Tua Tagovailoa strengthens NFL MVP case against hapless Browns
By Scott Rogust
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa furthered his case to be considered for NFL MVP after they torched the Cleveland Browns.
Tua Tagovailoa was the talk of the Miami Dolphins this year, mostly regarding whether he could truly take that next step and be the team’s quarterback for the foreseeable future. The team did bring in more help on the offense, such as wide receiver Tyreek Hill, left tackle Terron Armstead and running back Raheem Mostert. It was all up to Tagovailoa to put everything together and lead the Dolphins to victory.
So far, Tagovailoa has done just that, as he won six-of-seven starts entering Week 10. At home, Miami’s offense completely dominated the Cleveland Browns’ defense, resulting in a 39-17 victory.
This game may have furthered Tagovailoa’s chances of winning the NFL MVP.
Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa strengthens NFL MVP case with dominant win over Browns
Entering the game, Tagovailoa matched the statistics that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had through his first seven games last year. Of course, Rodgers won the MVP award last year.
Tagovailoa’s play has caught the attention of fans, as NFL on FOX revealed that fans voted for him as the midseason MVP.
The Browns took their only lead of the game on the opening drive, after quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Harrison Bryant. Tagovailoa and the Dolphins responded six minutes later, tying the game up on a 13-yard touchdown pass to fullback Alec Ingold. The Dolphins would take a 10-7 lead on a 39-yard field goal by Jason Sanders, and never look back.
Tagovailoa threw three touchdown passes in the game. Perhaps his best coming in the second quarter, on a 14-yard pass to Trent Sherfield in the back-left corner of the end zone to give Miami a 17-3 lead. The throw had a perfect spiral, and it landed directly in the wide receiver’s hands.
The rout was on shortly after that, as Miami never let up and continued to drive up the score. Tagovailoa completed 25 passes for 285 yards on 32 attempts.
Will Tagovailoa actually win the NFL MVP? He does have a tough battle, considering how well fellow quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, and Josh Allen have played this year. Tagovailoa’s probably not winning the award, but he definitely should be in the conversation.