Tua Tagovailoa is 3-0 as a starter for the Miami Dolphins. (Craig Davis for Fivereasonssports.com)

Pressure Point: Dolphins find more than a QB—they find how to win

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The Tua train rolls on.

That would be the simplistic take on the 6-3 Miami Dolphins. It tells only a piece of the story — albeit an important one — though of a team that won all of five games a year ago and now in this very different season is on a five-game winning streak and stands a mere one-half game out of first place in the AFC East.

Much was made ahead of Sunday’s 29-21 Dolphins win over the Los Angeles Chargers about the first meeting between the quarterbacks drafted one pick apart this past April. So give the decision to Tua Tagovailoa (taken at No. 5 by the Dolphins) over Justin Herbert, if you must.

A better gauge is to look at how two teams that finished 5-11 in 2019 have done since that draft.

It is apparent that both teams have found their quarterback. Of greater significance, the Dolphins in their second season under coach Brian Flores have found how to win.

The Chargers, led by Herbert, have piled up impressive stats. Their offense came into Sunday averaging 420 yards a game, nearly 100 more than Miami (322.9).

But they left Hard Rock Stadium with a 2-7 record, all of their losses by a combined 29 points.

Tua puts up numbers that count

Some Dolphins fans seem bothered that Tagovailoa doesn’t have more gaudy numbers after three starts. They want 300-yard games (he has yet to produce one). They want Marino numbers.

What they are getting with Tagovailoa is of greater consequence: efficiency, effectiveness.

On Sunday, two touchdown passes, 169 yards, 106.9 passer rating, no interceptions.

In three starts, he has thrown five touchdown passes — to five different receivers — and has yet to throw a pick.

Tua joined Carson Wentz (2016) as the only quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era to win their first three starts without throwing an interception.

There were no sacks Sunday. A reflection on the pass protection, to be sure, but also on Tua displaying a quick release and ability to escape the rush.

After Sunday’s win Flores was asked about whether this is the style of play he’s seeking from his team — the implication being that the Dolphins are winning without dazzling.

“I’m not really into style, fashion … but playing team football — offense, defense, special teams — if that’s what you mean, everyone involved, everyone’s role is important, good fundamentals, good technique, and just trying to grind out wins in a tough league, every game’s hard.”

Regarding Tagovailoa, Flores said:

“We’ve talked about this. We have a lot of confidence in all our draft picks, that they’re going to develop and improve. He’s no different. That’s what we’re trying to do, develop and improve, and take it week-to-week.”

Many names add up to Dolphins’ win

On Sunday, the Dolphins won again not just because Tua did his part, but also because of names with less recognition like Andrew Van Ginkel (blocked punt that put them on the doorstep of the first touchdown) and Salvon Ahmed, an undrafted rookie who rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown in his first start at running back.

Jakeem Grant had a game-high 43 yards on four receptions and a touchdown, helping fill the void with Preston Williams in injured reserve. He also contributed to favorable field position by averaging 19 yards on three punt returns.

There was unheralded Zach Sieler, a waiver wire pickup last December, continuing to stand out on the defensive line. He had two tackles for loss. On one, he pressured Herbert, who threw short to a back. Sieler hustled back and made the tackle.

There was cornerback Xavien Howard, flagged four times for pass interference a week ago, with a fourth-quarter interception that took the starch out of any Chargers comeback hopes.

There was defensive back Nik Needham, another undrafted player who has forged a key role in his second season. Needham had a sack and broke up a deep pass for three-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen.

The Miami secondary kept standout Charger wideouts Allen and Mike Williams mostly in check (combined five catches for 77 yards and a meaningless TD to Allen in the final two minutes).

Defense leads Dolphins’ resurgence

It was no accident Herbert had his worst statistical day in eight starts. The Dolphins defense kept him off balance by disguising their intentions on blitzes and coverage.

It is evident that while Tua may be the conductor, the Flores/Josh Boyer defense is the driving force in this run of seven wins in the past eight games.

“I think defensively we played, … We made it hard for them early in the game, getting off the field on third down. A lot of guys played well. I thought there was good communication, really across the board defensively, the kicking game, offensively,” Flores said.

Also notable was the response of center Ted Karras in standing up for the botched exchange with Tagovailoa as the Dolphins were on the verge of taking a 21-0 lead. Karras said his hands were wet with sweat in explaining why the ball squirted out like a greased pigskin and took full responsibility.

That one play swung the momentum to the Chargers and led to the outcome being in doubt until Howard’s interception.

It was Tua who chased down Nick Vigil and made the tackle on the fumble return.

“Well, that’s a gutsy play and one of the plays of the game and something that is just great team football and not on my part, on that play, and that hurts,” Karras said. “You want to always be the guy to be old reliable, but this team is so fun to play with and there’s a brotherhood here and I think that’s why it hurt me so much. But we rallied … We won the game and we’re going to keep rolling.”

Just another indication that these Dolphins are buying into Flores’ message of everyone doing whatever it takes to grind out wins, whatever it takes.

Including Tua, who ended his postgame media session by declaring, “Go, Fins!”

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

 

Dolphins Rams

Tua, Dolphins Defeat Chargers 29-21 in Action-Packed Performance

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The storyline of this game was all about a rookie quarterback battle between Tua Tagovailoa and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert.

And in some ways, that was exactly what happened. But perhaps more so, this game was about stone cold efficiency on all three sides of the ball. And where the Chargers faltered, the Dolphins delivered.

On the second play of the game, Nik Needham sacked Justin Herbert, setting up a third down conversion the Chargers couldn’t complete. On the punt deep in their own territory, Andrew Van Ginkel stepped up for a key block and recovery that led to the Dolphins’ first TD, a 1-yard run by Salvon Ahmed in the second minute of the game. The scoring drive summary was one play for one yard in four seconds.

That set the tone for the rest of the game with the Fins only punting twice. Tua Tagovailoa put together a number of excellent drives with the help of runningback Salvon Ahmed (85 yards, 1 TD), who got the start with three of the Fins’ top RBs out. Jakeem Grant proved he wasn’t just a return specialist as he averaged almost 11 yards per reception, and even Durham Smythe got in on the party on a beautifully designed touchdown play by offensive coordinator Chan Gailey that saw every member of the Chargers defense run in the exact opposite direction they should’ve been going in.

