Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa ensured the New York Jets’ offense by no means bought a possession throughout the extra time interval of Sunday’s recreation by guiding his unit down the sector for a walk-off drive that ended with tight finish Jonnu Smith recording a 10-yard touchdown reception.
Following the Dolphins’ 32-26 victory that improved them to 6-7 on the season, Smith shared a large declare relating to the place he has Tagovailoa in NFL quarterback energy rankings.
“We bought one of the best quarterback on the planet,” Smith instructed Albert Breer of Sports activities Illustrated. “…I’m right here with him day in and time out. I see it. In case you have been a receiver, pass-catcher, you’d need this man as a quarterback, finish of story. He throws essentially the most catchable ball you’ll be able to think about, past correct. Simply poise in the pocket, an incredible particular person, an incredible chief, all of these items that you just need in your quarterback. I’ve been round a whole lot of guys, a whole lot of nice quarterbacks. This man, to me, proper now, I all the time say it, he’s one of the best quarterback on the planet proper now.”
Tagovailoa missed four games earlier this season as a result of third reported concussion he is suffered because the begin of the 2022 marketing campaign. Whereas he couldn’t prevent the Dolphins from falling to 2-6 in his first two weeks again within the lineup, he is since gained 4 of 5 begins.
In response to ESPN stats, Tagovailoa ended the weekend ranked 14th within the NFL with a 63.1 adjusted QBR and second with a median of 272.9 passing yards per recreation for the season. Over 9 contests, he is tossed 17 landing passes and solely 4 interceptions.
As of Monday afternoon, the NFL’s website gave the Dolphins a 14% probability to make the playoffs. At that very same time, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Miami as a three-point underdog for this coming Sunday’s recreation on the 8-5 Houston Texans.
“You don’t have room for error,” Smith mentioned concerning the closing 4 matchups on Miami’s schedule. “We shot ourselves within the foot earlier within the season. It’s exhausting to win video games when your franchise quarterback will not be enjoying. These guys that got here in and stepped up did a heck of a job. However Tua is the man.”
In fact, the largest concern for Smith and Co. is that Tagovailoa is all the time one hit away from presumably being sidelined for greater than a few performs. That is an enormous cause some nonetheless really feel the Dolphins made a mistake by signing the 26-year-old to a four-year, $212.4M contract this previous offseason though he could also be “one of the best quarterback on the planet” when wholesome.
