Dolphins' offensive struggles without Tagovailoa are staggering

Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Dolphins' offensive struggles without Tua Tagovailoa are staggering

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated Sep 23, 2024 11:29 AM ET

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed his first game of the 2024 season in Week 3 after suffering his third concussion in recent years in Week 2.

Tagovailoa's NFL future is up in the air, but fans know he'll sit out at least the next three games while on injured reserve. With the Dolphins having their bye in Week 6, the earliest Tagovailoa could return is Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals.

After shattering records during the 2023 campaign and winning this year's opener 20-10, Miami's offense has struggled immensely since the lefty signal-caller went down.

The Dolphins were routed by three touchdowns apiece in Weeks 2 and 3 against the Buffalo Bills (31-10) and Seattle Seahawks (24-3), respectively.

The low output on offense this year without Tagovailoa is a familiar theme in South Beach.

The Dolphins are averaging 13.6 PPG without Tua over the last three seasons.

26.8 PPG with Tua on the field. https://t.co/5oTuL5EnV9
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) September 23, 2024

The Alabama product played 10 games (nine starts) during his 2020 rookie season before suiting up for 13 contests (12 starts) in 2021. Tagovailoa suffered two documented concussions in 2022 and, despite being limited to 13 games (two of which were cut short) that year, finished ninth in the MVP voting.

He was even better in 2023, playing in all 17 contests, making his first Pro Bowl, and leading the Dolphins to the playoffs for the second year.

After Tagovailoa went down with another concussion during the third quarter of the team's Week 2 defeat vs. the Bills, Skylar Thompson also took over and started on Sunday. However, the 2022 seventh-round pick exited the Week 3 loss against the Seahawks in the third quarter due to a rib injury.

29-year-old former undrafted free agent Tim Boyle went under center for head coach Mike McDaniel's crew following Thompson's departure. If the latter isn't ready for the next contest, Boyle could be called upon in Week 4 on "Monday Night Football" against the Tennessee Titans.

Victor Barbosa

Victor Barbosa is a passionate follower of MLB, the NBA and NFL, with a deep interest in Boston-area teams. He graduated from Springfield College -- The Birthplace of Basketball -- in 2013 with a degree in Communications-Sports Journalism. Previous bylines include FanSided, Heavy and Syracuse

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