How significant is Tua Tagovailoa's win streak vs. Super Bowl-winning coaches?
MIAMI GARDENS — A unique stat regarding Tua Tagovailoa is making the rounds, not only locally but on a national level.
Tagovailoa has an unbeaten streak going against coaches who have won the Super Bowl. Depending on how you set the parameters, the streak is either at nine or 10 entering Sunday’s home opener against the Denver Broncos and coach Sean Payton.
Make that Super Bowl-winning coach Sean Payton, who is one of Tagovailoa’s victims dating back to a 2021 game while Payton coached the Saints.
So let’s dive deeper into this stat to put it in perspective.
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Who are Tua Tagovailoa’s victims?
They include some of the most respected coaches in the NFL.
● There’s Payton, known for a unique, bold style of play-calling.
● Baltimore’s John Harbaugh, a two-time victim who has won with outstanding defenses and with outstanding offenses.
● Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, who always seems to field winning teams.
● Las Vegas’ Jon Gruden, which is the entry with an asterisk. It's via a 2020 game in which Ryan Fitzpatrick relieved Tagovailoa and won on the strength of that bomb to Mack Hollins. Some choose to include this game in the Tagovailoa stat but some exclude it.
● New England’s Bill Belichick. Of course this name comes up. Five times, actually, including Sunday’s 24-17 Miami win.
What doesn’t this streak mean?
Sorry, Tagovailoa fans, but it doesn’t mean he’s on an undefeated streak against Super Bowl-caliber competition.
While it’s tempting to make that connection, remember there’s a difference between a coach who has won a Super Bowl in the past and a team that is in the process of doing so. No team on this list will ever be confused with a Super Bowl winner.
Even Tagovailoa wouldn't dispute that.
"It’s a team sport," he said. "You win games with the team and I’ve been very fortunate to have great teammates. We’re just in here day in and day out trying to do everything we can to win.”
Four of the games are against teams that either finished with losing records (or in the case of this year’s Patriots) have a losing record now.
Only three of the games in question were against teams that made the playoffs (two games vs. the 2021 Patriots, one vs. the 2022 Ravens).
Put it together and the record of these opponents is 79-74. Decent, but not what you think of when you think about the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
So what does this streak mean?
Simple. Tagovailoa has found ways to direct the Dolphins to wins against some of the smartest game-planners in the business.
Anytime you’ve beaten Belichick or Tomlin or Harbaugh, you take it.
As a wise man once said, you play to win the game.
How instrumental has Tagovailoa been in these victories?
Well, if you’re talking that monster comeback in Baltimore last year, a lot. Tagovailoa threw for a career-high 469 yards and six touchdowns in that record-breaking rally. But, of course, games like that don’t happen all the time.
Smushed together, Tagovailoa has averaged 215.5 passing yards in these games, with 13 touchdown passes and six interceptions.
How long can this continue?
If the Dolphins get past the Broncos and Payton, here are the remaining hurdles against taking this streak into 2024:
Oct. 29: Belichick’s Patriots at Dolphins.
Nov. 5: Dolphins vs. Chiefs in Germany. Side note: The streak began following a December 2020 loss to the Chiefs and Andy Reid, 33-27.
Dec. 24: Dolphins vs. Cowboys and Mike McCarthy, who won a Super Bowl with the Packers.
Dec. 31: Dolphins vs. Ravens.
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Streak by Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa vs. top coaches: significant or unique?
