As famed Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth once said, you always want what you haven’t got. During the Ryan Tannehill era, many Dolphin fans lamented that the team didn’t have a less physical but perhaps more accurate quarterback who could nickel and dime the opposing team down the field, extend drives and come away with points more often. You know — exactly the kind of QB the team has now. Ah, but that was then. Now, of course, size, height, arm strength, and overall physicality are the be-all-end-all. Why? Because Josh Allen plays for our inter-division rival, the Buffalo Bills, who are 4-0 and counting against the Dolphins during the Brian Flores era. Allen, who tips the scales at 6’5”, 237 pounds, is the favorite quarterback of many Dolphin fans, along with Justin Herbert, of course. Then again, many of those guys would probably still take Josh Rosen over Tua Tagovailoa, if only because that would mean they wouldn’t have to hear about Tagovailoa so much. It has to be disheartening when the guy who quarterbacks your favorite team, and whom you never wanted to begin with, is also the fourth most popular player in the entire NFL. But Tagovailoa, based on merchandise sales, is hugely popular for more reasons than just having a million-dollar smile, or for having overcome a devastating injury. He’s hugely popular because there are an awful lot of people, many of whom aren’t even Dolphin fans, who believe he’s going to do great things in the NFL. All by himself, the young man has already accounted for a substantial increase in the value of the franchise for whom he toils. I don’t think I need to tell you that that translates into more nationally televised games, which those of us who don’t reside in the South Florida area or are able to have a satellite dish installed, appreciate.
But I get it; ‘Cranehead, we don’t care about the team’s bottom line or jersey sales. We want a title’. So do I, but you could do a lot worse in that endeavor than the kid from Hawaii, by way of Alabama. Even now, when I go back and look at the highlights from February’s Super Bowl, I can honestly say that every single throw I saw Tom Brady make, I think Tagovailoa could make, and maybe more. One of the things he does that I think is often overlooked is how accurately he can throw when he leaps into the air. Forget throwing off your back foot, how about throwing off no foot? If you think this is easy, try taking a ball, even just a tennis ball, jumping into the air, and then throwing it accurately. It’s one of those things that looks easy but isn’t.
In sum, I think it’s going to be an exciting season, and hopefully, we can take at least one from the Bills for a change. I also hope that we can at least have some semblance of coming together as a fan base. Up until now, it’s been relatively easy to bash the young quarterback and get away with it, because his only body of work has been his rookie season. That window of opportunity is rapidly closing. I think the kid is going to come out in week one, first game, first quarter, first drive, with both barrels blazing. Yeah, this is the NFL, but that doesn’t mean that Tagovailoa can’t do many of the same things he did in Tuscaloosa. Including winning championships. That’s the wrap for today, have a great week, everybody.
Leave a Reply