Tua Tagovailoa had a second half to forget on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, and it raised new questions about his ability to win big games.
Tagovailoa seemingly had the Dolphins right where they wanted to be late in the first half, holding a 20-10 lead at home over the Packers.
While the lead was reduced to 20-13 at the half, Miami simply had to hold serve at home to see out the win.
Unfortunately, Tagovailoa completely melted down in the second half. He went 7-13 for 81 yards, and closed the game by throwing three interceptions on the Dolphins’ final three drives.
The third in particular was a terrible read and an inexplicable decision on the quarterback’s part.
The response to Tagovailoa’s disastrous final half was swift.
Many trashed him for a poor performance in a potential season-defining game, while others raised questions about his long-term ability to quarterback the Dolphins.
Tagovailoa looked to have turned a corner earlier in the season and established himself as an outstanding NFL quarterback.
In fact, one of the most notable parts of his statistical profile was his success in clutch situations. That has largely been forgotten now, as this was his third underwhelming game in a row.
The Dolphins have lost four in a row to fall to 8-7. They will have to close out their season strong if they want to hold on to their playoff spot, a situation that seemed unthinkable a month ago.
More must-reads: