Dolphins-Tagovailoa situation different than Chiefs-Mahomes
Any observer watching how the Dolphins are handling their quarterback situation with Ryan Fitzpatrick starting and firstround pick Tua Tagovailoa watching can point to the obvious success the Kansas City Chiefs enjoyed in 2017.
That year, after selecting Patrick Mahomes in the first round of the NFL Draft, the Chiefs basically put their rookie quarterback in the oven to baste for 15 games before unveiling him the final game of the season as the NFL’s next great superstar quarterback.
So there are folks, including a couple within the Dolphins organization, who think the Dolphins can follow that model with Tagovailoa.
They believe letting Tagovailoa watch and learn while Fitzpatrick plays will pay dividends next year when Tagovailoa is the starter.
Except ... Facts.
The Kansas City Chiefs did indeed want Mahomes to grow into his starting job before he replaced incumbent Alex Smith. But there was a competition for playing time between them. And Smith made very certain in 2017 that he could not be replaced.
That’s not the case with Fitzpatrick and the Dolphins
now.
Smith opened that fateful season throwing four touchdown passes without an interception in a 42-27 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.
Fitzpatrick opened this season throwing three interceptions without a touchdown in a 21-11 loss to the Patriots.
The Chiefs had reason to keep Smith as their starter. They began the season with a 5-0 record and leading the AFC West.
The Dolphins have every reason to replace Fitzpatrick. They’re 1-3 and occupy third place in the AFC East.
Smith threw 11 touchdowns without an interception the first five games of 2017. Fitzpatrick has thrown four touchdowns and five interceptions through his four starts.
The Chiefs, by the way, won the AFC West in 2017 with a 10-6 record. They had no reason to bench Smith because that move would’ve changed something that was succeeding.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, continue to stick with something that so far is not working.
The comparison between the Patrick Mahomes scenario in K.C. and Tua Tagovailoa in Miami to begin their careers is parallel mostly because neither rookie got on the field early and in one other significant detail:
Mahomes could not beat out Smith because the K.C. veteran was playing great.
Tagovailoa has so far been unable to beat out Fitzpatrick even though Miami’s veteran has been wildly inconsistent.
And make no mistake the Dolphins say they are making their quarterback decision in favor of Fitzpatrick based on which quarterback they believe is better.
“We feel like he gives us the best chance to win,” coach Brian Flores said of Fitzpatrick on Wednesday. “I think he’s had some rough moments like some other players, but we feel like he gives us the best chance to win.”
That is a statement as much about Tagovailoa as Fitzpatrick.
Because so far the player selected No. 5 in the draft has been unable to beat out a career journeyman playing inconsistently.
The Dolphins, who study tape of their practices over and over to correct mistakes, have viewed those closed-door sessions for weeks and decided Tagovailoa isn’t ready to start. And Fitzpatrick, who has struggled in actual games, remains their better option.
“As far as him being a starter, we just don’t feel like he’s ready there just yet,” Flores said of Tagovailoa. “That’s kind of where we’re at with him and other players. There are some other rookies who just aren’t ready to kind of take that step just yet, but he’s doing all the right things.
“Right now, we feel like Fitz gives us the best chance to win. I would say overall Fitz has played pretty well. He’s had some rough patches like I just said earlier, like some other players. But we do feel like he gives us the best chance to win.”
You’ll recall last season, Fitzpatrick found himself in another quarterback battle with a young quarterback.
And even though Josh Rosen was not better than Fitzpatrick early in the season, the Dolphins felt him at least ready to run the offense — which was a more complex scheme than the current one.
Eventually Rosen didn’t perform and Miami went back to Fitzpatrick after two games. We never saw Rosen in a game again.
The point is the team after two games last year felt more comfortable starting Rosen than it does with Tagovailoa now after four games. And Rosen wasn’t even good.
So what is Tagovailoa? In practice? No one knows. Those are closed.
Flores says Tagovailoa is “doing a good job” in those sessions, but he also says Fitzpatrick is “playing pretty well” — which he is not.
Fitzpatrick, by the way, is ranked 29th among NFL quarterbacks with an 83.6 passer rating (that’s bad) and his five interceptions are tied for third among NFL quarterbacks for most thrown (that’s really bad).
So what is actually happening in those practices that the Dolphins cannot find a comfort level with Tagovailoa yet? One source said Tagovailoa has good moments and bad moments.
He also said coaches have thought about the possibility of giving Tagovailoa more practice repetitions with Miami’s firstteam offense. It’s unknown if that happened Wednesday or not.
But if he’s not playing, and not getting more practice repetitions that prepare him to play, how can Tagovailoa get markedly better?
“I think he has to keep doing what he’s doing,” Flores said. “He’s in here every day, he’s working, he’s practicing well. I think he just continues to do what he’s been doing. He’s learning every day. He’s getting better and improving every day.
“So for him, the only thing he can do is come in, do a good job in meetings, do a good job in the walkthroughs, do a good job in practice, and then when his opportunity presents itself, which as the backup could be at any point in the game … he’s just got to be ready. That’s really it.”