Los Angeles put up a fight and the Fins looked a bit lackluster after a mishandled snap by center Ted Karras in the second quarter, but they rallied in the third after a huge interception by Xavien Howard. “It changed the momentum,” the star cornerback said simply after the game. Howard and fellow cornerback Byron Jones effectively shut down the Chargers’ star wideout, Keenan Allen, who only totaled 39 yards on the day. He was targeted seven times and only reeled in three, thanks in large part to the Fins’ stellar secondary.

The Dolphins’ defense took Herbert down for two sacks (including one by Emmanuel Ogbah, who has a sack in six straight games) and eight QB hits. Five tackles for loss and six passes defensed ended in a largely dominant performance that the Chargers just couldn’t match.

Perhaps the real stars of the day, the offensive line protected the Fins’ most valuable offensive asset to near perfection and created opportunities all over the field for Salvon Ahmed. Outside of Karras’ misstep, the O-line stood strong and had arguably their best performance of the season. Tagovailoa was only hit once throughout the entire game and not sacked at all. Although he had a couple of lucky throws that perhaps should’ve been interceptions, he ended the day 3-0 as a starter with zero interceptions and five touchdowns on his rookie season. Not bad for a rookie with a bad hip.

The need-to-know in Canes recruiting: Offense

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Since the 2020 season kicked off, Miami’s noise on the recruiting trail has died dow just a tad bit but the momentum is still strong. The 9th-ranked Canes sit with 21 commits for the 2021 class, which is ranked 9th in the nation and 2nd in the ACC. So where does Miami stand with each position and what names should you be familiar with heading into next month’s Early Signing Period? Here’s some updates for you on the offensive side of the ball. 

 

Quarterback

Commits: None

 

Targets: Jake Garcia (Loganville Grayson, GA)

 

As the saying goes, you need a quarterback in every class. Regardless of how many you have on their roster or how many you took in the previous class, YOU NEED A QUARTERBACK. I think everyone can agree that a surplus of QB’s on your roster is better than a shortage.

 

At this point, there’s pretty much only one guy that QBs coach/OC Rhett Lashlee has his sights set on and that’s Valdosta’s (GA) Jake Garcia. Garcia is originally from El Habra, CA but transferred to Valdosta after the state of California pushed back the 2020 high school football season to at least this upcoming spring. That meant no senior season for Garcia and with family living in the Atlanta area, it was a move that both him and his family were up for. However, Garcia’s season was cut short recently. After an ESPN feature story on how his family made the move and how he was cleared to transfer, two neighboring (and rival) schools of Valdosta filed a complaint. Somehow and some way, Garcia was allowed to transfer AGAIN to Grayson High in nearby Loganville, GA and play immediately. 

 

 

Miami’s been on his tail for quite a while, even while he’s been committed to USC, and this will continue to be a recruitment to watch for two reasons: the first is that he is one of two QBs committed to the Trojans (Miller Moss), and secondly, USC recently offered another QB out of Utah. That can only mean that they do not feel comfortable with the commitment status of one of their QB’s (take a wild guess). But according to some of the guests we’ve had on The Sixth Ring (Gaby Urritia of 247Sports and Stefan Adams of CanesInsight), for how long this saga has dragged on, it is concerning that Garcia has not switched his commitment. The situation is definitely fluid at this point.

 

Running Back

Commits: Thaddeus Franklin (Hollywood Chaminade Madonna, FL)

 

The Canes currently have four scholarship backs on the team, including two highly-touted freshmen in Jaylan Knighton and Don Chaney, but there’s a decent possibility that Knighton and Chaney could be the only two backs left in 2021. There’s also junior Cam Harris, who could opt for the NFL Draft, and Robert Burns, who I’m predicting to grad transfer in lieu of more playing time at another program. 

 

It’s looking more likely that they’re going to stick with just Franklin, the 6’2” bruiser back out of Broward County, as their only other target was Miami Central’s Amari Daniels. Daniels recently committed to Texas A&M. 

 

Wide Receiver

Commits: Jacolby George (Plantation, FL), Romello Brinson (Miami Northwestern, FL), Brashard Smith (Miami Southridge, FL)

 

The haul at receiver as of now should bring much excitement for Canes fans moving forward. In my opinion, Brinson is very underrated with solid speed and excellent footwork, even as the 24th-best receiver in the nation. Standing 6’2”, 180 lbs, he’s bound to fight for playing time in 2021 and could be a WR1 in the future. His skill set was on full display against Miami Southridge and five-star Florida commit Jason Marshall.

 

 

Miami also has Jacolby George committed, who’s also a four-star recruit, is probably the best receiver in Broward County and is not that far behind Brinson in the rankings. George only weighs in at 161 so he probably needs a year or two to add weight to see substantial playing time. 

 

To finish it off, Brashard Smith is on the shorter end of the stick at 5’8” but he is the ideal fit for Rhett Lashlee’s offense in the slot. 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins describes him as “a menace in the slot that’s capable of scoring anytime he touches the ball.”

 

Tight End

Commits: Elijah Arroyo (Independence Frisco, TX), Khalil Brantley (Miami Northwestern, FL)

 

Miami’s set, pretty much. The Canes should expect to lose Brevin Jordan after this season and possibly Will Mallory, which would leave them with just two scholarship tight ends in Larry Hodges and Dominic Mammarelli. Arroyo is a four-star prospect, ranked as the third-best tight end in the nation according to 247Sports and he’s been a star for Frisco so far this season. Through the first 3 games, he’s had 15 catches for 321 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. Brantley is one of three Miami Northwestern commits in the fold and is a key piece of the Bulls as they are considered to be the best high school team in South Florida. 

