For better or worse, Tua Tagovailoa is the owner undisputed in Miami.
The young quarterback is about to start his second season in the NFL and the Dolphins general management showed all the confidence they have in the Alabama product by ditching veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, now in Washington, in free agency.
Tagovailoa, recruited by Miami In the first round of the 2020 Draft, despite sustaining a serious hip injury in his final year with the Crimson Tide, he had a bumpy season with the Dolphins: in nine games he finished 6-3; completed 64.1% of his shipments, with 1,814 yards, 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, but he was benched a couple of times. Fitzpatrick rescued the game against the Raiders, but fell short in Denver.
In 2021 there will be no “Fitzmagic” to rescue Tua, who begins to feel the pressure of being QB1 in Miami. In Tuesday’s practice, for example, Tagovailoa suffered five interceptions, something the passer attributes to “aggressiveness” in the passing game.
“I think today [martes], the emphasis for us quarterbacks, we wanted to be aggressive in the passing attack. “Tua said. “We wanted to see if we could pitch, we wanted to see what passes we could make in these conditions. [lluvia]. We were just trying to shoot the ball vertically down the field. There are some plays that didn’t go the way we wanted, but [esas son ] plays that we can see in the video room and move on ”.
The coach Brian Flores didn’t give it too much importance either to interceptions.
“He is trying to improve on the field, off the field, in his training, in all areas”said Flores, in his third year as the Dolphins head coach. “I think he has done well and continues to improve every day in all areas.”
In free agency and the draft, Miami dramatically improved its wide receiver body, with Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle, respectively. With veteran DeVante Parker (793 yards, 4 touchdowns in 2020) and tight end Mike Gesicki (703-6), talent will not be an excuse for Tagovailoa.
“I would say that my strength to pursue greatness in what I do came when I was very young,” Tua said. “I’ve played football my whole life and all you try to do at the end of the day is try to win the game. When the result does not turn out the way you want it, it is a feeling that you do not like. I don’t like defeats. Obviously we want to win. That’s why I insist on putting all that pressure on myself. “
“I think you’ve worked extremely hard, obviously, come [de una lesión en] hip last year and prepare to play as much as he did last year, “added Flores. “I think he has continued to improve his hip rehabilitation and that he has done a good job. He looks healthy and is really just trying to improve in all areas and we are happy and satisfied with his situation. “
For now, Yours, offensive coordinators George Godsey y Eric Studesville, as well as the new quarterback coach, Charlie Frye, They have a lot of material to review from that practice in the rain and the five interceptions.
“Obviously, you want to be smart, but if there is a time to make mistakes, now is the time to make mistakes”Said Tagovailoa, who in three years in Alabama had only 11 interceptions.
The Dolphins will kick off their July training camp with two other quarterbacks: Jacoby Brissett and the unknown Reid Sinnett.
