The Miami Dolphins are finally taking the training wheels off Tua Tagovailoa, as they hand him the keys to run the team’s offense against the Los Angeles Rams this coming weekend at home. Will Tagovailoa pass his first starting test of the season? Or will the Rams give the rookie a rude welcome to the league?
The Rams are back on track following their dominant 24-10 home win over the Chicago Bears last Monday. The Rams’ defense exposed Chicago’s weak attack, as Los Angeles held the Bears without an offensive touchdown while sacking Nick Foles four times and intercepting him twice. The Rams also allowed just 49 rushing yards on 17 carries to Chicago. Miami has shown some life on offense this season behind the on-field orchestration of Ryan Fitzpatrick, but he’s no longer the starter for Miami, a job that’s now in the hands of a rookie in Tua Tagovailoa. Whether Tagovailoa is destined for greatness, the fact remains that he’s never started before, making him a vulnerable target for LA’s defense that is second in the league with just 17.7 points allowed per game. The Rams also boast of a pass rush that’s tied for third in the league with 24 sacks. The Rams should be able to cut the space of Tagovailoa’s room, as Miami’s offensive line is only starting to get used to having the rookie under center.
The Rams are 5-4-1 against the spread in their last 10 games overall.
It’s time to unleash Tua Tagovailoa, and the Dolphins are going to do just that this Sunday, as they have already declared the rookie out of Alabama as their starting quarterback going forward. Tagovailoa takes over the gig that Ryan Fitzpatrick previously had, and it’s interesting to see how he would fare in the pocket against the Rams. One thing favoring the Dolphins ahead of his matchup is the length of their rest. They are coming off a bye week, while the Rams are on a short week, having played in the last Monday Night Football game. The bye has also given Tagovailoa more time to gel with his fellow starters, especially to his receivers. As Miami’s No. 1 receiver, DeVante Parker is likely to get the Jalen Ramsey treatment, so Preston Williams and Jakeem Grant must step up to ease the defensive attention on Parker, who’s leading the team with 364 receiving yards to go with three touchdowns. Williams paces the Fins with three receiving touchdowns. Before their Week 7 bye, the Dolphins destroyed the hapless New York Jets at home back in Week 6, 24-0.
The Dolphins are 4-1 against the spread in their last five home games.