 

Offensive Line

Commits: Laurence Seymore (Miami Central, FL), Michael McLaughlin (Parkland Stoneman Douglas, FL), Ryan Rodriguez (Miami Christopher Colombus, FL)

 

Targets: Austin Barber (Jacksonville Trinity Christian Academy, FL)

 

Yeah yeah, you’ve heard the concerns about Miami’s OL from the past couple of years. For the most part, there’s still a lot of youth and inexperience but as it stands, Miami has a great trio of linemen committed and they’re the best of the best in South Florida. The highest-rated commit is Laurence Seymore, who is rated as the 10th-best guard in the country. Seymore is also Miami’s longest-tenured commit, having been committed since March of 2018. The 6’7” McLaughlin has since added good weight since committing to the Canes earlier this year and is hitting close to 300 pounds. Rodriguez looks to be the center of the future for Miami and is next in line to replace Corey Gaynor after this season. 

 

One name to watch going forward is Austin Barber out of Jacksonville. He recently backed off his pledge to Minnesota and OL coach Garin Justice has made frequent contact with him. However, as Adams reported on our show, it’s still relatively early in Miami’s chase for Barber and considering Miami now has 3 spots open, I would not be surprised if things heat up in Miami’s favor. 

 

https://twitter.com/Andrew_Ivins/status/1322229032012959745

 

Be sure to look out for another episode of The Sixth Ring on Friday night as we preview the Canes taking on Virginia Tech. Stay tuned to @5ReasonsCanes and @PaulAustria_ on Twitter for the latest in Hurricanes news and catch us on The Sixth Ring show twice a week as well pre and post-game.

 

Also, sign up for an account on Prizepicks.com, where you can pick the over/under on fantasy projections on some of your favorite players. Enter the promo code “five” to double your initial deposit.

 

The Rise of the (Miami) King

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Manny Diaz didn’t hesitate.

The Miami Hurricanes had come out flat against North Carolina State. The Wolfpack had gone 89 yards in 6 plays to take a 7-0 lead. The last thing Miami wanted to do was punt the ball back to NC State.

So no, Manny Diaz didn’t hesitate. Instead, he put the ball in the hands of his best player, D’Eriq King. That faith paid off when King galloped 42 yards for a 1st down.

When Miami finished the drive with a TD, we knew that King’s run had lifted the Canes back into the game, providing a platform from which to build.

What we didn’t know is that for the next 4 quarters, D’Eriq King would put on a performance that would put him in the same breath of any of the great QBs that ever played at QB U.

Miami’s defense crumbled against the precision passing of backup QB Bailey Hockman. But every time the Wolfpack would threaten to separate, there was King and the Canes, answering back.

NC State’s strategy was simple. They didn’t respect King’s ability to connect on deep passes. And they had reason. Miami had struggled to connect downfield all year. So they loaded up on the run and dared Miami’s maligned, COVID-depleted receiving corps to get open. Dared King to beat them with his arm.

And in a gutty all-around performance from the Canes’ passing game, the Miami WRs got open and King hit them over and over again. King finished 31-41 for 430 yards and 5 TDs, spreading the ball around to Mike Harley, Mark Pope, Will Mallory, and Dee Wiggins, all of whom stepped up repeatedly to make big plays.

Despite all of this offensive explosion, Miami played from behind much of the game.  When Chris Dunn nailed a 53-yard FG at the beginning of the 4th quarter to put the Wolfpack up 41-31, he gesticulated towards the Canes bench, crudely suggesting that they fellate him.

What Dunn and the rest of the Wolfpack didn’t know is that the Canes were about to rally late like Joe Biden with mail-in ballots.

We must give the Canes’ defense some credit here. After an abhorrent first 3 quarters , Miami’s defense would hold NC State to 6 yards and also intercepted a pass in this miraculous 4th quarter.

Still, it fell to King to erase the deficit. After a 54 yard FG drive, the Canes drove again, this time for what appeared to be a tying TD. Twice, the Canes entered the end zone, and twice the refs denied them. Once again, they settled for a FG, cutting the lead to four.

When Miami got the ball back, an intentional grounding penalty (a rare King mistake)  put the Canes 92 yards from the end zone. With under 4 minutes left, this was it. 92 yards. 2nd and 18. The pressure on King was immense. He had to deliver or the season might well unravel.

King did what he did all game. He lifted his team and elevated his program. First, he hit Harley for 35 yards to get the Canes out from their own end zone. 3 plays later, on 3rd and 7, he hit Harley again, this time for 54 yards and the go ahead TD. Those 2 passes totaled 89 yards.

After an interception, Miami still needed to run the clock out. They ran twice for a total of 4 yards. With 2:20 left, and NC State out of timeouts, Miami needed just 6 yards for an improbable comeback. There was only one player to get the ball to, and the Canes exploited one of the great ironies of the game. NC State entered the game hoping to load up on the run, and force King to win the game throwing the ball. And King did that. But NC State also failed to stop King on designed runs. And on this critical 3rd and 6, King ended the game the way he started it…on a designed run for a critical 1st down.

After traveling 430 yards through the air and 105 yards on the ground, the King could finally rest, having carried his team to victory in perhaps the best individual performance in school history. As this virtuoso performance was unfolding, the game continued to hang in the balance, with the Canes trailing for much of it. Which made it difficult to appreciate in the moment.

But in retrospect, the unique magnificence of this performance is unbelievable, even to those of us who witnessed it. We’ll likely never see something like this again. Miami is now a Top 10 team again, having recovered from the Clemson loss with 3 consecutive wins. But it was the singular figure of the undersized transfer QB who came to Miami to elevate the program and did so in a spectacular fashion that we’ll remember long after this season is over.

For one game, D’Eriq King was the finest QB to ever line up under center for the University of Miami.

Vishnu Parasuraman is a contributor for @FiveReasonsSports and generally covers the Miami Hurricanes. You can follow him on twitter @vrp2003

Tua Tagovailoa says the Dolphins did what they had to against a tough Cardinals team.

Pressure Point: Dolphins are Tua’s team now

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The rush to judgment on Tua Tagovailoa after a debut start with training wheels on was not only premature it was laughable.

Coach Brian Flores made that clear at midweek when he brushed off as nonsense the notion that the Dolphins were giving the quarterback they supposedly tanked to get in the draft a 10-game audition to determine whether they should draft another quarterback in 2021.

