Tua Tagovailoa throws awful interception to keep Jaguars ahead of Dolphins

You know how when you were a kid, and you did something really, really wrong, and your parent or parents responded by giving you the full name treatment? Well, after this interception thrown by the Dolphins’ quarterback to Jaguars cornerback Nevin Lawson with 1:18 left in the first quarter, one can imagine head coach Brian Flores amplifying his message with a full-on “Tuanigamanuolepola Tagovailoa!”

And justifiably so, if so.

The Dolphins had just gotten the ball from the Jaguars as defensive tackle Christian Wilkins strip-sacked Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and Tua responded by giving the ball right back. It was Jacksonville’s second turnover of the season — the worst turnover creation rate in the NFL — and it was Lawson’s first career interception. Lawson has been in the NFL since 2014.

Tagovailoa was looking to his left, and one has to assume there was some sort of route miscommunication here, because there’s nobody with a Dolphins uniform anywhere near Lawson, and where the throw goes. Tagovailoa pumps, waits, waits, waits… and makes a very bad decision.

Turns out, Tagovailoa had receiver Jaylen Waddle wide open up the left side boundary, and safety Andrew Wingard had rolled deep. Tagovailoa must have been expecting Waddle to cut his route shorter, but the NFL’s better quarterbacks are able to adjust to stuff like this.

To his credit, Tagovailoa responded well on the Dolphins’ next drive, throwing a two-yard touchdown pass at the end of a seven-play, 91-yard drive to Waddle to put Miami back up, 20-17.