Tyreek Hill opens up box of excuses for Tua, Dolphins after lifeless loss to former team

To be fair, what else is Tyreek Hill supposed to say?

The Miami Dolphins offense was a downright disaster on Saturday night in negative temperatures at Arrowhead. The Dolphins are now 0-2 against the Chiefs since acquiring Hill, and haven't won a playoff game in two seasons.

The cornerback often lined up against Hill, Trent McDuffie, was a pain for the speedster all night long. To make matters worse, McDuffie is the player the Chiefs drafted with the first-round pick Brett Veach picked up in the trade for Hill.

Yet, despite the obvious, Hill was not the reason the Dolphins lost. He picked up over 60 yards receiving and a touchdown. While not his usual explosive self, Hill was always going to be limited in a game like this, where weather (and specifically the wind) was such a factor. It's his quarterback who was the real problem.

Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa debate is front and center this offseason

Since Tagovailoa was drafted, his arm strength has been a question mark, as has his ability to thrive under pressure from opposing pass rushers. When Tagovailoa has a clean pocket, he's flawless. When defenders are at his feet, Dolphins fans should fear the worst.

The Tagovailoa debate isn't going anywhere, and Miami will have to pay him, as he's in the final year of his contract. Even after a bad game (63 rating and a turnover against the Chiefs), Hill has his quarterback's back.

Tyreek Hill comes to Tua Tagovailoa's defense

Say what you want about Hill, on the football field he serves as a leader for this Dolphins team. Hill is one of the more outspoken players on this Dolphins roster. Whether in victory or defeat, fans and media will hear from him.

Hill credited the Chiefs cornerbacks and defensive coordinator for their coverage strategy, suggesting there was very little separation between himself and the Kansas City defensive backs.

By placing blame on the receiving corps, Hill is also deflecting it away from Tagovailoa. While an inept passing attack is rarely the result of one player's struggles (in this case Tua's), Tagovailoa has the greatest impact on this offense. The Dolphins go as he goes.

On Saturday night, Tagovailoa's greatest weaknesses came back to haunt him. His arm strength wasn't consistent enough to overpower the gusts of wind at Arrowhead, and he couldn't maintain his poise under pressure from the Chiefs pass rush. End of story.