If it is an audition, Tagovailoa passed with flying colors Sunday in his second start.

The Dolphins not only pulled off a remarkable comeback win, 34-31, on the road against a tough Arizona Cardinals team, they can confirm to have indeed found their quarterback. The outside noise can stop right there.

It was entertaining and exhilarating to watch. How long has it been since the Dolphins not only kept pace in a wide-open shootout but came out ahead?

It sure conjured memories of Danny Boy flinging it in his prime.

Tua made plays down the stretch

Tua got his first win last week on the coattails of an opportunistic defense. Afterward Flores said that one day Tua would bail out the team. Sunday he did just that in leading his first comeback win with 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

Make that Tua-and-0.

“I thought he made a lot of plays for us, a lot of big plays for us, especially down the stretch. We needed it,” Flores said. “They made plays, we made plays. The stage wasn’t too big for him tonight. He played well. But we had a lot of guys play well. … It was a team effort.”

Kudos to the defense for producing the first touchdown and making a vital fourth-down stop. And for field goals of 56 and 50 yards by Jason Sanders, who set a franchise record with 20 consecutive made kicks.

But the 10-play, 93-yard drive to the tying touchdown made it clear this is Tua’s team now.

The drive, which began with the Dolphins down by a touchdown, gained impetus with Tagovailoa, in the shadow of his own end zone, converting on third-and-9 with a 14-yard completion to DeVante Parker.

It featured Tagovaila twice scrambling for first downs. The first he converted on third down by juking past a defender. The second was a stunning escape from pressure for 17 yards to the Arizona 11. The following play he tossed a pinpoint strike to Mack Hollins to tie the game.

Then, following a fourth-down stop by Zack Seiler, Tua moved the Dolphins close enough for Sanders’ decisive 50-yard field goal.

Tua dazzled on the run

The runs were eye-opening, especially considering the hip injury that ended Tagovailoa’s college career.

“I think the dolphins organization, with everyone from the medical staff, if they felt that they would be putting me in a bad situation if I had to go and make a play on the run, I don’t think they’d let me go out there and play.

“I had self-confidence I would be able to go out there and if I needed to make a play with my legs, I would.”

He added with a laugh: “That was probably the slowest I ever felt. Oh, my goodness, I felt like I was running in quicksand.”

The Tua and Kyler Show, a renewal of college rivals, delivered beyond expectations. Tagovailoa and Arizona’s Kyler Murray combined for 672 yards.

Tua did his part in matching skills and scores with the superlative Murray, whose accuracy and ability to evade tacklers is uncanny.

The No. 1 draft pick in 2019, Murray has been performing for a season and a half the way he did Sunday. He threw for 283 yards and three touchdowns with a passer rating of 150.0.

Tua keeps pace with Murray

Tua? Frankly, it was uncertain what to expect other than that he would be asked to do a lot more than in his first start.

All he did was complete 20 of 28 passes for 248 yards, two touchdowns and a 122.3 passer rating. His 35 yards on seven rushes were second on the team.

But the passing was what everyone wanted to see, and Tua delivered on every type of throw that could be asked of him.

He did it with a limited receiving corps. Preston Williams left with a foot injury in the first half after catching a touchdown pass and getting jumped on by man-child defensive lineman Christian Wilkins.

But Tua not only made effective use of his best receiver, Parker, who made all six of his receptions after Williams left, he threw that spot-on tying touchdown to Hollins, who had no previous receptions as a Dolphin.

Tagovailoa show he can setp up in the pocket and deliver completions. He threw accurately on the run.

In the first half, he made a deep throw to Williams for 35 yards on the first touchdown drive. On the second scoring drive, he found Williams on third down near the goal line for a touchdown.

He found tight end Durham Smythe over the middle on the third look for 19 yards and a first-and-goal that set up Miami’s first touchdown.

Just the beginning for Tua

“Tua did his part. It wasn’t a perfect game. He made some mistakes like we all did,” Flores said, but added, “He fought back, we fought back as a team and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end.”

The Dolphins have now won four in a row for the first time in four seasons. At 5-3, they are very much in the playoff chase, perhaps a season sooner than expected.

When you look at the bigger picture, the future comes into much brighter focus. Just two starts into his career, Tagovailoa has already demonstrated he can be the quarterback of the Dolphins’ hopes and dreams.

And he is going to get better than he was Sunday.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

 

Miami Heat(Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Udonis Haslem question…again

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I don’t believe there is a story about the Miami Heat that Brady Hawk hasn’t written. He has covered the well-known free agency targets and even got to the point of desperation where he was making a case for Josh Jackson to join the Heat. He almost convinced me until I remembered it was Josh Jackson. The one name that hasn’t been mentioned throughout his onslaught of articles — Udonis Haslem.

That’s right. The culture captain himself has been left off of the laundry list of prospective Heat players for the 2020-2021 season by the man with 1,000 articles (and apparently no bedtime). *Scoffs* some boy wonder he is. Just kidding. Brady has been carrying Heat coverage on FiveReasons and has left some of us wondering if we are even worthy of calling ourselves contributors. Great job, bro.

So what does the 17-year veteran’s future hold? The answer is the same as it has been for the past few seasons — mind your own damn business. That final roster spot will have UD’s name on it until he is good and ready to retire.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. This conversation has been tossed around for years always resulting in number 40 still being on the roster. My guess is that this year will be no different. Udonis will once again patrol the sidelines and the locker room snuffing out any and all counter-culture mentality. And being honest, it should be no other way.

Royal A. Shepherd (@RoyalAShepherd) has written for several major newspapers, including the Tallahassee Democrat and the Augusta Chronicle, and now contributes to Five Reasons Sports.

 

 

 

Hungry Dolphins Fans Should Be Craving For More Tua

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Ok, I’ll say what everyone else was thinking: I was really hoping that the stat line in Tua Tagovailoa’s first pro-career start would be something like 20-25, 250 yards, and 3 touchdowns topped off with 3 rushes for 30 yards and a rushing touchdown that had him carrying Aaron Donald on his back like Bo Jackson with Brian Bosworth. Tua would be smiling that contagious smile, dancing on the sidelines to reggaeton, and playfully bantering with Ryan Fitzpartrick and the squad of Fitzpatrick children. Of course, this would be all in a Dolphins victory.

