Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa Presents Parallels and Challenges for the Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are set to face off with Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for the first time on Sunday. The Chiefs had plenty to say about the left-handed rookie.

When the Kansas City Chiefs drafted quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft, head coach Andy Reid was quick to indicate Alex Smith was his guy for the immediate future.

Reid obviously had plans for the future with Mahomes, but the rookie’s first chance didn’t arrive until facing the Denver Broncos in the regular-season finale on December 27, 2017. 

Fast forward to Week 14 of the 2020 season, the Chiefs are preparing to go up against rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins. Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Dolphins’ original starting quarterback of the year, is also in the picture.

On Wednesday, Mahomes said the Tagovailoa/Fitzpatrick dynamic shares some similarities with what he had with Smith in his rookie season. 

“I think they have a great dynamic there where they like me and Alex, two great football players that just want to go out there and win in whatever way possible and help out the team,” Mahomes said. “Obviously it works, and they’ve won a lot of football games and it'll be a great challenge for us this week to beat a really good football team.”

Tagovailoa made his NFL debut late against the New York Jets in Week 6 and was promoted to starting quarterback following the Dolphins’ Week 7 bye.

He was benched against the Broncos in Week 11 and missed Week 12 due to a thumb injury before returning as the starter against the Cincinnati Bengals last week.

"He's just he's super talented," Mahomes said. "He understands what it takes to win football games. I think that comes from playing at Alabama and winning those national championships there. He understands exactly what needs to be done to win football games."

Tagovailoa has completed 86 of 136 passes for 898 yards and seven touchdowns. He has yet to throw an interception. The Dolphins have lost one of the six games he has appeared in. 

“I think Tua has improved on a weekly basis, like all over our rookies have,” Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said. “I think he’s kind of learning on the fly how to be a professional in this league [and] the things you’ve got to do in meetings and walkthrough and practice, to have success in games. I think he’s improving every day, getting better and hopefully we just continue to get better.”

Tagovailoa throws left-handed, something the Chiefs have not faced since former New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick during the 2014 season.

Chiefs cornerback Bahaud Breeland said the key to limiting the Dolphins’ offense will come from focussing on the differences Tagovailoa presents.

“Most quarterbacks open to their legs, so it’d be the left side of our defense,” Breeland said. “Now that he’s a left-handed quarterback, he’s mostly going to open up to our right side. Right side is really going to be his strong side as far as their plays.”

Tagovailoa’s left-handedness may also force the Chiefs to prepare for the right-handed Fitzpatrick in the case Flores makes a switch in the game.

Reid said the Chiefs are making plans to defend each of the quarterbacks because of their distinctions.

“They’ve got two good quarterbacks, so you’ve got to make sure that you’ve got the right side and the left side covered,” Reid said. “But Tua’s got a great future, and Brian [Flores] knows that, so they’re working him in and he’s producing for them. It looks like it’s a really good draft pick for them.”