Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a potential career-defining moment in Week 2. After trailing 35-14 against the Baltimore Ravens on the road, Tagovailoa led a furious comeback to propel the Dolphins to a stunning 42-38 win. Tagovailoa put on one of the best quarterback performances in recent memory, finishing the day with 469 yards and six touchdowns through the air.
It's now Week 3 of the NFL season, so what's next for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins? Only hosting the Buffalo Bills, widely considered the best team in football and heavy Super Bowl Favorites. No pressure.
While Miami needed a miraculous comeback in its previous game, Buffalo barely broke a sweat. The Bills crushed the Tennessee Titans 41-7 at home on Monday Night Football, strengthening their case as the NFL's best squad. Josh Allen threw for four touchdowns, three to Stefon Diggs, and the stingy Buffalo defense allowed less than 200 yards and forced four turnovers.
Sunday's AFC East showdown in Miami pits two undefeated teams against each other. The Bills are the favorite going in, but don't write off the Dolphins so fast. This game could have massive implications down the line, for both the division and the AFC as a whole.
With all that out of the way, here are a few bold predictions for Tua Tagovailoa in Sunday's contest against Buffalo.
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3. The Bills only get one sack
Buffalo's vaunted pass rush has lived up to the hype and then some to start the season. The Bills' pass rushers kicked off the new season by humiliating the Los Angeles Rams' offensive line, sacking Matthew Stafford seven times with 16 QB hits. They weren't quite as dominant against the Titans, with two sacks and three QB hits, but with such a strong performance all around, they didn't really need to be.
On the other side of the ball, Miami's offensive line has taken plenty of heat over the last couple of years. The Dolphins allowed 40 sacks last year, and 34 the year before. They had a clear need up front, and addressed it by adding Terron Armstead and Connor Williams this offseason.
Those signings appear to be paying dividends so far. Through two games, Miami has allowed just four sacks and nine QB hits. The line looked a little shaky in the season opener against the New England Patriots, but really stepped up against Baltimore, allowing only one sack and two QB hits.
The Bills' pass rush will be the greatest test yet for this revamped unit. Von Miller, Greg Rousseau and co. make up by far the best pass rush group Miami has seen this year. If Tua Tagovailoa can remain upright for most of the game, the Dolphins have a great chance at pulling off the upset, though keep an eye on Armstead's status after he dealt with an injury all week.
2. A touchdown each to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle
Tua Tagovailoa has the luxury of throwing to not one, but two elite wideouts. With Hill and Waddle, the Dolphins have arguably the best, and inarguably the fastest, receiver duo in the league. Their performance against the Ravens showed just how deadly this offense can be at full strength.
Both Hill and Waddle had incredible games in Baltimore. Hill went off in the fourth quarter to finish with 11 catches for 190 yards and two long touchdowns. Not to be outshined, Waddle had 11 catches for 171 yards and two scores, including the game-winner with 14 seconds left.
Expecting them to post those numbers every single week is not realistic in the slightest. However, they should each be able to find the end zone on Sunday. Expect both members of the dynamic duo to celebrate a score at least once against Buffalo.
1. Tua Tagovailoa goes off in a Dolphins upset win
Ever since he entered the league, Tua Tagovailoa has drawn more than his fair share of criticism. Many armchair GMs online have slammed the Dolphins QB for his apparent lack of arm strength, as well as endlessly comparing him to Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who was picked immediately after Tagovailoa in the 2020 draft. Those critics were conveniently quiet as the former Alabama QB torched the Ravens' secondary last week.
Following that monster performance, Tagovailoa is looking to prove it wasn't just a fluke. Having another great game against the class of the NFL will only further silence his doubters. The Bills may be an elite team, but a crack in their armor is showing, and Tagovailoa will look to expose it on Sunday.
Buffalo is dealing with a litany of injuries in the secondary. Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Tre'Davious White and Dane Jackson are all out. That leaves the Bills with a very inexperienced secondary that has a combined three NFL starts.
Tagovailoa and Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel have to be excited looking at the opposing secondary. They will do everything they can to test that unit early and often, and those rookies need to be ready. Tagovailoa could be in for another huge game Sunday, and the Dolphins could be in for a big upset.
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