Tua Tagovailoa is a recipe for failure but finds success nonetheless

Tua Tagovailoa is one of the most polarizing figures in Miami Dolphins history and he has played in only 17 games so far. There is a divided fanbase that is so set in their opinions they could just as easily be considered the far left and the far right in politics.

Oh and as someone who is clearly sitting in the middle, Tua Tagovailoa is a recipe for failure at the NFL level. What you need to know and realize is that Tua isn’t the one writing that recipe. The Dolphins are.

I know, at some point the excuses for Tua need to stop. I agree. There has been times when I watch Tua and think, “yeah, this kid is going to be average at best” and then there are times when I see him make plays and say, “Maybe this kid is the answer”. I don’t take up the sides like the food that sits on a plate at Thanksgiving that no one likes. I try and watch how he develops, how he makes this throws, and how he does or doesn’t rally his team.

That being said, it is very hard to overlook the recipe that he supposed to be the main ingredient for.

• Will Fuller – out for all but two games
• DeVante Parker – unreliable week to week
• Preston Williams – unreliable week to week
• Jesse Davis – playing out of position, should be a guard
• Liam Eichenberg – still learning to play tackle
• Austin Jackson – getting better slowly at guard, not tackle
• Two OCs – No consistency with the game planning or play calling
• Playcalling – vanilla, nothing imaginative and nothing innovative
• Running game – non-existent

Put all that into a blender and you seriously have to ask yourself how anyone could succeed? Tua is literally sitting in a collapsing pocket. It is so bad that you can’t say he holds the ball too long. He has less than 2 second most of the time.

His receivers? Jaylen Waddle, Mack Hollins, and the on-again off-again Isaiah Ford. It is so bad that TE Mike Gesicki recently told a media member not to call him a TE because he plays in the slot more than he does at TE.

The Dolphins haven’t done Tua any favors in terms of talent. While the defense continues to get top prospects, Miami’s offense is a group of players that are marginally better than players they let go. Matt Skura and Ereck Flowers types.

Meanwhile, he still makes plays. He is still learning, adjusting, and growing. He is succeeding in spite of those around him, at least he is finding some success. He has a lot of work to do but can you really grow without a quality support system?

The worst part is that we still have no idea what exactly the Dolphins have in Tua. It’s not an excuse, it’s a reality. Very few believe that Tua would fail outside of Miami. That is probably true. Tua isn’t programmed to succeed in Miami. Not this year or right now. Miami made poor judgements from their offensive line, a failure to add quality running backs, and Flores missed on adding an OC who could put life into the offense. It is what it is but there are a lot of things to like about him, and excuses or not, he hasn’t been set up quite right.