Tua Tagovailoa was not up to the mark against the Houston Texans in Week 15. In a 20-12 loss that dropped the Miami Dolphins to 6-8, Tagovailoa threw three interceptions and fumbled once, making the Dolphins’ playoff hopes bleak at best.
It was unnerving to see the Dolphins QB perform badly when he came into the game with solid form, having thrown only one interception in his previous seven starts. Somehow, Tagovailoa couldn’t avoid the pressure from DeMeco Ryans’ defense, and his mistakes cost the Dolphins dearly.
Bill Simmons Places Limit on Tua Tagovailoa’s Potential
The Hawaii native, who signed a $212.4 million contract extension in July, drew criticism from sports media, especially from podcaster Bill Simmons: “He’s the worst in the sense that he tantalizes you with the potential of something that seems pretty awesome and then just pulls the rug out from underneath you.”
According to Simmons, Tagovailoa is a quarterback who needs everything to be perfect, from his teammates to the play calling, but when things go wrong, he doesn’t rise to the occasion.
“I just think he’s a .500 or worse quarterback,” Simmons added, doubting Tagovailoa’s ability to lead the Dolphins deep into the postseason. “Tua’s not somebody that’s going to win three playoff games in a row ever,” Simmons added.
In the Dolphins’ loss to the Texans, Tagovailoa had an up-and-down game, finishing with 196 yards and three interceptions. Despite a touchdown pass to Jonnu Smith, the Dolphins failed to convert on a crucial two-point attempt and couldn’t recover after Tagovailoa’s second-half turnovers.
The Texans didn’t need a second invitation to capitalize on the mistakes, pushing their lead to 14 points and sealing the win. Meanwhile, Houston’s rookie QB C.J. Stroud had a solid outing, throwing for 131 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Texans to a 9-5 record.
Tagovailoa was reflecting on his performance after the game. He took responsibility for the loss. “I’ve got to protect the ball,” he said. “I’ve got to play better ball for our guys, especially in a situation where the team is counting on me to go and drive our offense down to potentially tie the game up, and that’s not what I did. That’s not how you win games in this league.”
MORE: How Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa Could Turn a Great Season Into a Historic One
Only three games are left for the Dolphins in the regular season, as Mike McDaniel’s team sits ninth in the AFC. They need to win out and rely on other teams to falter to reach the playoffs. The chances are slim, but the Dolphins’ remaining schedule offers some hope, with matchups against injury-depleted teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets.
Tagovailoa will be expected to bounce back when the Dolphins take the field against the 49ers on Sunday.