The Miami Dolphins are going to feel a lot like the road team in their Saturday night game against rival Buffalo Tickets. old man winter arrived in buffalo Friday night, and left about eight inches of white stuff. Buffalo isn’t done with the snow yet, either, as a lake effect snow warning is in effect until 1 p.m. ET Sunday.
Orchard Park had a break from the snow in the morning, but things should pick up later in the day. According to the hourly forecast, the precipitation will change from “a few flurries” at 2 p.m. ET, to “snow showers” at 5 p.m. ET, then to “snow” at kickoff at 8:15 p.m. ET. So expect plenty of transfers during prime time.
The Dolphins are doing their best to prepare for the gloomy conditions as they brought 1,400 pounds of trunks with cold weather gear to Orchard Park, by NFL media. Each player has several crampons to try to find the best footing in the snow.
Tua Tagovailoa was unsuccessful in cold weather games during his three years as a Dolphins quarterback. He’s winless in the coldest four games he’s started, with a passer rating of just 61.4. In those games, Tagovailoa scored just three total touchdowns while turning the ball over six times, according to CBS Sports research editor Doug Clawson.
The coldest games of Tua Tagovailoa’s career
| 2020 | to Broncos | 20-13 | 11-20, 83 yards, 1 touchdown |
| 2020 | at Invoices | 56-26 | 35-58, 351 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT |
|
2021 |
at Invoices |
24-21 |
21-39, 205 yards, INT |
|
2021 |
to Titans |
34-3 |
18-38, 205 yards, INT |
As you can see, two of Tagovailoa’s cold weather losses came against the Bills, who will host the Dolphins in what will be the coldest in Tagovailoa. NFL game to date. The temperature forecast for Saturday is between 25 and 28 degrees, making this Tagovailoa’s first NFL game in freezing conditions. Snow showers are also expected which will likely make throwing more difficult.
Coach Mike McDaniel speak understated of the Dolphins’ struggles in cold weather this week, telling reporters ‘it’s the same field, same elements’ for both teams in Week 15, and wearing a practice t-shirt that read ‘I’ wish it had been colder.”
Tagovailoa also didn’t give much thought to the freezing and snowy forecast, which calls for a low of 27 degrees, winds of 11 MPH and an 85% chance of more snow, according to Weather.com.
It snowed in Alabama my freshman year. So it’s snowing in Alabama, guys“, Tagovailoa said during his press conference on Wednesday. “People don’t know that. Some people think it’s cold, but it’s snowing.
“It’s a matter of mindset,” he said. “If I’m too focused and worried if it’s too cold can I catch the ball, right, then I’d say I’m focused on the wrong things. It would be difficult to play that way against a very good team.
To be fair, Tagovailoa’s previous struggles in cold weather games shouldn’t be solely attributed to him. He was a rookie in Miami’s road losses to Denver and Buffalo at the end of the 2020 season. And, in the case of Miami’s season-ending 30-point beating, Tagovailoa and the offense of the Dolphins threw an unusually high volume of passes while trying to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Tagovailoa’s other two cold weather losses came against superior teams in Buffalo and Tennessee. Those games also didn’t include his new coach or wide receiver. Tireek Hillwho made several big plays on Sunday night.
A victory this weekend would not only keep the Dolphins in the hunt for the AFC East division title, but also end the growing narrative that Tagovailoa and Co. have won. can’t do it in cold climates.
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