Two areas of needed growth for Tua and how he did in those. And Dolphins personnel notes

In his first regular-season game playing for Mike McDaniel, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa wasn’t perfect but improved dramatically in one key area that has been a shortcoming and improved somewhat in another.

The metric where there was significant growth in Week 1: intermediate passing.

Last season, on all passes thrown 11 to 19 yards, Tagovailoa had a poor 68.6 passer rating: 50 completions in 98 attempts for 765 yards, with five touchdowns and six interceptions.

In Week 1 against New England, he had a 149.3 passer rating on those throws — 4 for 6 for 80 yards and a touchdown.

One big key: The left-handed Tagovailoa didn’t throw across his body, to his right, on any of those 11-to-19-yard throws.

Last season, when he threw to the outside right on passes that traveled 11 to 19 yards, he had a brutal 12.5 NFL passer rating (5 for 15, 80 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions).

McDaniel seemingly eliminated those throws, and Tagovailoa didn’t attempt any while improvising.

On throws of 20 or more air yards, he was 2 for 5 for 49 yards on Sunday; Tagovailoa was 14 for 29 on such throws last season.

So on all passes of 11-plus yards against New England, Tagovailoa was 6 for 11 for 129 yards and a TD (a 126.7 passer rating).

The other area, besides intermediate passing, where growth is needed is Tagovailoa’s performance in the face of a heavy pass rush.

Last season, he had a 54.8 passer rating when pressured (51st in the league) but 103.3 (23rd best) when he had a clean pocket.

On Sunday, he had a 79.2 passer rating when pressured and a 115.3 passer rating when kept clean. But Tagovailoa, in his zest to avoid sacks, must continue to improve in decision-making.

He made a few throws he likely would want to have back and missed an open Tyreek Hill on one play.

But he threw for 270 yards, didn’t commit a turnover and emerged from the weekend ranked eighth in both passer rating (104.4) and completion percentage (69.7).

Per Pro Football Focus’ Ryan Smith, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins utilized play action on 45.9 percent of dropbacks. He led the league last year at 42.4 percent.

SNAP DECISIONS

As expected, Durham Smythe played more offensive snaps than Mike Gesicki, 38 to 25. Smythe is considered the better blocker, and McDaniel’s system requires tight ends to be effective blockers. Hunter Long, the No. 3 tight end, played 12 snaps.

Gesicki was targeted on just one pass and that pass was caught, but for only 1 yard.

Per Chris Kouffman, host of the @3YardsPerCarry podcast, Gesicki wasn’t on the field on any of the 20 plays in which the Dolphins used two running backs and one tight end, and Miami ran six times for 0 yards when Gesicki was on the field.

The Dolphins have said they’re not shopping Gesicki, but they could have a decision to make before the Nov. 2 trade deadline if they determine that they don’t want to re-sign him but prefer not to lose him for anything in free agency next spring.

▪ Here’s how wide receiver snaps were allocated: Hill and Jaylen Waddle played 40 of the Dolphins’ 60 offensive snaps, with Cedrick Wilson Jr. logging 28 snaps, Trent Sherfield 21 and River Cracraft 10.

▪ At running back, Chase Edmonds played 38 snaps, Raheem Mostert 25 and fullback Alec Ingold 22. Myles Gaskin didn’t play an offensive snap, and injured Salvon Ahmed was inactive.

THIS AND THAT

▪ In evaluating the Dolphins game, Pro Football Focus gave its best pass blocking grade to left tackle Terron Armstead and its best run blocking grade to center Connor Williams.

PFF graded left guard Liam Eichenberg as Miami’s worst lineman Sunday in both pass blocking and run blocking. Eichenberg allowed two hits and four pressures in pass blocking.

Greg Little permitted a sack and three pressures in 45 snaps after replacing Austin Jackson, who left with an ankle injury. Right guard Robert Hunt permitted Miami’s other sack.

▪ PFF gave cornerback Kader Kohou, Williams, Melvin Ingram, Emmanuel Ogbah and Waddle its highest marks from the Dolphins’ opener. Kohou was targeted twice in coverage and didn’t allow a completion; he also forced a fumble.

▪ Xavien Howard was targeted only twice and allowed one completion (a 6-yard touchdown to Ty Montgomery) but had the impressive deflection on the Jevon Holland interception.

Nik Needham, starting in place of injured Byron Jones, allowed five of six targets against him to be caught for 96 yards, equal to a 118.7 passer rating against.

▪ Besides the two sacks (by Ogbah and Jones), Miami pressured Mac Jones on just two other passing plays all day — by Ogbah and Duke Riley.

Sieler rushed 27 times, Christian Wilkins 24 and Jaelan Phillips 18 without a quarterback pressure, per PFF.

Miami blitzed its safeties infrequently. Jones rushed four times (he had a strip sack leading to a TD on one of them) and Holland rushed twice.

▪ Last week, the Patriots’ Jason McCourty spoke of Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones being able to keep up with Tyreek Hill’s speed. Hill caught four of six targets for 50 yards with Jones in coverage.

▪ Cornerback Keion Crossen registered the NFL’s second-fastest speed on Sunday, at 22.05 mph.