To put it lightly, the Miami Dolphins’ Week One performance against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday was rough. While Miami’s defense struggled to contain Daniel Jones and the Colts’ offense, the most surprising aspect of the game was the Dolphins’ inability to move the ball.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had an especially poor outing, and now a former Dolphins cornerback is throwing shade at his ex-teammate in the aftermath of the loss.
How Did a Former Dolphins DB Take a Shot at Tua Tagovailoa After Ugly Week 1 Loss?
Tagovailoa was downright bad in the Dolphins’ loss to the Colts. He completed 14 of 23 pass attempts for 114 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, logging a QBR of 2.7.
Hey, at least Tua almost went a few minutes with the ball before throwing his first interception of the season! pic.twitter.com/pWpdJI8Das
— Ryan DePaul (@RyanDePaul) September 7, 2025
It was an unusual showing from Tagovailoa, who has typically thrived in Mike McDaniel’s offense. One player who witnessed some of Tagovailoa’s best years is Xavien Howard, Miami’s longtime cornerback from 2016 to 2023.
After sitting out the 2024 season, Howard signed with the Colts in August during training camp. The 32-year-old veteran was quick to comment on his former quarterback after helping Indianapolis take down the team that drafted him.
Following the game, Howard took a jab at Tagovailoa, saying that if he cannot get the ball out quickly, he tends to panic, and the Colts did a good job of taking away that first read.
Former Dolphins CB Xavien Howard, to Colts reporters just now, on Tua:
“We knew… he gets the ball out pretty quick. And once we take away his first read, I feel like it’s panic mode after that. And it showed yesterday.”
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) September 8, 2025
“We knew… he gets the ball out pretty quick,” Howard said. And once we take away his first read, I feel like it’s panic mode after that. And it showed yesterday.”
It’s harsh criticism from Howard toward a guy he played with for four seasons, but he is not wrong about Tagovailoa’s tendency to panic when his first read is taken away. Much of Miami’s offense is built around presnap motion that helps Tagovailoa diagnose coverage and then quickly deliver the ball.
On Sunday, that plan often fell apart. When his first read was covered, Tagovailoa tried to work through progressions but was late on throws or sloppy with his footwork, which led to both of his interceptions.
Despite the rough opener, Tagovailoa has been one of the most accurate passers in the NFL when given time to operate. The Colts game could end up as a fluke, and Miami will be hoping he returns to form in week two.
Still, the Dolphins must address their offensive issues quickly if they want to silence critics like Howard. They will have a chance to respond on Sunday, September 14, when they host the New England Patriots.
