Tagovailoa bemoans ‘unacceptable’ performance. And notes on every Dolphins position

For the first time in two months, Tua Tagovailoa no longer leads the NFL in passer rating, having narrowly been eclipsed by Philadelphia quarterback and former Alabama teammate Jalen Hurts, 108.4 to 108.2.

The far bigger concern is figuring out what has happened to the quarterback who had been the NFL’s most accurate passer through the first 12 weeks of the season.

After completing 68 percent of his passes during Miami’s 8-3 start, Tagovailoa has completed just 45.9 percent in the past two losses to the 49ers and Chargers (28 of 61) and just 35.7 percent on Sunday night (10 for 28) against a Chargers defense that ranked fourth-worst in points allowed and was missing two starters in the secondary.

“To play the way we played, especially on my part, that’s unacceptable,” said Tagovailoa, whose 145 yards passing on Sunday were his fewest in a game that he has completed this season.

“Very disappointing to go out as an offense and show what we showed. That’s not to our standard. That’s not how we play football here. We work too hard to put up a performance like that to not be in rhythm, on time with certain throws. We felt like we had some momentum and then something happens whether it’s a penalty or we get stopped on a play.”

The Chargers pressed the Dolphins’ receivers at the line and clogged the middle of the field with extra defenders, taking away some of the inside routes that have been so successful this season.

In the first half on Sunday, Tagovailoa was 0 for 5 on routes in the middle of the field.

Per Pro Football Focus, Tagovailoa completed just two passes that traveled more than 10 yards downfield inside the numbers. As perspective, he had been completing seven such passes per game since returning from injury in Week 7.

“The defenses we’ve played have been playing exactly what we expected them to play, what they put on film,” Tagovailoa said of the 49ers and Chargers.

But left tackle Terron Armstead disagreed with that, saying the Chargers “did some things different than they had all season. A lot of pressure from different spots, more than they had all season. That’s a sign of respect for our explosive offense.”

And receiver Jaylen Waddle said: “They got us off their rhythm. They had a good game plan [and] stuck to it. They were giving us a lot of different looks, bringing a lot of exotic pressures.”

Tagovailoa’s season stats are still sterling: 22 touchdowns and five interceptions. But he has dropped to 17th in completion percentage at 65.5.

Tagovailoa blamed everything “from the communication to getting the details right with our guys. We’re not dialed in on that. We have to go back to the drawing board and figure it out.”

And now he must do it against the nemesis Bills, who lost to the Dolphins in Week 2 but won the three other games that Tagovailoa started against them, including one when he was knocked out early last season with a rib injury.

Tagovailoa’s passer rating against the Bills is a meager 69.5, worst among the six teams that he has played more than once in his career and second worst overall. He also has struggled in cold weather; 30 degree temperatures and snow are expected in Buffalo this weekend.

“We’ve got to turn the page quick because we’re playing a really good team next week as well,” he said. “We’re going to get it fixed.”

Tagovailoa recently told CBS that he looked at himself in the mirror and asked “Do I suck?” last season. He cannot allow this slump to shatter his confidence.

“I don’t think [his confidence] wavered at all,” Waddle said. “His confidence ain’t going nowhere.”

POSITION NOTES

Notes on every position beyond quarterback:

▪ Running back: With Jeff Wilson Jr. departing in the first half with a hip injury after just eight snaps, Raheem Mostert played 37 of 51 offensive snaps. Salvon Ahmed played five. Myles Gaskin was inactive but likely will be active if Wilson misses Saturday’s game with an injury that led to Wilson being carted off the sideline on Sunday.

▪ Wide receiver: Tyreek Hill — who broke Mark Clayton’s team record for receiving yards in a season — played 34 of 51 snaps while dealing with an ankle injury.

Waddle — who was targeted just four times and caught two passes for 31 yards — played 43 snaps, compared to 31 for Trent Sherfield and 20 for Cedrick Wilson Jr. Freddie Swain, filling in for injured River Cracraft, played seven snaps in his Dolphins debut.

▪ Offensive line: Armstead, who missed the 49ers game with a strained pectoral muscle, said the pain was tolerable against the Chargers.

“Had to do little things different, play more on my right side,” he said.

Armstead allowed his first sack of the season and said that playing with a strap over his pectoral muscle required “some adjustments, nothing crazy though.”

▪ Tight end: Mike Gesicki was targeted only twice and has no receptions and three targets during the past three games. He played just 20 snaps, compared with 30 for Durham Smythe.

▪ Defensive line: The Dolphins distributed snaps this way: 67 (of 80) for Zach Sieler, 66 for Christian Wilkins (who had nine tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss), 36 for Raekwon Davis, 16 for John Jenkins and 8 for Justin Zimmer.

▪ Linebacker: Jerome Baker played 76 of 80 snaps and led Miami with 11 tackles. Also at inside linebacker, Elandon Roberts played 43 snaps, Duke Riley 26 and Sam Eguavoen 1.

At outside linebacker, Jaelan Phillips played 59 snaps, Bradley Chubb 50, Melvin Ingram 37 and Andrew Van Ginkel 16. Chubb had three quarterback hits but just one tackle and no sacks.

▪ Cornerback/safety: Jevon Holland was the only Dolphin who played all 80 defensive snaps. Starting cornerbacks Xavien Howard and Kader Kohou played 79.

Eric Rowe (who left for a time with a hamstring injury) played 53, Verone McKinley 16 and Clayton Fejedelem three. Third cornerback Keion Crossen logged 44 defensive snaps, with Noah Igbonighene again inactive.

Here’s our Monday piece on how the Dolphins can make the playoffs or win the AFC East, with tiebreaker and schedule information.