If you didn't know it was only Tua Tagovailoa's second career NFL start in Sunday's thrilling 34-31 win over the Arizona Cardinals, you would have sworn it was his 200th. Tua finished the game with two touchdowns and went 20-28 for 248 yards, including a handful of fourth-quarter passes that got the Dolphins in range for a Jason Sanders 50-yard field goal that sealed the deal.
The Miami Dolphins are now a 5-3 football team that clearly has their quarterback and coach situation nailed. National media is calling Dolphins coach Brian Flores a Coach of the Year candidate, and Tua Tagovailoa is the talk of the league.
Finally, Dolphins fans have something to smile about.
After years of searching under every rock and at the bottom of every canal, the Dolphins have found themselves a bonafide star under center. From Jay Fiedler to Cleo Lemon to Joey Harrington to Chad Henne to Ryan Tannehill, the Dolphins have tried their hand at just about every brand of man to fill the void Dan Marino left in Miami in 1999.Tua Tagovailoa in his 2nd NFL start
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 9, 2020
???? 20/28
???? 248 yards
???? 2 TDs / 0 INTs pic.twitter.com/fVKBjSCWG1
Watching Sunday's 34-31 rollercoaster win, it was pretty clear, even to the national media, that the Miami Dolphins are on the verge of something special.
While it's early, the non-existent learning curve shows what many believed when the Dolphins selected their new quarterback with the fifth-overall pick in this year's NFL Draft: Tua Tagovailoa is the real deal.From an organizational standpoint, that’s the most significant Dolphins win I can remember in at least 12 years. The momentum, the hope, the style, the entertainment. And the fact that it puts this team squarely in the playoff picture at mid season. That’s called “legitimacy.”
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) November 9, 2020
As one might imagine, Dolphins fans could barely contain themselves on Twitter.
— Casey (@BaseyCrock) November 9, 2020
— ?? (@dru_star) October 19, 2020
every Dolphins fan I know right now pic.twitter.com/8VKg01v4eD
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 9, 2020
TUA IS TUA-0 AS A STARTER FOR THE DOLPHINS
— Tito Benach (@TitoBenach) November 9, 2020
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
WE REALLY GOT A QB FAM pic.twitter.com/3mARKPN59q
— Bae Mysterio says Black Lives Matter (@Clay_Mysterio) November 9, 2020
Tua-mania rolls on next weekend when the Dolphins host the Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium. The game pits Tua against another young and exciting quarterback, the Chargers' Justin Herbert, a player the Dolphins passed on to take Tua in the draft. Another victory would give the Dolphins six wins in their last seven games and the inside track on a playoff appearance, something that has been few and far between during the last 20 years.HOW ABOUT THE MIAMI DOLPHINS ! HOW ABOUT TUA #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/xGg7q8TEdN
— Daniel (@DanielEliesen) November 9, 2020
Miami has its quarterback. And Miami Dolphins fans have something to look forward on Sundays again.
