Tua Tagovailoa kicks his career off against a tough Rams defense

This weekend Tua Tagovailoa will take center stage for the Miami Dolphins but he will do it against one of the best defenses.

Are the Miami Dolphins throwing Tua Tagovailoa at the Rams like throwing a lamb into a pit of Lions? It may not be that bad but it could be ugly.

The Rams have a defense ranked 12th in the NFL but are coming off a huge game against the Chicago Bears where they looked elite. Led by Aaron Donald, the reigning defensive MVP, the Rams are going to throw everything at Tua and they have to be looking at this game as a big opportunity to exploit the young signal-caller.

The Dolphins obviously have to play well along the offensive line. No, not good, they may need to play their best game of the year. Chan Gailey needs to have an answer that isn’t simply letting Tua stand in the pocket and take hits.

We are not likely to see how good Tua will be as a pro. The first starts are never really “good” for rookie QB’s but Tua has the support of his coaches and his teammates and that will help. Ryan Fitzpatrick will be helping him as well as going over images and plays.

Still, for all of what Miami can do, the Rams are formidable and playing well. The Rams have given up eight touchdowns on the year through the air and have six interceptions. They may not be leading the league but they have a good secondary. Troy Hill is a decent corner but it is Jalen Ramsey that gets the spotlight in the secondary and he will likely match up with DeVante Parker this weekend.

The defensive line is stout. Led by Donald, the Rams front can get pressure upfield quickly but while they are good they are inconsistent at times and that could be where the Dolphins can get lucky and exploit them.

The Rams have only given up 703 yards on the ground and opposing teams are averaging 4.1 yards per carry. They have given up five touchdowns.

For all the whining about Ryan Fitzpatrick being benched, consider the Dolphins offense is ranked 25th in the NFL. This weekend game is going to be all about what Tua can do in his first game but most of the real focus in terms of winning or losing might be on the other side of the ball where the Dolphins 8th ranked defense will square off against the Rams 5th ranked offense.