It is easy to say that the 2025 season for the Miami Dolphins is about Tua Tagovailoa and his health, but his play is clearly going to be scrutinized as well.
There are no excuses for Tagovailoa this. year, and if the Dolphins' offense gets off to a sluggish start early, the media will have a field day chopping and dicing every throw by the Miami quarterback.
Miami's 2025 schedule is much easier at the front of the season than it is on the back end. This is where Tagovailoa is going to be under the microscope more. If he falters early, it will be a free-for-all feeding frenzy that the media will eat up, and fans will echo.
Nothing is easy in the NFL, but there are games that are easier than others. This year, the Dolphins' schedule is set up for a brutal second half, while the front of the schedule contains games Miami should be able to win.
Tua Tagovailoa can't afford to lose the early games in 2025, or the Miami Dolphins are doomed
Miami will play the Buffalo Bills in Week 3, in primetime, and in Buffalo. Tagovailoa typically doesn't play well there, so a win would give him a reason to strut a little. Until the Dolphins prove they can beat the Bills in Orchard Park, they will be presumed to take a loss.
Buffalo aside, Tagovailoa will face the Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, and Atlanta Falcons before squaring off against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9, when the schedule flips from easier to much more difficult. Those are all games the Dolphins should and need to win.
Tagovailoa will also face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6 in Miami. That will be an essential game for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins, but they'll likely need to win it to have a better chance at the playoffs later in the season.
Overall, the first half of Miami's 2025 schedule sets up nicely for Tagovailoa, but it could also blow up the Dolphins' season if he struggles during those games.