Tua looks to end rookie QB losing skid vs. Belichick
It’s Tua Tagovailoa versus a Bill Belichick defense for the very first time Sunday. As intriguing matchups go, this one is not far behind good versus evil.
On the one hand you have the promising young quarterback and on the other you have an experienced, accomplished,
For Dolphins, playoffs basically begin Sunday vs. Patriots, schemer, genius, knave.
You have the not fully tested or initiated, against the clever and masterful.
It’s the player who paints crucifixes on his face against the coach who looks like emperor Palpatine under his hoodie.
Tagovailoa is familiar with Belichick and vice versa. And it’s anyone’s guess who draws the advantage from that fellowship.
“I would say I’m pretty
familiar,” Tagovailoa said Wednesday. “I grew up watching the Patriots, you know, in a lot of Super Bowls. I would also say I’ve seen Bill a good amount at Alabama. Him and [Alabama coach] Nick [Saban] are pretty good friends.
“I would say [he’s] very similar in a way with, I guess, Coach Saban in how they go about doing things. But I know there’s going to be a lot of challenges that his defense has to offer our offense and we just have to be prepared this week for those.”
Because Tagovailoa is as aware of Belichick’s reputation as any rookie quarterback can be, he must recognize the challenge that faces the Dolphins offense in general and him in particular. And here are the facts that speak to those challenges:
Rookie quarterbacks
● have fared poorly against Belichick defenses the past eight seasons dating back to 2013. And, by poorly, I mean Belichick is 11-0 against rookie QBs in that time the first game they’ve played.
Los Angeles Chargers
●
rookie quarterback Justin Herbert lost in his game against the Patriots this season.
Last season, New York Giants rookie Daniel Jones lost against Belichick’s defense.
In 2018, New York Jets
●
quarterback Sam Darnold lost as a rookie in his first game against a Belichick defense. So did Buffalo’s Josh Allen.
In 2017, Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and Buffalo’s Nathan Peterman lost against Belichick’s defense.
In 2016, Rams quarterback Jared Goff and Cody Kessler, subbing in at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, lost to Belichick’s defense.
In 2014, rookie quarterback Derek Carr and the
Raiders lost to Belichick’s defense.
●●nd both E.J. Manuel of the Bills and Geno Smith of the Jets lost the first time they saw Belichick’s defense as rookies in 2013.
“Their defense has always been their biggest deal,” Tagovailoa said. “Belichick takes pride and all their [defensive coordinators] that have come there, even [Dolphins] coach [Brian Flores], they all take pride in their defense and what they do to stop offenses.”
It’s not just rookies that are taking the L against Belichick and whatever strategy he cooks up. Young quarterbacks in general also have lost a lot games to the hooded one — even those young quarterbacks who eventually have joined the league’s leading passers.
The first time Aaron Rodgers played against a Belichick defense? Loss. Matt Ryan? Loss.
Patrick Mahomes? Loss. Kyler Murray? Loss. Baker Mayfield? Loss. Carson Wentz? Loss. And that despite the fact Wentz got his first look against a
Belichick defense in his fourth NFL season.
It gets worse.
Because losing is one thing. That’s a team failure.
But many of those quarterbacks previously mentioned lost and played poorly as individuals.
Herbert has 24 touchdown passes this season and is threatening the NFL rookie touchdown record of 27 touchdown passes. But he didn’t throw a touchdown and instead had two interceptions against the Patriots on Dec. 6.
Allen threw two interceptions and had a 52.6 passer rating the first time he saw Belichick’s defense. Jones threw three interceptions against the Patriots in 2019.
Jared Goff threw for only 161 yards, with two interceptions, and was sacked four times in 2016.
So let’s just say that a first meeting against Belichick can be an educational experience. Because he’ll use stuff that perhaps most rookie quarterbacks aren’t prepared for or haven’t seen. And Tagovailoa, with six starts to his credit, is still learning. Still growing.
“I don’t think he’s seen everything he’s likely to see,” Flores said. “He’s so young in his career. It’s going to be a very big challenge not only for Tua but for our entire offense and our entire team.
“It’s a good football team. They are obviously wellcoached. They are tough, they are physical, really in all three phases. They play team football and it will be a tough test for everyone on our team.”
It must be noted not all rookies or young quarterbacks have wilted or lost to Belichick the first time they play against him.
Russell Wilson beat Belichick and his defense when he was a rookie in 2012. He’s the last rookie quarterback to beat Belichick.
That day Wilson threw three touchdown passes and avoided turnovers. The Seahawks won 24-23.
And last season, in his second NFL season, Lamar Jackson saw Belichick’s defense for the first time and came away with a 37-20 victory.
Jackson passed for only 161 yards and had 1 touchdown, so it wasn’t necessarily a great display of his passing prowess. But Jackson also ran for two touchdowns.
It could be argued Tagovailoa is in a good position to have success against Belichick that has escaped other young quarterbacks because he saw a defense that is a mirror image of New England’s every day during Miami’s training camp.
But that was four months ago and now Tagovailoa must draw on what he’s seeing from Miami’s scout team — which is showing the quarterback what New England has done previously.
And not all of what Belichick may do on Sunday.
“I think our scout team does a good job of helping prepare us offensively for the games,” Tagovailoa said. “But there’s always going to be new things that are going to pop up, whether it’s a front or something that happens on the back end.
“And you have to be prepared for it and adapt to that change on the fly.”