Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been at the center of attention since he was on the big stage for the Alabama Crimson Tide in his collegiate career. Then, when he was selected fifth overall in 2020, he was an even bigger star.
While his first two seasons in the NFL haven’t gone the way he would’ve liked, he’s still led the Dolphins to a winning record in games that he starts. In 2020, he went back and forth as the starter with Ryan Fitzpatrick, and, in 2021, he missed a number of games due to injury.
And, although there’s been criticism surrounding his play, he’s had some bright spots in certain situations.
In Touchdown Wire’s piece that found the best quarterback against different defensive coverages, Miami’s signal-caller was listed as the best in the league when playing goal-line defenses.
Here’s what Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar wrote about Tagovailoa:
“The 2022 offseason has seen more than its share of off theories when it comes to Tua Tagovailoa’s effectiveness and explosiveness, and further proof that if you’re into that sort of thing, you can bend metrics to buttress any argument you choose.
One set of metrics that actually bends in Tagovailoa’s favor? His performance against goal-line defenses. In those situations, Tagovailoa completed six of seven passes for 25 yards, 12 air yards, six touchdowns, no interceptions, a passer rating of 121.1, and an ANY/A of 20.7. Not that Tagovailoa had a ton of complex stuff to work through in these red zone situations, but he certainly got the job done.”
Tagovailoa now has an improved offensive line, an offensive-minded head coach who brings a new system and some new weapons that should make it easier for him to attack multiple defensive coverages, especially the red zone.
This should help guys like Mike Gesicki, who finished with just two touchdowns in 2021, get open in goal-line situations and find his way into more six-point trips.