Many Miami Dolphins fans are down on starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was a virtual no show throughout Saturday’s 26-7 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. The former Alabama standout completed 20-of-39 passing attempts for 199 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. His 51.3% completion percentage was a season-low mark. Dolphin fans left frustrated yet again.
Tua led a lackluster offensive performance, scoring seven points and gaining 264 yards. That’s 22.2 points less than their weekly average output (29.2) during the season, and 137.3 yards less than the league-leading 401.3 they entered Saturday with. Situational football was equally as disappointing. The Dolphins went 1-of-12 on third-down attempts and were sloppily whistled for eight penalties. Unbelievable.
These Dolphins aren’t built for competitive January football in Kansas City—or anywhere outside Hard Rock Stadium. Miami went to Kansas City because they dropped a Week 18 contest to the Buffalo Bills that decided the AFC East, a defeat that placed the Dolphins on a collision course with inevitable disappointment. The Bills completed the regular-season sweep over a Dolphins franchise that can’t displace their biggest rival. The week before that, the Dolphins suffered a humiliating 56-19 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens, the actual Super Bowl favorite. Truth is most Dolphin fans saw this coming.
