I'd stop short of saying the 2nd half was a display of elite talent, but I'll agree it was definitely a step up. I'd compare it more directly to how he played in the SD game. The consistency is a massive part of it for me, it's a big part separates a good starter from an elite QB. So hopefully he does in fact develop that consistency.
There was only one game where I saw a true "flash" with Tannehill his rookie year: against Wilson and Seattle. Tannehill actually helped lead the team multiple times back in that game to win it. Still is one of his most impressive games. I don't see that game on the same level as Tua's Arizona game though. Tua's Arizona game was truly elite level (i.e., like what you expect from Rodgers or Wilson etc.). Problem with Tua is there's no consistency yet. And I wasn't down on Tannehill until year 3, so at least I was consistent in giving him time. Ultimately, I gravitate towards using statistics with large sample size. I did that with Tannehill and will do it with Tua. Tannehill just happened to be a rare case where large sample size in Miami wasn't predictive of play in a new environment.
One thing I don't think many of you are considering is that Tua has been handled with kid gloves, and rightfully so. It seems like the gameplan the second half was to open it up and play to his strengths. Hurry up offense, rollouts... He dominated the second half with his play and made some incredible throws. He also made plays when the pocket was breaking down. If that was the case then expect him to continue growing.
This is also a test of Flores. I think Gailey has the wrong tendencies on how he thinks he needs to coddle Tua. Flores needs to step in and insist on an evidence based approach towards play calling. It's not in Gailey's nature to open up play calling like in that 2nd half, but that's precisely what Tua is more comfortable with and should be the plan going foward.
I hope I don’t sound like I’m in a rant, but there is a plausible explanation to that, and other missed catches. Bare with me a moment. The great Jerry Rice played with two great quarterbacks in San Francisco, Joe Montana and Steve Young. I watched a segment on Rice a long time ago in which he talked about the differences between the two quarterbacks. Montana was a rightie, Young a leftie. What Rice said that he had to work on once Young took over was the spin of the ball. When a right handed quarterback throws the ball it spins left to right. When a left handed quarterback throws the ball, it spins right to left. Rice said he found there were many passes he found from Young in which the ball was literally spinning out of his hands or away from his body. He said it took a lot of work to adjust to be able to catch these “backward” passes. This can be applied to the missed bomb by Grant. Now the pass was one in white would all seem catchable but if you actually look at the ball as it reaches Grant’s fingertips, the spin is rotating away from Grant rather than towards him had it been a right handed throw. It’s something the receivers are going to have to be mindful of and work on. I don’t know if there’s a way to reverse the spin on the ball machines but if there is, I’d have these receivers catching 500 balls coming out of it with that reverse spin to train their hands to readjust to left handed throws. If the greatest receiver of all time said he had to work on the change, there’s no reason for our receivers not to be as humble to have to work in their game.
Pittsburgh has to lose one for that to happen, but yes if Pitt loses I think he should be, assuming we end strong. Getting more worried about Pitt going undefeated though. Patriots already crossed the barrier of undefeated regular season in the modern era without winning a championship, and boy did that hurt their perceived ranking all time. Otherwise that 2007 Patriots team would have hands down been considered the greatest ever. So Pittsburgh going 16-0 in the regular season without winning the SB is OK, but with every game they win the anxiety increases.
Yeah they really squeaked by multiple times this season. But strength on paper isn't what counts if you go 19-0. As time passes and memories fade people look at that 19-0 and our 17-0 and you know how the narrative is likely to go.
The difference is that we're winning, so the same perceptions aren't applied. I'm in no way saying it's fair, but winning ultimately cures all in the NFL and it usually dictates people's opinions.
You pretty much nailed it. Even being used to it that it a tough catch really. It's easy to slow the tape down and say "HE HAD IT!" but the ball has downward momentum due to....you know, gravity and all, so when you catch it on the edge of your hands like that it's actually still pulling itself down out of your hands until you can entirely control its movement. Now add on to all that, the ball was turning but not in a spiral. It was accurate but moving very oddly.
So in a year with limited pre-season camps, no pre-season games and a team that's being built from the ground up with 3 Rookie O-linemen, a Rookie QB, a rookie RB, a lot of new players to the team and a coach that's only in his second season as head coach and we're now entering the final 4 weeks of the season with a real shot at making the playoffs. I'm pleased with the work done so far, it's not been perfect (The first half yesterday had me flashing back to the Denver game) but it's been effective enough to get us here. We have 4 games left to get us into the postseason. All 4 teams have a record of at least.500. We probably need to win at least 3 of them to make the postseason. There's a good chance that we're going to be entering these 4 games without our #1 WR or #1 CB. It feels like a waste of time asking if Flores can get them up for it, because I think yesterday proved how together this side is, but if we play like we did in the first half against the Bills or Chiefs in particular then we're going to get blown out. Shoutout to our rookie o-line though, holding strong in protecting Tua. I don't think he got sacked once even if the Bengals aren't known as a potent defense.
Tagovailoa ranks 11th in the NFL passer rating at 99.4. Among other rookies who have played a lot, the Chargers’ Justin Herbert is at 94.2 and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow was at 89.8 before his season-ending knee injury.
That one handed catch by Gesicki in the early third, down by the 10 yard line was totally sicki. The dude had like industrial fly paper on his hands. Totally dig the sickness!
Totally appreciate that it's not easy but he pretty much had both hands on it - he is electric when he gets the ball in his hands but his catching is terrible, particularly with those sticky gloves they wear. He seems to have more drops than catches (although my perception is likely way off), as it's not his first (I do have the same level of heart attacks when he's on punt returns as well, even though he has taken a few home). The defender was right on his back, so he might not have scored but he did drop a potential 55 yard completion which he should have caught (as you said)
You are right, it is the plays going right that he will have an issue with but it is the same with the majority of right handers going left. There are of course exceptions (Mahomes, Wilson, Rodgers). Scheme design is Tua's friend
I agree that overall his left will always be better than his right. I'm more saying I think that his moving right is below average currently. He doesnt need to be elite, just find some ways as he grows to be a little more consistent so teams take it as a threat. It will only help clear things up moving left when the defense cant just try and take away one side. As a rookie I dont expect more than hes shown in that regard necessarily just saying it's something he can hopefully grow.