Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots: Week 2 Preview
Mac vs. Tua: Young Quarterbacks, Former Bama Teammates
One of the reasons that makes this one of the most anticipated games of week 2 is the battle between former Alabama quarterbacks and teammates, Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones.
Both men were teammates of the Alabama Crimson Tide back in 2017 and 2018. Tagovailoa was the starting quarterback for the team while Jones was a backup.
Tagovailoa became a national champion in 2017, and he racked up accolades and records as Jones continued to be his understudy.
Once Tagovailoa left to be drafted to the Dolphins, Jones would create his own path to his own accomplishments and become a national champion. He would go on to then be drafted with the Dolphins' heated rival, the New England Patriots.
The first meeting between Jones and Tagovailoa was in September 2021. It was Tua's second season with the Dolphins, and Jones was a rookie.
This game was the first game of the 2021 season for both teams. It tested the limits of both quarterbacks and gave everyone a perspective of what their team's seasons would look like that year.
Their second and previous meeting was in December 2021 where the Dolphins won once again, 33-24.
They didn't have any meetings against each other last season due to Tagovailoa's concussion injuries. Jones continued to figure out his level, and Tagovailoa was busy surviving both physically and mentally.
Belichick and Tua Respect One Another
Tagovailoa started in four games against Bill Belichick's Pats and defeated them in all four. Through that experience, he's figured out to prepare for anything when it comes to the future hall of fame coach.
"Coach Belichick has been coaching in this league for way longer than I think I've been alive. So, he knows exactly what he's looking at when he coaches his guys. Nothing new under the sun for that guy. So we've got to come out, we've got to be prepared. We understand that that's a physical team, and they're going to make us earn everything that we can."
- Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
Belichick has also complimented on Tua's success.
"He's had tremendous production over the last couple of years, led the league in a lot of different categories passing the ball. So, they've got a really efficient guy running the offense."
- Patriots head coach Bill Belichick
Right now, only time will tell if Belichick will ever find a weak point that could finally help him get one-up on Tagovailoa.
Final Thoughts and Prediction
The AFC East is one of the most driven divisions this season. The Dolphins have already started making a statement with a close win against the Los Angeles Chargers last week.
Meanwhile, the Patriots are trying to avoid an 0-2 start to their season. Despite their 25-20 loss to the Eagles last week, their offense looked pretty good.
When they were falling behind last week, they woke up and played catch up for the rest of the game. If they want to beat the Dolphins, they can't do that.
Both defenses are sound on both sides. The offenses are another story.
The Dolphins are have one of the top offenses in the league. Having a powerhouse like Tyreek Hill makes them hard to beat.
Add others like Raheem Mostert, and maybe De'Von Achane and Jaylen Waddle if possible, and the offense will be hard to stop.
The Pats offense is plagued with injuries, mainly on the offensive line and wide receivers. Even if one or more of these players are unable to take the field tonight, this could spell problems for the Pats Sunday night.