially the quarterback, as Super Bowl appearances from Garoppolo, Goff and Foles will attest, it’s realizing tips on how to construct a workforce and play to your quarterback’s strengths.
The Dolphins, who’ve strongly voiced their stance that Tagovailoa might be their starter subsequent season, appear content material with their quarterback scenario.
“I would say with Tua, he’s our starting quarterback,” common supervisor Chris Grier stated on the Dolphins’ season-ending information convention final month. “I don’t know how we could say it any more clearly.”
That’s good. That a part of the equation is settled.
Now the Dolphins should determine the easiest way to win with Tagovailoa.
Perhaps it’s having a powerful floor recreation and higher using play motion and a good finish. Or maybe it’s throwing extra check-downs and eliminating the ball quicker. Perhaps it’s constructing a bone-crushing protection.
And as a result of Tagovailoa comes with concussion issues they’ll want a high quality backup, they usually’ll have to make use of that very same philosophy that they’ll win with out him throwing for 4,500 yards and 30 touchdowns.
It wouldn’t damage to amass a top-notch working again to take some strain off Tagovailoa, one thing that will make the play-action and star receiver Tyreek Hill more practical.
In the previous, it appeared the Dolphins spent manner an excessive amount of time plotting and scheming to get a quarterback that matches a sure mildew.
To me, they need to have simply constructed their total workforce whereas determining tips on how to win with their present quarterback. And then when “that guy” comes alongside it’s a plug-and-play scenario.
That’s why Philly is within the Super Bowl.
It’s why San Francisco was in a position to attain the NFC Championship recreation.
There are maybe solely 5 or 6 elite quarterbacks, or, extra exactly, 5 or 6 quarterbacks that play at an elite degree every year.
Good groups know quarterbacks don’t have to suit a selected mildew.
For instance, Mahomes had 648 passing makes an attempt in the course of the common season, which ranked third within the NFL, whereas Hurts had 460 passing makes an attempt, which ranked sixteenth. That is sensible contemplating Hurts’ expertise and the way the Eagles win video games.
Meanwhile, Hurts had 165 dashing makes an attempt, whereas Mahomes had 61. Again, that is sensible contemplating Hurts’ expertise and the way the Eagles win video games.
Yes, it’s a quarterback’s league, greater than ever.
And, sure, the quarterback remains to be a very powerful participant on the sphere. It was that manner within the days of Slingin’ Sammy Baugh and Y.A. Tittle within the Thirties and Forties.
The factor to recollect is you possibly can win together with your quarterback taking part in virtually any fashion.
One of the massive takeaways from the Super Bowl is {that a} workforce, as soon as adequately constructed, doesn’t want a future Hall of Fame quarterback. Philly already proved that with Foles, and it’s proving it once more with Hurts.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com