Despite their big signing of Tua Tagovailoa, the Atlanta Falcons suffered a heavy 27-7 defeat in their NFL Preseason Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos, as the quarterback failed to showcase his best level on the field.
The former Miami Dolphins quarterback completed three of his five passes for 22 yards during his limited action. Atlanta failed to generate points on either of Tagovailoa’s two possessions, punting on both drives. Following the loss, Tagovailoa acknowledged that his performance fell well short of expectations, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.
“Definitely not up to standard, not even up to par. Start with the first drive, second play, just being able to catch the snap. Little things like that,” Tagovailoa said. “What we put out there is not a reflection of the hard work that we’ve put in the first two weeks of training camp, and it does no justice to the work our coaches have implemented. It starts with me. I’ve got to be better with that.”
Tua takes responsibility for the loss
Tagovailoa joined Atlanta this offseason following his departure from Miami, giving the 28-year-old quarterback a fresh start after six seasons with the Dolphins. His first game with Atlanta yielded mixed results, as the offense struggled to find its rhythm against Denver.
Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Atlanta Falcons.
Despite the limited number of snaps, Tagovailoa placed responsibility for the offensive struggles on himself. “It starts with me,” Tagovailoa said. “I’ve got to be better. That’s it. . . . I’ve got to be better for our guys.”
Tagovailoa’s time on the field against Denver was short, but he showed signs of his production. He completed three out of five passes for 22 yards before Cooper Rush and Jack Strand took over quarterback duties for the remainder of the game.
Tua’s competition under center
Cooper Rush and Jack Strand both attempted more passes than Tagovailoa. Rush completed seven out of 19 passes for 62 yards and two interceptions. Strand was successful on six out of 12 throws for 50 yards while scoring a rushing touchdown. Still, Tagovailoa clearly has much more to give moving forward.
