The Indianapolis Colts got plenty of licks in against Tua Tagovailoa in the team’s 33-8 blowout win against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. A day later, a Colts defender – and a former teammate of the Dolphins quarterback – landed another.
Asked about Tagovailoa on Monday, Colts cornerback Xavien Howard said the team was confident it could force the passer into uncomfortable positions.
‘We knew the guy, he gets the ball out pretty quick,’ said Howard, who was Tagovailoa’s teammate on the Dolphins from 2020-23. ‘And once we take away his first read, I feel like it’s panic mode after that. And it showed yesterday. We took away his first read, and he was trying to get rid of the ball real quick.’
Tagovailoa, who had the ninth-quickest time to throw of any Week 1 quarterback at 2.62 seconds, according to Next Gen Stats, finished with just 114 yards on 14-of-23 passing. He also committed three turnovers – two interceptions and a lost fumble – and took three sacks. His 51.7 passer rating was his lowest mark since 2021 and the worst in a game that he did not exit due to injury.
New Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo kept Tagovailoa off balance with a number of different looks. Cornerback Kenny Moore II and safety Nick Cross each logged sacks, with the former forcing a fumble that was recovered by Howard. Defensive end Laiatu Latu also dropped into coverage and hauled in an interception when he jumped a pass intended for Malik Washington.
Top target Tyreek Hill, meanwhile, finished with just 40 yards on four catches.
After the game, however, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said blame for the offensive output extended well beyond the signal-caller.
‘It was something left to be desired … there’s throws he makes nine times out of 10, and he didn’t make them today,’ McDaniel said. ‘Definitely not all on him. Too many people failed at the execution of their jobs for him to have anything extra on his shoulders.’
Last season, Tagovailoa had two three-interception games but threw only one pick throughout the rest of the year. After Sunday’s game, however, he pushed back at the notion his turnovers come ‘in bunches.’
‘I wouldn’t say I’m pressing. I would say it’s part of the game,’ he said. ‘You obviously don’t want to turn the ball over. I thought that was a wild comment, that I turn the ball over in bunches. That’s crazy. It just so happened that’s what happened today, it was what it was. Got to move forward from that, can’t make those same mistakes.’
The Dolphins host the New England Patriots on Sunday before facing the Buffalo Bills in a Week 3 ‘Thursday Night Football’ matchup.