Rusty Tua Tantalizes as Miami Dolphins Get Back on Track During SNF

Sunday Night Football in Miami began with "Tua" chants ringing throughout Hard Rock Stadium. Despite turning in a shaky performance, Tua Tagovailoa's triumphant return helped snap the Miami Dolphins' three-game losing streak.

Tagovailoa just taking the field became a step in the right direction after what the 24-year-old endured during the third and fourth weeks of the season.

Some might even say his return came too soon after the signal-caller entered a fencing response position when thrown to the ground and was subsequently carted off the field against the Cincinnati Bengals.

"I wouldn't say it was scary for me at the time because there was a point where I was unconscious, so I couldn't really tell what was going on," Tagovailoa told reporters 20 days after suffering the concussion.

The incident, especially after the quarterback seemingly suffered head trauma during the previous week's play against the Buffalo Bills, helped spark positive change throughout the league.
The NFL and NFLPA agreed to update concussion protocols after an investigation into the handling of Tagovailoa's assessment. Any player who now shows signs of ataxia (or lack of coordination caused by poor muscle control) will be immediately removed from the game.

Despite the scary situation, the Dolphins' starting quarterback was eventually going to take the field again. Officially, a team of doctors cleared Tagovailoa from the concussion protocol on Oct. 15, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. He practiced this week to resume his role.

AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

"Just to have him back out there, his energy, his leadership, the way that he's able to have fun playing this game throughout it all, man, it's just amazing," wide receiver Tyreek Hill said Friday. "It's always fun to have your brother back out there on the field."

Tagovailoa helped lead Miami to a 16-10 victory Sunday over the Pittsburgh Steelers in a performance that wasn't always pretty. In fact, he made some downright terrible throws throughout the night. But the Dolphins seemingly have a solid plan to keep their quarterback upright and eventually take advantage of all the weapons on offense.

The first drive of the night showed exactly how Mike McDaniel's offense can operate with its starter behind center while still making sure Tagovailoa isn't consistently placed in harm's way.

Prior to the start of the game, NBC's Melissa Stark reported that the quarterback told her he needed to get the ball out of his hand quickly and throw it away when nothing is available. Those changes sort of happened.

Miami upped the tempo to open the contest with a heavy reliance on quick hitters, run-pass options and play-action throws over the middle of the field. It worked well to start. In fact, Tagovailoa's average time to throw on the night (2.38 seconds) turned into the fifth-quickest of his career, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

Ultimately, Tagovailoa made a smart decision during his eight-yard touchdown pass to running back Raheem Mostert.

As Tagovailoa climbed the pocket, he had two options: He could either run the ball in an attempt to gain a first down or flip the ball to Mostert out in the flat. The third-year quarterback ended up making the right decision.

A good start gave way to multiple poor decisions, starting with the second drive when Tagovailoa decided to lower his shoulder into linebacker Devin Bush while attempting to get a first down. He did so again later in the contest, and everyone in the stadium and those watching at home held their collective breath.

"I could see the first-down marker. They were close calls," Tagovailoa told reporters after the game. "I wasn't trying to be Superman. I was just looking at the situation."

McDaniel added what his quarterback said to him afterward, "Coach, I'm sorry, I needed that."

Eventually, all quarterbacks take hits. Even in today's game, when the position is protected at all costs, they will still receive a pounding. It's all about limiting the damage.

A quicker pace, fast reads, getting the ball out quickly and trying to establish the run every week certainly help. The quarterback still needs to do his job when called upon.

Ill-advised runs by Tagovailoa aside, his overall accuracy left much to be desired.

The quarterback didn't get into much of a rhythm most of the night. Numerous throws were a tad behind his targets when they were available for completions. Four passes could have turned into interceptions if Steelers defenders hung onto the ball.

They didn't, though, and in the end, they'll be registered as simple incompletions. But Tagovailoa must clean up his play in order for his team to legitimately compete on a week-by-week basis.

"The defense gets us stops, the offense goes and puts points on the board, and the defense can help put points on the board, as well as special teams. So for me, I just look at it as coming into this week and just be myself. Don't try to force anything. Don't try to make plays that aren't there—just give our playmakers the ball and let them go to work."

Granted, the quarterback forced some things. Still, the outcome came courtesy of the Dolphins picking off Kenny Pickett in each of Pittsburgh's final two offensive series. Miami's defenders didn't drop the ball, which secured the victory.

Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Adjustments must be made in the coming weeks. The playbook must expand so opposing defenses can't constrict the field. Despite all of the speed the Dolphins feature in Hill and Jaylen Waddle on the outside, the dynamic duo can be negated to a degree if the emphasis is solely on getting the ball out as quickly as possible.

Deep threats are a big part of the potential found in the Dolphins' offense. They weren't readily apparent Sunday. Tagovailoa's longest throw went 32 yards to Trent Sherfield.

Nonetheless, the coaching staff took the smart approach with its quarterback. Multiple elements used Sunday must continue, with wrinkles continually added to get everyone involved and humming at full capacity.

"We should be scoring more points than we are," McDaniel admitted. "Everyone on the team would agree with that. There's not fairy dust to sprinkle. We have to identify and address the hiccups."

Then, the chants for Tagovailoa won't center on a return to the field. While those were great to hear after what the quarterback experienced, they'll be deserved based on the on-field product as the Dolphins battle their way through the rugged AFC East, with all four teams currently .500 or better.

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Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.