Tua Tagovailoa had a second half to forget on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, and it raised new questions about his ability to win big games.
Tagovailoa seemingly had the Dolphins right where they wanted to be late in the first half, holding a 20-10 lead at home over the Packers. While the lead was reduced to 20-13 at the half, Miami simply had to hold serve at home to see out the win.
Unfortunately, Tagovailoa completely melted down in the second half. He went 7-13 for 81 yards, and closed the game by throwing three interceptions over the Dolphins’ final three drives. The third interception in particular was a terrible read and an inexplicable decision on the quarterback’s part.
Oh no Tua.
Throws a pick right away with a chance to win it, 3rd INT in a row for Tua in the 4th quarter.
Is he really the answer long-term for Miami? pic.twitter.com/9TETsNeoiT
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 25, 2022
The response to Tagovailoa’s disastrous final half was swift. Many trashed him for a poor performance in a potential season-defining game, while others raised questions about his long-term ability to quarterback the Dolphins.
Tua Tagovailoa trying to get into the playoffspic.twitter.com/0IYLmw4H29
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) December 25, 2022
Tua the entire second half pic.twitter.com/u6cKXWpgX5
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) December 25, 2022
Tua with the game on the line pic.twitter.com/tBJUkxYg9l
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) December 25, 2022
Tua was a landfill in the 2nd half. That’s where they take all the 🗑️. GEEZ. JUST AWFUL
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) December 25, 2022
They aligned in cover 2 pre snap. They didn’t disguise. They played cover 2 post snap. There was no pressure.
I’m just so confused. What was Tua looking at? #Dolphins
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) December 25, 2022
What I said all year about Tua: At some point, he'll need to make a big throw in a big spot and we'll find out what we need to know.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 25, 2022
Tagovailoa looked to have turned a corner earlier in the season and established himself as an outstanding NFL quarterback. In fact, one of the most notable parts of his statistical profile was his success in clutch situations. That has largely been forgotten now, as this was his third underwhelming game in a row.
The Dolphins have lost four in a row to fall to 8-7. They will have to close out their season strong if they want to hold on to their playoff spot, a situation that seemed unthinkable a month ago.