 

Well, I got the Dolphins victory part correct.

 

The Miami Dolphins beat the Los Angeles Rams 28-17 in a game that should not have been as close as the score seems to indicate whenever people review the headlines Monday morning. That incredible first half was all that I could have asked for, though I was hoping Chan Gailey would break out the Statue of Liberty play or throw in a flea flicker. Nope. Not on the menu.

 

Dolphins fans, this was enjoyable to watch despite the cardiac nature of the finish. The constant pressure put on Jared Goff via well-timed, excellently executed blitzes was such a marvel. There was even a Jakeem Grant sighting as he returned a punt for a touchdown. Heck, even Andrew Van Ginkel got in on the act. Who out there would’ve expected that?

 

Despite all of the pyrotechnics of the first half, this was the Tua game. This game had the hype of Tua but the aftertaste of a very satisfying complete team victory. But truth be told, I really wanted more Tua. We all wanted more Tua.

 

As Miami Dolphins fans, we are so starved for a QB to give us a Dan Marino-eque lift that we glom onto anyone that feels like will come within the same time zone of that possibility. We all know that Tua represents the best chance of quelling that hunger. And no, I did not feel that way with Ryan Tannehill, though I am happy he is enjoying success in Tennessee, having rid himself of the Adam Gase stink.

 

Tua is different. He comes with a pedigree and a resume of success that we have not recently seen in a QB we have drafted since, dare I say, Chad Henne? Was he the closest?

 

In this, the seventh game of the season, we were given the opportunity to see it all come together. But rather than it be the showcasing of a franchise changing QB, we were gifted a team that came together very Voltron-like to get the dub. You’re lying if you weren’t wanting Tua and what he accomplished in his first game to be the headline for all of the major networks. We wanted to get drunk off of the coverage.

 

Rest easy Dolphins fans, there will be opportunities for more. Chan Gailey isn’t going to horde the meatier, tastier parts of the playbook. I am willing to bet that it is going to be a buffet of play calls. Chan was kind enough to tip his hand with that Wildcat play as a tease of things to come. Sure on that play Aaron Donald engulfed Malcolm Perry and Malcolm Perry’s entire family, but it was a taste. And a staple of all the upcoming menus will be Tua Tagovailoa.

 

We were robbed of several promising drives that could have given us a longer look at the Tua possibilities had it not been for some uncharacteristic dropped passes courtesy of Preston Williams. That will be a bitter taste if only because it would have also been more live reps as he acclimates to the rigors of professional life, pro-players, and his own teammates.

 

Fear not, it will come with time.

 

Dolphins fans, if you are in any way down because the stat line was not what you had hoped or that you were deprived of a Marvel Cinematic Universe level debut, I think we can take pause. I think it’s safe to say that we should take a pause for several weeks. One game does not a career make. 

 

The fact that this all came in a victory where all three areas of the team–offense, defense, and special teams–contributed to scores and excelled makes us both sated and yet wanting more. Our hunger is magnified because this victory came as a result of a complete team effort. We’re all thinking, “Man what if Tua had just gone stat machine crazy out there?”

 

But much of the offense looked rather pedestrian, as per the stats. The most exciting play on offense besides Tua’s first touchdown pass, a three yarder to Devante Parker, came on the second play of the game. And it wasn’t exciting in the traditional sense.

 

I took a long gasp as Aaron Donald did Aaron Donald things, driving Tua and causing a fumble. I was like a corner man yelling for his boxer to get up, which he did. But with no pre-season and red jerseys in practice, it was good for him to get the rust off and get the first contact out of the way. The first drive was pretty difficult to swallow.

 

Over a year ago, before wearing a mask was a polarizing test of one’s citizenship, I wrote about how I really wanted newly acquired QB Josh Rosen to succeed. He was a high draft pick with a good arm and the smarts. Looking on the menu of quarterbacks who were drafted that year, I told myself, “Why not try it out?”

 

I can play the hindsight game now and say that the Rosen one was not the Chosen One. This is to illustrate just how desperate we were as fans. 

 

It also illustrated just how low we had set the bar. It has since been raised.

 

Stats be damned, I believe we have sushi grade Tua. There is a swagger that is all confidence and toes nowhere near arrogance. Once he has his sea legs under him, he will exude even more confidence and it will be infectious.

 

I may not 100 percent trust the organization to properly handle dispensing the news of starting Tua to incumbent starter Ryan Fitzpatrick or even septuagenarian offensive coordinator Chan Gailey.  But I do trust this staff in handling him properly. I do trust that the training wheels will come off much sooner than we think and the order of the day will be a healthy dose of Hall of Fame trending Miami Dolphins quarterback not named Marino or Griese.

 

Sounds pretty damn appetizing to me.

 

Next week and in the weeks to come, Dolphins fans we will feast.

Tua Tagovailoa wins in his first NFL start for the Dolphins.

Pressure Point: Dolphins’ defense picks up Tua; he’ll return the favor

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Of all the likely scenarios for Tua Tagovialoa’s first career start for the Dolphins, what transpired Sunday was beyond imagination.

Consider: The Dolphins win convincingly against a good Los Angeles Rams team, 28-17, and the vaunted rookie quarterback is limited to a supporting role.

Dolfans tuned in Sunday to see if the franchise has finally ended its long search for a quarterback to lead in pursuit of a championship. They received a better answer: It was another indication that the Dolphins have finally found the coach for that objective.

The occasion will be remembered as Tagovailoa’s first NFL start and first win. More significant, it pushed the Dolphins (4-3) above .500 for the first time in Brian Flores’ two seasons as Dolphins coach.

Tua didn’t dazzle, as fans and South Florida media were hoping he would. He had a shaky beginning, getting strip-sacked on his first drop-back, yielding a fumble that gifted the Rams a 7-0 lead.

His longest completion was for 15 yards. But he consistently showed the accurate touch that enabled him to post the NCAA record passing rating while at Alabama.

