Tua Tagovailoa’s breakout game doesn’t equal future success

Trailing 35-14 heading into the fourth quarter, the Miami Dolphins scored 28 factors within the remaining body to cap off a exceptional comeback in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens. Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had six landing passes on the day, marking simply his second profession recreation with greater than two passing touchdowns and his first recreation with greater than 4. Tagovailoa was below plenty of strain to carry out this season, and he seemingly silenced plenty of doubters on Sunday along with his comeback in opposition to a stout Ravens protection.

I’m right here to be a Unfavorable Nancy although. I’m not saying that Tagovailoa’s efficiency on Sunday wasn’t nice. It was. A number of the throws he made had been *makes Italian hand gesture* chef’s kiss! However consider the gamers who’ve thrown for six-plus touchdowns in a recreation just lately. Since 2010, the record consists of guys like Patrick Mahomes, Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees, but it surely additionally consists of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt Flynn, Nick Foles, and Mitchell Trubisky.

So, there are three choices it appears, both he falls to irrelevancy like these final three guys, turns into a Corridor of Famer like the primary 5, or continues being a mediocre quarterback who by no means comes near that profession day ever once more, like Ryan “Fitzmagic” Fitzpatrick. Whereas it’d be straightforward to imagine that the third possibility will occur, Tua’s recreation feels completely different than the likes of Flynn, Foles, and Trubisky. For one, Tagovailoa threw for 469 yards (second-most among the many three quarterbacks listed) with most of that yardage coming in clutch time. If these six scores had been extra unfold out, I’d be much less inclined to place confidence in Tua, however the truth that plenty of that yardage and most of these touchdowns got here in crunch time reveals a clutch issue we’ve by no means seen in Tua earlier than. Will we see it once more? Perhaps not, however now he’s flashed that aspect of him to us and we are able to’t ignore it.

That being mentioned, Trubisky’s six-TD efficiency holds a couple of similarities to Tagovailoa. This was Tua’s second recreation in Mike McDaniel’s system. Trubisky had his six-TD recreation simply 4 video games into Matt Nagy’s tenure in Chicago. Nevertheless, the place Trubisky was counting on guys like Tarik Cohen, Taylor Gabriel, and Trey Burton, Tagovailoa had arguably the most effective receiving corps within the NFL. Tua appeared good, however how a lot of his success may be pinned on Tyreek Hill’s game-breaking pace, Jaylen Waddle’s elusiveness, or McDaniel’s system? I don’t know. Tua was in a position to land plenty of these deep photographs to Hill within the bread basket, however Hill was additionally open. Is it extra spectacular to make these deep throws or for Hill to discover a gap in a secondary that features Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters, and Marcus Williams?

All I’m saying is that whereas it’s enjoyable to have a look at latest performances and choose anyone’s future off a profession recreation, it’s most likely finest to mood expectations. In spite of everything, neither Trubisky nor Nagy lasted via 4 extra seasons within the Windy Metropolis. I hope issues are completely different in South Seashore, however we are able to’t be certain simply but.