When the Miami Dolphins take the sphere in Week 3 towards the Buffalo Payments, they are going to achieve this with a head coach underneath growing strain to maintain his job. With Miami clocking in with an 0-2 document, the franchise now 8-11 over the previous season-plus, and a “players-only” assembly already within the books, Mike McDaniel is feeling the warmth.
Via two video games, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has additionally been underwhelming, and because the Dolphins take the sphere towards the Payments, Tagovailoa does in order, based on a number of metrics, one of many worst quarterbacks by means of two video games this season.
Tagovailoa’s Adjusted Internet Yards per Try of 5.13 has him ranked twenty fifth within the NFL in that metric, beneath the league common of 6.07 and behind quarterbacks comparable to Caleb Williams, Spencer Rattler, and even Mac Jones. His QBR of twenty-two.3 is thirty second within the league, forward of solely J.J. McCarthy and Cam Ward, a first-year starter and a rookie.
Taking a look at some extra superior metrics, Tagovailoa’s Anticipated Factors Added per Dropback clocks in at -0.12 by means of two video games, fourth-worst within the NFL. Solely Joe Flacco, Ward, and McCarthy are worse this season. Persevering with with that statistic, this graphic from Ben Baldwin illustrates each EPA and grades from Professional Soccer Focus:
As you may see, Tagovailoa is effectively beneath league common in each classes.
Lastly, a take a look at Baldwin’s Quarterback Effectivity, which examines EPA and Completion Share Over Expectation. To his credit score, Tagovailoa is above league common in CPOE — though this can be a testomony to his willingness to throw into protection and push the ball downfield — however once more, the EPA quantity stands out:
Turning to the movie, one other sample types.
A quarterback that also locks onto targets early in a down, leads defenders to the soccer together with his eyes, and misses beneath defenders and/or defenders breaking downhill.
Let’s begin with a play from final season. On this Week 15 sport towards the Houston Texans, the Dolphins path 10-6 simply earlier than halftime. Already on the cusp of subject objective vary, dealing with a 2nd-and-6 on the Houston 39-yard line, Tagovailoa exams the center of the Houston protection.
Whereas the Texans present him single-high protection earlier than the snap, they spin into Cowl 2, dropping security Calen Bullock down into the outlet between the 2 deep defenders. Tagovailoa desires to hit Tyreek Hill on a fast in-breaking route, however the rotation within the secondary places Bullock proper within the throwing lane.
Tagovailoa by no means sees it, and admittedly, by no means even seems for it.
As an alternative of a minimum of a subject objective earlier than halftime to make this a one-point sport, the Dolphins find yourself going to the locker room down 13-9, because the Texans add a subject objective on the ultimate play of the half.
Now, two of Tagovailoa’s three interceptions from this season. We’ll begin with this play from Week 1 towards the Indianapolis Colts. Tagovailoa initially checks an idea to his proper, however when he doesn’t just like the look, he will get his eyes to a crossing route from Malik Washington.
And as he stares that down, he leads Laiatu Latu proper to the soccer:
Rewatch this play and regulate Latu, who begins out displaying blitz over the precise deal with earlier than dropping beneath. He’s simply studying Tagovailoa the entire manner, and will get into place for the interception whereas the QB simply misses him.
Lastly, take this interception from final week’s loss to the New England Patriots. With Miami trailing by 4 simply earlier than the two-minute warning, the Dolphins confronted a 4th-and-9.
Tagovailoa is pressured, however climbs the pocket to purchase a while. As he does, he will get his eyes on one other crossing route from Washington. However once more, he misses a defender beneath, who is correct within the throwing lane:
McDaniel is actually underneath strain heading into the Week 3 sport.
If he’s to show his personal season round, Tagovailoa wants to start out in Week 3.
By recognizing a few of these beneath defenders.