Modest first step for Tua

It wasn’t a debut performance that portended greatness. But Tagovailoa displayed the skill and poise to suggest he’ll be fine once he settles in.

“We have a lot of confidence in him,” Flores said. “Obviously, it’s his first NFL game against a real good defense. They’re hard to move the ball on. You’ve got to take that into account as well.

“The rest of the players on the team picked him up. Tua’s going to pick us up at some point. It’s a team game. We’re going to pick each other up.”

That’s the encouraging part for Dolphins fans. They came for Tua’s debutante ball. They were treated to an extravaganza of defense.

The Dolphins D did what the Brian Flores-led Patriots’ defense did in shutting down Jared Goff and the Rams in Super Bowl 53 just before he took the Dolphins’ job.

What stood out Sunday was how far the Miami defense has come since the beginning of the season, turning in a dominant performance for the third consecutive game — all double-digit victories.

Dolphins defense dazzles

The Dolphins created four turnovers in the first half, including Andrew Van Ginkel’s 78-yard return of a fumble recovery for a touchdown. The defense took over the game after Tagovailoa was stripped of the ball by Rams otherworldly defender Aaron Donald on his first attempt to pass.

Throw in a stunning 88-yard punt return by Jakeem Grant and it was 28-7 Miami in a blink of an eye.

Tua’s contribution was leading a 33-yard touchdown drive following one of the takeaways, capped by a 3-yard toss over the middle to DeVante Parker on the final play of the first quarter.

Show of hands: How many in the Tua’s First TD Pass Sweepstakes had No. 1 to No. 11 on 11/1?

It was a dart through a tight window from the pocket to Parker over the middle.

“That was really fun. It always feels good throwing a touchdown and being able to celebrate with your team, and teammates on the sideline are celebrating as well,” Tagovailoa said of his first touchdown since throwing for 88 in his college career.

“It’s not easy scoring against a defense like that. But just enjoying the moment every time. And I’m keeping the ball.”

Aside from that, Tagovailoa wasn’t asked to do a lot, as offensive coordinator Chan Gailey called a conservative game. The big lead made that possible.

Shades of Super Bowl 53

It was an odd game in that instead of it being in the hands of the quarterback, it was the Dolphins defense that controlled the game.

The defense was on the field for an astounding 92 plays, to only 48 for the Tua-led offense.

It is tough to remember when it was so much fun to watch a Dolphins defense. The unit pressured and befuddled Goff with a variety of looks, much like Flores’ Patriots defense did in the Super Bowl win. Two transplants from that Super Bowl crew, Elandon Roberts and Kyle Van Noy, were key contributors. Eric Rowe, another former Patriot, had an interception and should have had another for a pick-6.

They forced Goff to fumble twice, deflected several of his passes and intercepted two of them.

Goff threw 61 passes, completed 35 for 355 yards, but had subpar passer rating of 65.9.

Tua completed 12 of 22 for 93 yards, with a passer rating of 80.3. There were four drops — Preston Williams dropped two on one series. Myles Gaskin somehow dropped another right in the midsection that prevented a first-down conversion when the Dolphins were trying to run out the clock in the fourth quarter.

“We won the game. Again, it’s a team game — I can’t stress that enough. It’s not a one-man show. I think he made enough plays for us to win the ballgame,” Flores said of Tagovailoa.

Rude welcome to the NFL for Tua

The main thing that Tua accomplished Sunday was getting the first-game jitters out of the way.

Remember, this was the first full game he has played in nearly a year. In between, there was a major injury that jeopardized his career. And there were no preseason games, due to COVID, to get acclimated to the NFL.

Notably, Tagovailoa took the rude welcome as an NFL starter by Donald and Co. in stride.

“That was a good hit. It’s football,” he said. “Tried to step up and make the throw, and Donald swiped at the ball behind me. I don’t know who the guy was that took me off my feet and pretty much body-slammed me. But hey, that’s football.

“I’m not going to lie, I did enjoy getting hit that first time.”

Now that that’s out of the way, Tua can focus on making his presence felt against upcoming opponents.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

Season Ticket: It was a Start, and for Tua, Surging Dolphins, it’s Sufficient

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MIAMI GARDENS — What this could have been.

That was the thought on the approach to Hard Rock, where nary a brake was necessary on the Turnpike ride, off the ramp, into the finally-promising future of what was once the signature franchise in South Florida. What this could have been, if not for the global pandemic that has stopped so many lives in their tracks, waiting for some better day. What could have been, if the buzz in this town for a new Dolphins beginning, in living rooms across four counties, could be sanitarily matched in sports bars and the stadium, so more than 13,000 or so could be on hand for local football history, the official unveiling of the most important player of this franchise’s past two decades?

What this could have been.

But in a year of “if onlys,” we’ll take what we can, and so, in so many ways, the Tua Tagovailoa starting debut, in the seventh game of this weird but increasingly interesting 2020 Miami Dolphins season, was about as much as we could reasonably expect. His performance wasn’t spectacular in any sense, certainly not to his standards with all of 93 yards in Chan Gailey’s Bubble-wrapped gameplan, as he acknowledged afterwards. But we’ll take it, won’t we? Take the 28-17 win? Take the 4-3 record in an open AFC East, with the Bills scuffling and the Patriots sinking and the Jets Gase-ing? Take the hope? Take the small pleasures, in seeing his read a defense properly, in seeing him stand up after his first hit (“I did enjoy getting hit that first time; that was definitely a welcome”), in seeing him walking off a winner at the end, his mother’s eyes wet in a skybox?

“I don’t think I played to the standard of what this offense was capable of,” Tagovailoa said, after completing 12 of just 22 passes, with Miami accruing just eight first downs compared to 31 for Los Angeles.

Maybe it was somewhat on him. But the drops held him back, four in all, of he would have thrown for closer to 130 or 140 yards than his sub-100 total. So, seemingly, did Gailey. The extreme conservativism in the play-calling made it seem at times as if Tua had been elevated prior to Gailey rendering him ready, though the sizable lead likely contributed to some of the caution. Why push it if you didn’t need to, especially with the receivers struggling so much? As long as the Dolphins had enough upright defenders  — and that was an open question with the 93 snaps they were forced to play — Miami might have enough to survive the day, even against a team that entered 5-2.

