Indianapolis Colts cornerback Xavien Howard spent four seasons with Tua Tagovailoa in Miami. In Sunday's 33-8 shellacking of the Dolphins, Indy knew it only had to make the quarterback hold the ball to discombobulate its opponent. "We knew the guy, he gets the ball out pretty quick," Howard, who was released by Miami in 2024, said, via Stephen Holder of ESPN. "And once we take away his first read, I feel like it's panic mode after that. And it showed yesterday. We took away his first read and he was trying to get rid of the ball real quick."
Give credit where it's due. Lou Anumaro crafted a masterclass defensive scheme. Sure Tua was ***, but so was the entire team. I'm ready for changes minus the trolling.
Yes, and he sucked at it. He was the least pressured QB in week one, and still could not get through his reads to get things going. You can see he turns into jelly anytime he has to hold the ball for more than a few seconds and go off script. Xavien Howard plays four years with Tua going against him in practice every day, I think he knows a bit more than you what Tua's weaknesses are. Are you saying Howard is also a troll now?
Um, all you have to do is watch the film above to see that, aside from a couple of plays, he didn't go through any reads. It's right there to see. The very first play, he looked at one other guy and any other times when he did, he usually got sacked. It's right there to see.
Xavian was overpaid and over the hill, but that doesn't mean he isn't a lot better informed about Tua and his weaknesses than you are.
There's no denying that trait about Tua. He always stares down his first read. It's a flaw of his I've personally been waiting for him to fix for three years now.
Stop waiting, he does not have that kind of awareness, vision and skill to perform that kind of quarterbacking. a lot of us warned yall about this guy before he got drafted… this guy played in an offense with 4 first round pick receivers, a heisman receiver, josh jacobs, najee harris, first round pick offensive linemen.. They could have picked a person out of the crowd and won games. Rarely had to make a tough throw, never showed any zip to the ball, never showed the ability to make all the throws. and now we get to see his balloon balls and hospital balls
I got the video to work Below I mapped out the 1sr 20 throws. And you are full of *&^%$#. On Almost every play he has multiple reads because hi 1st target is covered. Maybe actually watch the video you present as evidence that he only has 1 read. Most of the time his 1st read is covered and he moves on. From the angle and distance on the video its hard to tell numbers. Throw 1 – His 1st read was to the left, then he went to 2nd read over the middle for a catch. Throw 2 – Throw was to the right for a catch. It might have been possible to hit the seam guy but its hard to tell since everyone was reacting to the ball and it made him more wide open then it could have been. He hit his 1st read. Throw 3 – Throws over the middle. Receiver was wide open and it was the proper read. He sailed it for the pick. Throw 4 – Within 2 seconds he had to move up in the pocket because the rush was on him. If he would have had 1 or 2 more seconds I think the receive down the middle was going to be open. Forced fumble by the pass rusher he was trying to avoid. There was no one on a short route by design for an outlet. Throw 5 – 1st read was to the right. 2nd read was to middle right, 3rd read was to the left middle where he threw. Broken up. Throw 6 – Fake pitch to the left. 1st read is down the middle with Hill cutting across. Throw the ball middle right to a wide open Hill. Throw 7 – 1st read is down the middle to wide open receiver for a catch. Throw 8 – No one blocks the blind side rusher and he sacks him within 2 seconds. It looked like he was going to have the guy on the right over the middle but no time for the play to develop. Throw 9 – 1st read is down the middle. Not there. 2nd read is dump off to the left. No one else was open. Completion. Throw 10 – 1st read is down the middle. No one open. Rush comes up the middle forcing him to scramble to the right. No one open and he runs up the middle. Left tackle was blown up. Throw 11 – Bad snap. 1st read is to the right and he’s open for a completion. Throw 12 – 1st read is slot right. 2nd read is the out for secondary receive. No one else open. Catch. Throw 13 – Fake handoff. Rusher is in his face immediately. Dumps off to Ingold to the right just before he’s hit. No one else open. Catch. Throw 14 – 1st read is to the right and receiver is wide open. Catch. He did have a wide open guy down the middle what would have been a TD but the ball was gone within about 2 seconds. Throw 15 – 1st read is to the right. Both receivers covered. 2nd read is down the middle to a wide open receiver. Didn’t see 97 drop back into coverage and it’s a pick. Throw 16 – 1st read is middle. Covered. 2nd read was left for a completion. Throw 17 – Designed play throws immediately to RB (I think). Completion. Throw 18 – fake hand off. Rusher is on him He throws to Hill for completion. Throw 19 – 1st read in middle. Covered. Throws ball to 2nd read to the deep left. Caught but out of bounds. Throw 20 – 1st read is slot right. Covered. 2nd read is to the WR right. Incompletion/drop.
Well, I don't know if this was directed at me, but if it was, I would say, no need for that kind of language, Mr Potty Mouth. I'm super sensitive. You almost brought me to tears. Take it easy, my man. Maybe I could use an enema. You have a point. That could be fun. I'm sorry that I disagree, but I sincerely appreciate the effort and work you put into that post. I hope you had some chips with you. Seriously. Good stuff. He'll whoop the Patsies. C'mon Samoan Sniper! LET'S GO!! LET'S GO!!
Thanks for pointing out the obvious. Yes, the Colts took away his first read most of the game and forced him to progress through his reads, the point is he is not very good at it. He panics after he holds the ball for a few seconds, and either gets sacked or forces the ball where it does not need to go. He does not.have the poise, athleticism or arm talent to scramble around, improvise, gain yards himself or buy time for his recievers to get open then hit them. You know, the things other big time QBs like Mahomes, Herbert, and Allen do.
