QB Switch Is Deja Vu for Lawson

The Miami Dolphins giving rookie first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa is something like defensive end Shaq Lawson witnessed first-hand two years ago

Alain Poupart | Oct 26, 2020

While there are some differences, the Miami Dolphins moving to rookie first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback for their Week 8 game against the Los Angeles Rams is similar to what happened in Buffalo with Josh Allen two years ago.

And defensive end Shaq Lawson was there for both occasions.

Allen was the eighth overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft after the Bills moved up to get him out of the University of Wyoming and, like Tagovailoa, he began the season as a backup.

But that didn't last very long for Allen, who started in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers after the Bills got drubbed 47-3 by the Baltimore Ravens in the opener with Nathan Peterman as their starting quarterback.

"Those guys, they don't draft a quarterback in the first round for no reason," Lawson said. "The guys are the future of the program. Tua, as advice being in the league, I'm just telling guys, work hard and continue to work better. We're going to follow your lead. Embrace every moment of it. Been seeing him, he's been doing that every day. He's a guy that always has a smile on his face, great kid. He always wants to talk to vets and learn new things. He learned a lot. He likes to learn too."

Allen completed 18 of 33 passes for 245 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in his NFL starting debut, a 31-20 loss.

But Allen has made steady progress and now stands as perhaps the biggest reason the Bills are 5-2 and in first place in the AFC East this season.

Published Oct 26, 2020

ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.