The Miami Dolphins fell flat out of the gate during their 2023 campaign. Admittedly, they took a rough loss against the division rival Los Angeles Chargers, losing the contest 30-8. Most encouragingly, Tua Tagovailoa, the team’s quarterback, returned to the field after missing most of the last three weeks of practice with an oblique injury. He was never able to find a groove in the game. Tagovailoa finished 14 of 23 passing for 114 yards and a touchdown. He threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, the second time in three starts that he’s posted multiple turnovers.
Tagovailoa followed that up with a frustrating performance on Sunday. He finished with his lowest passing yards total since Week 18 of the 2021 season. He faced significant pressure from the Chargers’ defense, being sacked three times, including a crucial strip sack during the Dolphins’ second offensive drive. His pain was evident. The Dolphins had just 211 total yards of offense, the lowest total from coach Mike McDaniel’s offense since he took over in 2022.
After the game, Tagovailoa was angry and upset at the loss but realized they had to do better.
“This was the lack of a lot of things today,” – Tua Tagovailoa
Even after the loss, Tagovailoa was hopeful about his team’s ability to recover. He reinstated accountability of the staff to the players, and in that model suggested he would be held accountable for the team’s loss.
“We need to look in the mirror, we need to hold each other accountable. I would definitely say it starts with me,” – Tua Tagovailoa
Outside of his turnovers, Tagovailoa wanted to take time to reflect on his performance and discuss the ways in which he can improve. He said those were the kind of throws that he normally makes, like he missed on the Chargers.
“It was something left to be desired … there’s throws he makes nine times out of 10, and he didn’t make them today,” – Mike McDaniel
Over the course of his game, Tagovailoa appeared to shake off the rust from his injuries and stayed positive with his team’s chances of bouncing back.
“We don’t want to overreact, and we don’t want to underreact — we want to make sure we get this right so that this never happens again,” – Tua Tagovailoa
He is looking forward to returning to the office. He’s just as excited to get ready for their next contest vs the New England Patriots in Week 2.
Luckily, the Dolphins’ next challenge will be one of the easiest for them as they look to punish themselves for the blunders that occurred on Sunday. Tagovailoa and Coach McDaniel are on a mission to cut down on turnovers and play exceptional football. Yet, they all know how important a strong showing will be during the home opener.
As impressive as Tagovailoa is, he was spectacular last year — throwing just two interceptions from Weeks 8 through 14. This recent stretch of performance makes you question his consistency and decision-making when the game is on the line.
The Dolphins are preparing to take on the next opponent on their schedule. They do hope to address their concerns and present a much more united front on offense and defense. In order to avoid the pitfalls of their Week 1 loss, the entire team should regroup and learn from this experience. This is going to be key to their success this season!
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