“We played a lot of defense today,” Flores said. “Guys were a little bit gassed at the end. I can talk about conditioning now.”

He could say that with a smile, because he knows what he has here. The defense, which appeared leaky at the start of the season, with free agents struggling to acclimate, suddenly looks lethal, confounding the flustered Jared Goff with more unique, twisted looks than Khloe Kardashian’s had.

Miami has allowed fewer points than any other NFL team, and GM Chris Grier is on an even better run.

The biggest plays of the game were made by players he’s trusted, from 2019 fifth-round linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, running with a fumble like his Viking hair was on fire, to 2019 first-round defensive tackle Christian Wilkins showing better hands than anyone on offense, to free agent picks Emmanuel Ogbah, Shaq Lawson and Kyle Van Noy all taking part in enormous plays. The Dolphins’ defense is now on offense for the first time since Jason Taylor by far was the best 99 in football, not the guy (Aaron Donald) who is now, and stripped Tagovailoa on his very first series.

It could have gotten worse from there, and Tagovailoa’s second possession wasn’t much more productive, when after a quick slant completion to Preston Williams there was miscommunication on a stop route by DeVante Parker. The receivers couldn’t consistently get separation and, when they did, Williams in particular couldn’t catch. But again, the defense was doing enough, and when Jakeem Grant exploded for a punt return touchdown, the team-record fifth return touchdown of his short career, the Dolphins could reel it in even more offensively.

Along the way, Tagovailoa made some zippy timing throws, one to Duncan Smythe and another to Grant, but the timing that mattered most was the clock ticking down. Escaping. Getting to the next game, against surging Arizona and their own smallish franchise quarterback Kyler Murray, in one piece.

Tagovailoa called his first starting experience “fun,” and said he planned to keep the ball from his first touchdown, a 3-yard dart to Parker, who made the best receiving adjustment of the afternoon. But this is a guy who would throw for more yards on the first two Alabama drives than he did all of this Sunday, so he won’t kid himself. He needs to recognize pressure from the middle faster, and to prepare for even more than the coaches outline in practice, after saying that the Rams threw some unexpected alignments at him.

“I’ve heard it many times from the guys in the locker room, it’s good that we still came out with the win,” Tagovailoa said. “Aside from that, thank God we got a good defense.”

He told the defense the fumble was his fault, an extension of the leadership he showed from the start, as when he was grabbing teammates by the shoulders as they finished warmups and headed toward the tunnel. He has charisma and toughness. That’s a start. That will get respect, as it got Ryan Fitzpatrick’s, even as hurt as Fitzpatrick was by the quarterback switch, the announcement of which was the rare thing the organization has bungled of late, with the leak of that made well over Brian Flores’ head, with someone high up telling the wrong friend who told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Flores has earned trust with everything he’s done thus far in his Dolphins tenure, which now includes a 9-7 record over his past 16 games, and improvement in several areas every week. He has earned the right to raise Tagovailoa as he sees fit, and in that sense, this was an auspicious start.

Remember, Tagovailoa’s closest NFL comp, Russell Wilson, averaged just 184 yards passing in his first six NFL starts, back in 2012.

Through the first six games of 2020, Wilson has averaged 315 yards.

Even for the best, it doesn’t happen overnight.

“What was the plan?” Flores said. “You can go through a lot of different scenarios… But the plan was to play good, efficient football. There’s some things we need to correct but it’s good to make those corrections after a victory.”

Corrections will be made.

Obstacles will be still be encountered.

But you could feel the start of something here Sunday, something that could last decades rather than years, something this place has needed as a worthy complement to the more successful Heat. There is hope here, one of the few places it seems to still exist. There was a kid wearing No. 1 who has a chance to be that guy in this town, and that one touchdown, even if only three yards, and one of only 12 completions, will likely long be remembered by those who bore witness.

You only wish there could have been more of them.

 

Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) has covered South Florida sports since 1996 and is now the CEO of Five Reasons Sports Network. 

Jason Sanders

Fresh Perspective: What makes Jason Sanders a great Dolphins kicker

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The Miami Dolphins have a long history of finding great kickers. Think back to the days of Uwe von Schamann, Garo Yepremian, Pete Stoyanovich, Olindo Mare. All of these kickers made a name for themselves wearing a Miami uniform. Mare is arguably the most notable of the bunch. However, the team now has a young kicker making the case he can be the greatest Dolphins kicker ever. Jason Sanders, 7th round pick out of New Mexico. The best going away present former special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi could have given his old team.

In just three years in the league, Sanders has already surpassed both Mare and Stoyanovich in both field goals made and attempted in a single game (seven and eight for Sanders, respectively), as well as consecutive field goals to start a season with 17. All he has to do to beat Mare’s all-time consecutive field goal record, set in 1999, is make three more field goals without missing.

But what makes Jason Sanders such a special kicker? How, after a mere two and a half seasons, is Sanders already in the conversation for best Dolphins kicker of all time?

“The biggest thing that differentiates Jason (Sanders) from any other kicker I’ve ever trained is his unique mental makeup.” said Brent Grablachoff, Sanders’ private kicking coach. “He’s the most even-keeled, neutral emotion kicker I’ve ever coached, which besides his polished fundamentals and form is what makes him so successful in his craft. He approaches every kick the same, and negative thoughts and feelings don’t get a chance to clutter his mind.

“Even the most mentally apt kicker, I feel, if things are happening around them … it’s going to affect them, at least a little. Every kick is a new kick, and the previous kick is in the past, and no longer a concern. That’s the mentality you have to have to be a successful kicker; and Jason owns that mentality.”

 

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Appreciate @kickingworld for the fine tuning! Been there since the beginning dating all the way back to high school days.

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Since founding his kicking camp – Kicking World – back in 2008, Grablachoff has worked with aspiring football kickers and punters ranging from nine years old all the way to pro level ages, and travels the country training over a thousand students a year in over 30 states. In Sanders’ case, Grablachoff has been working with him since his high school days.

