Dolphins’ OT loss in Vegas doesn’t matter as much as this: Miami has no idea who its QB is | Opinion

Blame Tua Tagovailoa. Blame the people who drafted him. Blame Jacoby Brissett. Blame Stephen Ross. Blame a lack of patience. Blame the stars and the moon. Blame something, or somebody, because it will make you feel better.

The Miami Dolphins are 1-2 today because their offense is bad and because their usually good defense has lapses when it shouldn’t.

This is the franchise that rode the back of fullback Larry Csonka, once, to consecutive Super Bowl victories. The franchise that rode Dan Marino to exciting offensive fireworks (remember that!?) and league passing records.

This has turned into the offense that is wasting a pretty damned good defense. One that had a takeaway Sunday for the 25th consecutive game, the longest NFL streak in eight years.

On Sunday, the Dolphins did what most folks who visit Las Vegas do: They lost.

Miami led 14-0 early, on a defensive touchdown and a short-field score, rallied, then fell to the Raiders, 31-28 in overtime, with Brissett starting at quarterback for the injured Tagovailoa.

The aforementioned Csonka tweeted after the game: “Sloppy loss. Very disappointing. NO OFFENSE!”

Not sure about that. Miami was a road underdog and nearly won. Offense and defense both had their hand in this L.

What struck me coming out of this is that this quickly has turned into a nightmare season in the making, not so much because tough upcoming opponents portend a 1-4 start, but because the QB situation that was supposed to be solved in the 2020 draft is more muddled than ever one-plus seasons later.

Is Tua the guy? Will he prove to be?

The question is both in doubt and on hold with the rib injury that shelved him Sunday and will at least two more games. But here’s the thing: The betting line favoring Vegas did not budge when it was announced the starting QB was out and Brissett was in.

That’s unheard of. It means the Dolphins’ No. 1 draft pick (fifth overall) and his journeyman backup are interchangeable.

You’d love that to be a supreme compliment to Brissett. But what it is is a damnation of what we have seen thus far from Tagovailoa.

So this was supposed to be the big Year 2 leap for Tua, when all the doubts were cast aside. When Miami drafting him over Justin Herbert began to be justified.

Instead, this happened:

CBS in its pregame show Sunday regurgitated the reports/rumors/speculation (the lines get blurred) that Miami continues to pursue a trade for disgraced Houston Texans star Deshaun Watson.

It aped what NBC joint Pro Football Talk had earlier said: That Fins owner Stephen Ross is pushing for the trade. (Ross is 81. You’ll forgive him the limited patience?)

Also Sunday, Fox’s Jay Glazer reported Houston is now open to trading Watson and that the Dolphins are the “obvious trade partner.”

(“Obvious,” though the Dolphins are denying all that and still playing the ‘Tua’s our guy’ card ...)

Imagine how desperate Miami is if this speculation is true?

It would mean they have essentially given up on Tua, written him off as a loss. It would mean they are prepared to go all in on a player, in Watson, who faces two dozen allegations of sexual impropriety, not to mention civil suits, possible criminal repercussions and perhaps a lengthy NFL suspension.

The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 2, and we are led to believe the Dolphins are prepared to maybe spend hugely (three first-round picks!?) on a very talented player drenched in notoriety and off-field issues.

A nightmare, this is.

Now imagine, “What if?”

Imagine Tua has blossomed in Year 2. He is healthy, and performing. The TV analysts are beginning to talk about him the way they do Herbert, who led the Chargers over the Chiefs with four touchdown passes on Sunday.

There is no talk of replacing him — let alone with the notorious Watson.

Instead we get reality, and it feels harsh, feeding every notion of the Dolphins as a snake-bit franchise.

Here is the ultimate reality of this season:

It is all about finding out about Tagovailoa.

Stick with Brissett if he gives you a better chance to win? NO!

Go all in with a costly, controversial, risky deal for Watson? NO!

Give Tua the ball when he’s ready, for the balance of the season, and let him him prove whether he is able to lead this franchise out of this abyss.

Or prove that he is not.

Have a conviction that includes Tua Taglovailoa or is moving past him.

No equivocation.

The finding out, the being sure, is what this 2021 season should be all about.