Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa admits ‘very disappointing’ offens looked lost in consecutive defeats

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has changed his tune after going from the NFL’s highest-rated passer in Week 10 to Sunday’s deflating Week 14 loss to the Chargers in Los Angeles.

‘It’s very disappointing for us to go out there as an offense and kind of show what we showed,’ Tagovailoa said following the 23-17 loss – Miami’s second consecutive defeat, dropping the team to 8-5. ‘That’s not up to our standard, that’s not how we play football here, and that was very disappointing.’

Tagovailoa had spent much the season disproving his critics, telling NBC last month, ‘I take receipts.’ But the third-year starter completed just 10 of 28 passes on Sunday, and outside of a 60-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill, amassed just 85 yards through the air against the Chargers.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has changed his tune after going from the NFL’s highest-rated passer in Week 10 to Sunday’s deflating Week 14 loss to the Chargers in Los Angeles . ‘It’s very disappointing for us to go out there as an offense and kind of show what we showed,’ Tagovailoa said following the 23-17 loss 

Following the loss, Tagovailoa did not point fingers. Instead, he said the coaches prepared the offense well before defeats to the San Francisco 49ers and Chargers, adding that he and his teammates have lacked focus.

‘I would say the defenses that we’ve played have been playing exactly what we’ve expected them to play, that they’ve put on film,’ he said. ‘It really just goes back to the details of how we play our offense and we’re not all dialed in with that. So, we have to go back to the drawing board, figure this out, and got to keep from losing. I mean, it sucks.’

After passing for 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions across four straight wins dating back to October, Tagovailoa has been picked off twice while completing just 28 of 61 passes (45.9 percent) in his last two games.

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Kyle Van Noy (8) sacks Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during the first half on Sunday in Inglewood, California 

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) throws against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at SoFi Stadium

Head coach Mike McDaniel said after Sunday’s loss that his team’s response to the recent struggles will definite its season.

‘I’ve been a part of teams, two teams specifically, that ended up playing in the Super Bowl that had a loss pretty similar to the one that we had tonight, where you have high expectations and take a punch to the gut,’ McDaniel told reporters. ‘I’ve been on teams where it snowballed even further. I think relative to where the year’s at, I think you always want to continue to progress.

‘As long as we learn from all of it and start playing better football, I don’t really care what it is, it is going to hurt. I think our guys’ expectations from what they feel they should be, this is probably the furthest miss we have had all year. So, you really, really can’t hide in these situations. You find out who you are working with and who you are dealing with. I know what they’ll find out from me and I am excited about what I’ll find out from them.’

And things won’t get any easier in Week 15, as the Dolphins travel to Buffalo for a Saturday night game against the Bills, who lead the AFC East at 10-3. 

A win would go a long way to helping the Dolphins secure their first playoff berth since 2016.  And for what it’s worth, Miami did beat Buffalo, 21-19, back in Week 3. 

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel talks to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during the second half