Why Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is more than just a product of a perfect system and setup

Why Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is more than just a product of a perfect system and setup

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The 2023 season is nearing the midway point, and there isn't a clearer MVP candidate than quarterback , who for the second year in a row has exploded out of the gate to help Miami light up the scoreboard. But is Tagovailoa still underrated as the captain of Mike McDaniel's historic offense? Or is he really just a product of the Dolphins' electric system?Let's start with the basic facts: When healthy, Tagovailoa has Christian Yelich Jersey easily ranked among the game's most productive QBs since the start of 2022. He of course mi sed time last year due to multiple concu sions, but in his last 17 starts, or the equivalent of a full season, he's thrown 4,685 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a 107.0 pa ser rating. For reference, star won MVP in 2022 while throwing 41 TDs and 12 INTs with a 105.2 rating.Now here's why some are still hesitant to crown Tagovailoa as "legitimately" elite: Basically all of his stardom has come under coach Mike McDaniel and alongside an all-star cast of characters. Critics reason that in McDaniel's 49ers-inspired schemes, alongside the otherworldly speed of play-makers like , , and , any half-decent QB could be guiding 50-point wins and making MVP bids.It's certainly true that Tagovailoa enjoys a pristine setup, at least in terms of play-callers and pa sing outlets. Hill is all but uncoverable, and McDaniel is a dynamic leader for the entire program. But it shouldn't be ignored that Tua's also gone from conservative afterthought to confident gunslinger behind a far le s vaunted offensive line. Left tackle has mi sed eight games and counting since 2022. Center is banged up. And new left guard is to open 2023. For a smaller QB (6-1, 227) who understandably carries a reputation as medically troubled, Tagovailoa has shown a natural ability to navigate -- and thus preserve himself within -- pockets as of late. We also might give credence to the reality that QBs develop at different rates. Take Tua's former Alabama teammate as an example; it wouldn't have been ludicrous after Hurts' first full season as the ' starter to suggest Philly seek an upgrade. Mobile as he was in 2021, Hurts simply did not appear to po se s the adequate pa sing acumen to compete with the best of the best. And yet, even accounting for the ma sive addition of receiver , Hurts far exceeded all expectations in 2022, running throwing his way all the way to a shootout with Mahomes. CBS Sports HQ Newsletter Your Ultimate Guide to Every Day in Sports We bring sports news that matters to your inbox, to help you stay informed and get a winning edge. I agree to receive the "CBS Sports HQ Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the and acknowledge Paramount's . Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error proce sing your subscription. Just as in Philly, where Hurts' growth and Hurts' improved help aren't mutually exclusive, Tagovailoa deserves credit for becoming the kind of QB who can capitalize on the pieces around him. His best attributes have always been fairly obvious -- pinpoint accuracy, quick decision-making. They also didn't just "come out of nowhere" once McDaniel and Co. arrived; let's remember this kid went No. 5 overall in the draft just three years ago. What if McDaniel and Co. just enhanced the QB's latent strengths?Tua's full track record suggests as much. Including his first two years in a pre-McDaniel, pre-Tyreek Hill setup, here are his ranks among current, active starting QBs with at least 30 starts since 2020: 5thin yards per attempt (7.8), tied with Mahomes7th in completion percentage (66.5)7th in pa ser rating (97.9), better than fellow 2020 first-rounders and Obviously his work since 2022 has done the heavy lifting. But if his 2023 pace keeps up, he'll have improved his pa ser rating, yards per attempt and touchdown percentage he's been in the .For the sake of the argument, let's say none of what he accomplished prior to 2022 even matters. Again, the question becomes, why Tagovailoa be considered part of the Dolphins' winning equation, as opposed to a mere beneficiary of it?The same discu sion is happening in San Francisco, where -- perhaps uncoincidentally -- McDaniel's former mentor, Kyle Shanahan, tends to receive most of the credit for young QB succe s. You'll hear some folks say something like, And to that, we say: Really? Why did the ' offense look more erratic on the rare occasions was under center? Why is Purdy controlling the ball and extending plays better than longtime Shanahan favorite ever did? Like Tagovailoa in Miami, Purdy obviously benefits from his surroundings -- put the kid in Chicago, and it's probably a different story. But his respective system Nick Wittgren Jersey , he's maximizing his role. Consider these words from former 49ers and Chiefs starter Alex Smith, who spoke with CBS Sports about Purdy prior to the 2023 season: "He's just built (for this). It's not a fluke. You know, at the combine, we love the measurables. We love to measure height, weight, 40 times. But in the end, if you can't proce s information and you're not accurate, you're not gonna make it in the. Brock has both those things." You know who else does? Tua Tagovailoa.So, at the end of the day, is he a "system QB?" Maybe the better question is, what defines "system QB"? And are there levels to "system QBs"? Because if it boils down to solely surroundings -- this QB is good because his setup is good -- then something like 90% of the NFL's 32 starting QBs are "system QBs." Only a select few -- Mahomes, , among them -- have the unteachable arm talent or mobility to consistently transcend dire circumstances.Is Tua part of that cla s? Probably not. But gue s what? Neither are most QBs, even consistently good ones. And, dare we say, neither was the most accomplished QB in NFL history; didn't win seven Super Bowls with a cannon of an arm or lightning-quick legs so much as unmatched poise, precision and dedication to the craft. Of course not everyone can be Brady, but Tagovailoa doesn't nece sarily have to be when the team around him JT Riddle Jersey is so well-constructed. A final comparison: in Detroit, another sometimes-maligned QB whose best attribute is throwing pretty precision pa ses. Put him on the and he's probably not going to bail you out the same way a freak athlete like Allen or Mahomes might. But give him a decent line, a couple of play-makers and a coach who believes in him, and he'll give you consistent top-10 production and playoff contention. All this to say, Tagovailoa may not be a Mahomes-level athlete. He may not even be a Brady-level technician. He has weapons most QBs would pay dearly to have at their disposal. And yet, when you watch him confidently feed the speed around him, when you see how efficient he's become even while attacking downfield, when you witne s the composure he displays even while guiding potential comebacks, and when you see how quickly McDaniel and Hill and every title-chasing Dolphins companion rushes to defend his rise, it's not hard to call him what he is: a guy climbing right to the upper echelon of whatever "QB tier" to which he belongs.Could or or or or or do what Tagovailoa's doing in Miami? As McDaniel recently said, it really doesn't matter. You know why? Because Tua's actually doing it.
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