Tua Tagovailoa throws football apparently without any restrictions.
For the first time since breaking his middle finger on his throwing hand three weeks ago in a loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins’ second-year quarterback works exclusively with the first-team offense, and he throws the ball at a certain speed.
The hope is that the injury to his throwing hand, which kept him from starting the last two games, will not limit the offense in Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, which is notorious for having whirling winds at the stadium.
“He’s had a couple of good days of training,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said, referring to the three sessions the Dolphins have held since Miami’s 22-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens, a game in which Tagovailoa replaced a injured Jacoby. Brissett and completed 8-of-13 passes in 158 yards and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run.
After the match, Tagovailoa said he had some pain from his hand, and admitted the injury affected his throw. However, that pain seems to have subsided somewhat.
“Of course there is certainly some discomfort, but he will fight his way through it,” Flores said. “But he has looked good.”
The hope is that Tagovailoa will be able to kick off Miami’s stagnant offense, which averages just 17.7 points this season.
“We’re getting into a good flow of things – without puns,” Tagovailoa said, getting a laugh out of using Flores’ nickname. “I think guys are starting to find their rhythm defensively, offensively and in special teams. We just have to keep finding ways to play complementary football. That’s really all it is.”
Sunday’s game will be Tagovailoa’s 15th NFL start, and while the former Alabama standout is 7-7 in his career as an NFL starter, he has 1-4 this season in games he has started.
The Jets will give him an opportunity to produce a winning record that only a few of his peers from the 2019, 2020 and 2021 NFL drafts have achieved.
Only Arizona’s Kyler Murray, who owns a 20-19-1 record as an NFL starter, and New England’s Mac Jones, who is 7-4 as a rookie starter for the Patriots, have a winning record in quarterback who has selected the last three draft cycles. .
Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts is 5-9. Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow is 7-11-1, and the Los Angeles Chargers starting Justin Herbert is 11-13.
Green Bay’s Jordan Love lost his first NFL start ever earlier this month.
Pittsburgh’s Dwayne Haskin, who was originally Washington’s first-round pick in 2019, was 3-10 starting in 2019 and 2020.
The New York Giants’ Daniel Jones is 11-24 in his three seasons as a starter, and Denver’s Drew Lock was 8-10 before being replaced by Teddy Bridgewater.
Gardner Minshew, who is now a backup in Philadelphia, produced a record of 7-13 as Jacksonville starts in 2019 and 2020.
As for the 2021 pick, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence is 2-7. New York Jets Zach Wilson has 1-5 before being put on the sidelines by an injured knee. Joe Flacco starts for the Jets this week against Miami.
San Francisco’s Trey Lance is 0-1 and Chicago’s Justin Fields is 2-5.
