Tua Tagovailoa Report Card: Preseason Week 2 vs. Atlanta Falcons
By Jeremy Klump
Tua Tagovailoa Report Card: 1st quarter vs. Atlanta Falcons
Drive 1
Pass 1: On the first play of the game, Miami highlighted what could be a deadly RPO package. Tua inserted the handoff but pulled it and threw it out to 2021 first-round pick Jaylen Waddle. Waddle took the pass for a nice four-yard gain, and it was a solid way to start the game.
Pass 2: Tagovailoa got the ball out quickly to Myles Gaskin out of the backfield. Gaskin did the rest and ran for a gain of 19. It was a great read by Tagovailoa, and he got the ball to his playmaker and let him make a play.
Pass 3: This was a layup completion, but one Miami fans should get used to. Tagovailoa just tapped the ball to Waddle for a jet sweep, and Waddle picked up 10 yards.
Pass 4: Tagovailoa finds Waddle again and makes a great read and throw to pick up an easy seven yards on first down. Tagovailoa was finding his groove already early and getting the ball out quickly.
Pass 5: On 3rd and 9, Tagovailoa senses a free rusher and knows he has to get the ball out quick. He throws it out to Gaskin in the flats, and the talented running back makes a man miss and picks up 12 yards and another Dolphins 1st down.
Tagovailoa on Drive 1: 5/5 52 yards
*Drive notes: Tagovailoa was sacked once, and on the play, I think if Jesse Davis and Malcolm Brown blocked better, he might have hit Waddle for a big play. The drive ended with a Gaskin rushing touchdown, and Miami took the lead 7-0.
Drive 2
Pass 6: Tagovailoa knows the blitz is coming on the defender covering Grant, so he throws a quick RPO to Grant for a gain of seven yards. As my high school football coach Rob Melosky used to say, “that is stealing!”
Run 1: Tagovailoa scrambles for a nice gain of eight to pick up the first down. He did take an unnecessary hit, though, so he needs to slide in the future.
Pass 7: Tagovailoa finds Grant again, and this time he is crossing in the middle of the field. He has his man beat easily, and Tagovailoa finds him for an easy nine-yard gain.
Pass 8: Tagovailoa finds running back Salvon Ahmed as a safety valve out of the backfield, and Ahmed does the rest, picking up ten yards and a 1st down.
*END OF 1ST*
Tagovailoa in the 1st quarter: 8/8 78 yards. 1 rush for 8 yards.
1ST QUARTER GRADE: A
1ST QUARTER GRADE EXPLANATION: Tagovailoa was impressive in the 1st quarter. He got the ball out quickly and confidently, and he looked incredible to start the game. He did not throw a touchdown, which is the only thing that prevented the A+.