Latest news proves Tua Tagovailoa deserves more respect from NFL analysts

Tua Tagovailoa had a pretty good week against the New England Patriots last Sunday. Now, he is being awarded for that performance.

Tua has been playing nearly flawless football since his return from injured reserve. This week, he can silence more critics with a win in freezing Green Bay. The Miami Dolphins need to win to keep their hopes of a playoff spot alive.

After completing 29 of 40 passes for 317 yards and four touchdowns against the Patriots, Tagovailoa was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Over the last several weeks, many in the media have been talking up Tua, even some of the same overly critical personalities. Tagovailoa has played at a high level since returning against the Arizona Cardinals, and the Dolphins could easily be 5-0 instead of 3-2 since then.

None of this matters, of course, if he can't lead the team to a win over the Packers. Earlier in the week, Tua said he wanted to "kill the narratives," a nod to the Dolphins' inability to win in overly cold temperatures and their recent lack of ability to beat teams above .500.

There is another narrative Tua Tagovailoa is putting to rest that no one is talking about nationally

It has been said for the last three seasons that Tua has played at a high level because of Tyreek Hill's presence on the field. Over the last two seasons, many have said that without Hill, Tua can get lost. That isn't the case this season. Hill's numbers are not very good, considering his stature in the league.

Teams consistently remove Hill from the Dolphins' game plan, and Tagovailoa now has the patience to look for someone else and expose the defensive weaknesses. McDaniel is using that to his play-calling advantage.

Miami's quarterback has now taken the weekly honor for the third time.

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