There he was. There was the quarterback the Miami Dolphins noticed in drafting him. There was the considering, the accuracy, the playmaking and fully-functioning bundle proper right down to the aftermath when Tua Tagovailoa talked about his favourite play in a day of favorites, an 11-yarder to receiver Trent Sherfield, that was dominated simply in need of the tip zone within the third quarter.
“I think they took away his touchdown,” Tua stated to the media after the Dolphins’ 31-27 win in opposition to Detroit.
He singled out this play for greater than his telling coach Mike McDaniel to not use it, that he didn’t prefer it, and being proved unsuitable after seeing Sherfield open throughout the center. All day Tagovailoa made magic with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. He wished Sherfield to be rewarded with a landing, too.
“They took that away — do we agree?” he requested, then turned to a different reporter and requested. And one other. And …
“That’s five, six,” he stated, nonetheless counting, having enjoyable now. “There’s about 12 people raising their hand.”
He smiled right here, nonetheless preventing for an additional yard Sunday when his offense had a full load of them. Tua had a giant fourth quarter in coming again in opposition to Baltimore greater than a month in the past. This was the primary recreation in three years his offense put the accelerator down from the primary play and didn’t let up till he was executed finishing 29-of-36 passes for 382 yards and three touchdowns.
Did he really feel unstoppable?
“Well, we feel the only guys that can stop us is ourselves,” he stated.
His finest full recreation?
“I wouldn’t say so, not yet,” he stated. “Too early still.”
Ever since he arrived, the parade was forward of Tua, as if he’d already completed what folks hoped he would. Now some accomplishments have began this yr. It was true he was nice on Sunday. It’s additionally true he did what most each quarterback does in opposition to 1-6 Detroit, too.
The Dolphins (5-3) 31 factors of their sturdy efficiency?
They didn’t match the common 32.3 factors Detroit’s protection surrendered the earlier six video games.
So there’s room to say this Dolphins offense confirmed the indicators of impression you need and say they’ve to indicate it constantly to say one thing particular is at work right here. Does this recreation permit this offense to get on tracked now? Does it present such a recreation subsequent Sunday in opposition to a superb Chicago (3-5) protection?
Is this what to anticipate from Tagovailoa now, too? That’s the true query right here, the one which’s been requested in some kind since draft day.
So this efficiency by this offense, together with Tua, solely issues past Sunday if it builds to one thing extra. There have been indicators all via the day. McDaniel went to a play by which Tua threaded an 11-yard landing go to Mike Gesicki to provide the Dolphins lead within the third quarter they held to the tip.
“That was the fourth option,” McDaniel stated.
That was the quarterback they drafted, the one they wished, the arm that’s been given the league’s quickest supporting forged with Hill and Waddle. Hill is the MVP of this crew, the man protection’s concern. He had 12 catches for 188 yards on Sunday. That’s 4 instances he’s caught greater than 160 yards this yr. Mark Duper holds the crew report with eight such video games. It took Duper 69 video games to get there.
“We didn’t want it to be a track meet,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell stated
It was a observe meet the place the Dolphins took gold and silver with Hill and Waddle, simply as they’ll in opposition to most groups. Tua match into that completely Sunday. Look at his third-down stats: 9 for 9 for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
He additionally ran 18 yards on a 3rd down after which did one thing equally necessary. He slid to the bottom as a Detroit defender closed on him. His teammates cheered that slide as a lot because the play contemplating the hits he’s taken this yr.
“The guys were happy to see that,” Tua stated.
He stood right here, the tip of his finest recreation, even when he didn’t wish to say it.
“This is sort of what I envisioned [Sunday], but the greatest thing about this game is you can never get content,” Tagovailoa stated. “You’ve got to continue to keep growing. We’ll go and watch the film and look at things that you know we could have done better. That’s the best part of it.”
There he stood, the participant the Dolphins noticed in drafting him. The subsequent query is that if he may be that participant most Sundays.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com