The New England Patriots are in the grasp of doing something they’ve been unable to do the past few years: beat Tua Tagovailoa. Since being drafted by the Dolphins in 2020, Tagovailoa has owned the Patriots with a perfect 7-0.
While he’s been a Patriots’ nightmare the past few seasons, it seems like his days of dominating them are finally over, as the Dolphins clearly don’t look like the same team after their blowout loss to the Colts last Sunday. While this is great news for Patriots fans, it’s bad news for former Patriot Matthew Judon, who signed with the Dolphins last month.
Former Patriot Matthew Judon Is Aboard Dolphins’ Sinking Ship
When Judon signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the Patriots in 2021, few thought he’d transcend into a crucial piece to the defense. In his first five seasons with the Ravens, Judon combined for 34.5 sacks, 167 total tackles, and 54 tackles for loss, earning two Pro-Bowl appearances in his final two seasons.
With the Patriots, Judon elevated his game, becoming one of the best pass rushers in the league. In his first season, Judon recorded 12.5 sacks, 60 combined tackles, and 14 tackles for loss, playing a huge part in getting the Patriots back into the playoffs.
He instantly became a fan-favorite for his dominance at the line of scrimmage and his signature red sleeves, becoming the team’s best pass rusher since Chandler Jones. Judon was a star on a struggling team and did whatever it took to give the Patriots a shot at winning.
Unfortunately, his tenure was short-lived, playing in just three seasons with the Patriots. In those three years, he recorded 34.5 sacks and 33 tackles for loss in 38 games. Last August, Judon was traded to the Falcons as a result of his and the Patriots' failure to agree on a new contract.
Coming off a season-ending torn bicep, Judon showed his regression with the Falcons, recording only five and a half sacks and seven tackles for loss. Judon, 33, joined the Dolphins to bolster a pass-rush that included Bradley Chubb and Chop Robinson.
However, after one game, the Dolphins don’t look like the playoff team they once were. Their defense gave up the fourth-most yards (418) and points (33) last week, only recording one sack against a Daniel Jones-led offense.
In the loss, Judon recorded two tackles, playing in 33 of the 73 defensive snaps. With all the talk surrounding the team’s embarrassing loss, it seems like Judon made the mistake of joining another struggling team.
Although it's unlikely to happen, both he and the Dolphins look to end the chatter against the Patriots this Sunday afternoon.