Tua Tagovailoa News Gets Predictably Worse; Second Concussion Means Teddy Bridgewater Gets The Start For Dolphins
The news about Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailo has gotten worse.
Tagovailoa did indeed suffer his second concussion of the season on Sunday and so backup Teddy Bridgewater is expected to start at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins against the New England Patriots.
Tagovailoa Won't Practice Or Game Plan
The reason the team is moving forward with Bridgewater is because doctors have told the Dolphins they want to make sure Tagovailoa "worries only about the day he's currently in and nothing else," coach Mike McDaniel told reporters Wednesday morning.
That obviously eliminates Tagovailoa engaging in game planning or practicing this week.
McDaniel did not go so far as to rule out Tagovailoa entirely for Sunday. But that is obviously the direction it is going.
McDaniel, who has worked hard to build a personal relationship with Tagovailoa in his first season as coach, fielded a question about his feelings seeing his starter deal with this type of serious issue during his second stint in the concussion protocol.
"Terrible," McDaniel said.
McDaniel said he had concerns about Tagovailoa after during and after watching the tape of the Dolphins loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Hints Of Tagovailoa Concussion Showed On Tape
"It specifically had to do with consistencies of things that I study daily on tape," suggesting he noticed something wasn't right about Tagovailoa during the game and gave him "a high degree of concern."
When the Dolphins announced Monday Tagovailoa was in the concussion protocol, McDaniel was not specific about whether the QB had a concussion. That is clear now.
Tagovailoa also suffered a concussion during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Tagovailoa missed two games after that first concussion.
Bridgewater has started one game for the Dolphins this season. That came against the New York Jets the week after Tagovailoa's first concussion.
Head coach Mike McDaniel and Teddy Bridgewaterof the Miami Dolphins talks before the game against the New England Patriots in September. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
Dolphins Turn To Teddy Bridgewater
And, ironically, Bridgewater left that game when the NFL independent neurologist apparently noticed Bridgewater stumble after a hit. Bridgewater entered the concussion protocol and was out of the game after throwing only one pass.
He did play the following week when he relieved an ineffective Skylar Thompson, who had started against the Vikings.
Bridgewater has completed 61.7 percent of his passes with 3 TDs and 3 interceptions.
"There's two ways you can go with it as the starter for a game when you have the entire week to prepare," McDaniel said, referring to Bridgewater. "One way the pressure gets to you and sometimes it makes you worse. That's not Teddy.
"Teddy thrives on those moments and I know the team has seen what he was prepared to do that entire game ... Happy for him to get the opportunity to prepare for a game the team needs him for."
The Dolphins have lost four consecutive games, all of them in December.
The Dolphins can clinch a playoff spot under two scenario. If they beat the Patriots and the New York Jets lose at Seattle is one scenario. The Dolphins can also tie while the Jets lose and the Steelers lose or tie.