Dave Hyde: Dolphins win, but what's wrong with Tua Tagovailoa?

"You can recount the weekly heroics of running back De'Von Achane, or this week's heroics of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. You can wonder how the Miami Dolphins wavered in those final few minutes, but appreciate how they ultimately held it together. The view from field level is they made the biggest plays like Fitzpatrick's two-point conversion interception and a fourth-down stop to beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium."

"But this season began to be more about the view from 30,000 feet a while ago and so Sunday again brought this wide-angle question: What's wrong with Tua Tagovialoa? It's not just that he looked diminished again Sunday, even outplayed by New Orleans rookie Tyler Shough in just his fourth start. It's also not just that the manner he could surgically dissect defenses on his good days over the past few years isn't happening this season. The prime issue is team owner Steve Ross wants to base every major decision coming up around getting value next season from Tua's corrosive, and massive, contract."

"That means Ross hopes to bring back coach Mike McDaniel, considering he's had some success with Tua and any new coach would want a new quarterback. That also means giving interim general manager Champ Kelly a full-year trial run in 2026. Again, what top GM candidate would want a job where the coach and quarterback who haven't won are inherited pieces?"

The Miami Dolphins relied on defensive plays and heroics from De'Von Achane and Minkah Fitzpatrick to beat the New Orleans Saints despite offensive inconsistency. Tua Tagovialoa continued to look diminished, even outplayed by rookie Tyler Shough, and the offense has lacked the surgical passing that appeared in prior seasons. Owner Steve Ross plans to base major upcoming decisions on recovering value from Tua's large contract, which favors retaining coach Mike McDaniel and giving interim GM Champ Kelly a full 2026 trial. That approach creates an unusual organizational structure where a struggling quarterback anchors personnel strategy. Questions remain about injury, schematic adjustments, and the loss of Tyreek Hill.

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