New England Patriots: Bill Belichick loves him some Tua Tagovailoa
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick sees the ultimate quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa.
Would the New England Patriots have drafted Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa if he slid in the 2020 NFL Draft?
The rumors were certainly swirling prior to the draft and seeing the success the rookie quarterback is having with the Dolphins makes the answer to that question even more intriguing, especially when it comes to Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
On Sunday, the coach gets to devise a game plan against the Alabama product and continue his success against rookie quarterbacks. But Tagovailoa is not just any rookie quarterback. He came into the league with experience, and playing under Belichick’s buddy Nick Saban, has both a winning attitude and a competitive nature that makes players around him better.
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If that sounds like the ingredients of a quarterback Bill Belichick coached for nearly 20 seasons, well that is what make the Tom Brady and Belichick marriage so dominant for over two decades in the NFL. The Patriots and the coach may have had a chance to regenerate that with Tua Tagovailoa.
But Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins didn’t let Tua slide and now the two AFC East rivals have changed positions. While one team is 8-5 and in good position to make the playoffs with a young quarterback, the other is 6-7 and barely staying alive with a quarterback situation in shambles.
Oh, what would’ve been if Tagovailoa did slide. It definitely would’ve made for a more interesting season for New England Patriots fans. As for Bill Belichick, he would’ve had a quarterback with all the intangibles he relishes in quarterbacks.
"“He gets rid of the ball very quickly, doesn’t hold it much, sees coverage well, has taken good care of the ball, hasn’t thrown the ball to the defense,” Belichick said, as transcribed by ESPN. “He understands the pressure, the timing of routes, gets the ball out quickly, and has enough quickness in the pocket to make it difficult for the pass rush to get to him. He can run a little bit, but I would say he’s more of a quicker guy in the pocket that’s elusive and really wants to throw more than he wants to run.”"
Sounds like a coach who has really scouted a player he hoped to have drafted. But, for now the challenge for Bill Belichick is to make Tua Tagovailoa look like a rookie and force him into mistakes to get his team back to .500 and keep that slight chance at making the playoffs a live.
Although not as mobile as quarterback like Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray, Tua’s ability to escape the pocket is the biggest challenge for Belichick and the Patriots’ defense. They have to keep him in the pocket and not allow him to get comfortable in the pocket.
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If he does and the playmakers around him get the opportunity to make plays, it could be another long day for the New England Patriots down in South Beach.
Not only would any glimpse of the playoffs disappear, but Bill Belichick will see first-hand the rise of a AFC East rival with a quarterback in place he would’ve loved to have.