Even today, Grablachoff still works with Sanders in the offseason. Sanders breaking franchise records and getting honors like AFC Special Teams Player of the Month makes no difference. However, it isn’t just Grablachoff who took notice of Sanders’ ability to stay focused. Back in 2018, Darren Rizzi cited that as one of the biggest reasons he was drafted.

“You have to have a really, really level-headed demeanor.” Rizzi said. “You can’t really be a roller coaster guy in terms of personality. I really think Jason Sanders was a really good fit from that standpoint. I’m not talking anything about his talent or his kicking ability; but I really think he’s got a really good approach of the game. I think he’s really mature above his years. I think a lot of that factors into it. That’s why certainly he takes the field with confidence every time whether it’s practice or out here during training camp, OTAs or on Sunday.”

Then of course there’s head coach Brian Flores, who also has an appreciation for the art of kicking.

“I started in the kicking game.” Flores said on October 15. “That’s where I got my break in coaching. I know and understand how important those guys in those positions are, whether it’s kicker, punter, long snapper, returners, ball security and things of that nature … Jason has done a great job. I think it’s important to him that he continues to improve and get better and continue with his consistency. That’s been good thus far and we need to just keep going in this direction. Yes, I’m very pleased at where he is, and the job he’s done really on field goals but also kickoffs. He’s done a good job from that standpoint. Just every day, just his attitude and work ethic on a day-to-day basis, he’s really done a good job really since I’ve been here.”

With this in mind, one has to wonder why Sanders struggled somewhat in college. Obviously, Rizzi saw something in Jason Sanders no one else did. Why else would the Miami Dolphins spend a draft pick on him? Still, how does someone go from a 71.4 percent field goal percentage in college to one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL?

Grablachoff offers a possible explanation.

“The thing that coach Rizzi knew and that I knew and that was also understood by another sharp AFC Special Teams coach I spoke with during evaluations, was a lot of times the misses were operational misses.” Grablachoff said. “If you watch video, the careful eye could decipher that on many of the misses Jason was getting the laces. The laces of the football were either aimed at him or aimed to the side, or the ball wasn’t optimally set up. It doesn’t necessarily mentally screw up the kicker, but physics prevail. If the ball is tilted sub-optimally or the laces are aiming left or right of target, or toward where your foot strikes the ball, it’s going to negatively affect the ball flight, trajectory, and distance of the kick.”

The physics of how field goals work is something that rarely ever comes to the minds of fans. However, bringing it up may actually answer a question that many fans are still wholly confused about. In the 6th round of the 2020 NFL draft, the Dolphins selected long snapper Blake Ferguson. That was with several skill players still available that could make a potentially immediate impact. The decision had many analysts scratching their heads, wondering why Miami would use a 6th round pick on a long snapper of all things.

“Once Jason got the opportunity to crack into the league, among the top 32 kickers and punters in the league he was rewarded with nearly perfect snaps and holds every time” Grablachoff said. “Matt Haack has done a phenomenal job, and I know that has made a huge difference in the field goal percentage rate. After evaluating game film and talking with Jason, the new long snapper has done a heck of a job this year too. That’s further helped the optimization of the snap, hold and kick operation which has equated to impressive kicking statistics this season thus far.”

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It’s very possible that Brian Flores also knew how important the long snapper is to the kicking game. Hence the 6th round investment in rookie long snapper Blake Ferguson. All of this is information that never gets talked about. Kicking is all but an afterthought in the NFL, and there’s more to it than anyone realizes. There’s also much more work that goes into being an elite kicker than anyone knows.

“One thing that maybe outsiders may not know is with a kicker, you don’t just kick 100-plus kicks a day and leave.” Grablachoff said. “Most of the training session is focused on drills. A lot of these kicking drills are stationary where we focus on making good foot to ball contact. It’s very similar to a golfer, where the club face needs to strike the ball at the correct angle. It’s similar as a placekicker. But the correct spot of the foot needs to make contact on the correct spot of the ball, and at just the right angle.

“More than half of Jason’s kicking practices are focused on drills & tactical planning than it is monotonously kicking balls. As Jason’s brothers are both involved in the military, as were both of my uncles and grandfather, I’ll give you an analogy to war. The kicker is the sniper and has to make each shot count … a one shot, one kill philosophy if you will.”

It’s clear that Jason Sanders takes what he does very seriously. But that doesn’t mean he’s all work and no play. All the proof anyone needs of this is the remarkable fake field goal last season where Sanders caught a touchdown pass from punter Matt Haack. Sanders has a very neutral mindset when kicking. But the utter joy on his face when he caught that touchdown shows that Sanders loves what he does with a passion.

“It was pretty wild,” Grablachoff said about the play. “He was getting inundated with interviews that day, so much that the son of a gun didn’t have time to get back with me after. I was mad at him, jokingly, because I wanted to do a live interview on our Instagram page that night. But he said his voice was hoarse from all the reporters’ questions. So, I didn’t get to talk to him until the next day about the play. It was pretty funny and unexpected to see live.

“And of course, I pick up my phone ten minutes later and have dozens of DMs, shares, and tweets to attend to … it went viral immediately and it was pretty neat to see the exposure for the Fins’ lonesome kicker/punter duo. Then seeing Jason and Matt (Haack) earn the NFL Play of the Year at the end of year award ceremony was pretty awesome.”

While it may not be news to hear that a player is hard-working, getting a behind-the-scenes look at what that means is very interesting. Jason Sanders shows poise with his kicks that hasn’t been seen in a very long time. Not since Olindo Mare.

Will Sanders eventually miss? Probably. But with the kicking team Miami has put together, it may be quite a while before that happens. There’s always that possibility that Sanders will put together a perfect season. But, Sanders’ mental makeup is still intact, and he refuses to get ahead of himself and lose that focus.

“That’s the goal, right? You want to walk out being 100 percent.” Sanders said in mid-October. “For me, when the season is over, it’s a good time to reflect on what you did during the season … It’s a long season. That’s kind of why I want to stay on the same line right now just going forward.”

If Sanders is successful in his goal, then in time, he may just break more records. And perhaps, prove himself the best kicker the Miami Dolphins have ever had.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung