‘Best quarterback in the world’: Tua Tagovailoa receives major praise following Dolphins win

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had his fingerprints all over the team’s 34-19 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

He finished with his second-most passing yards in a game this season — and his most since his return to the lineup following his concussion — with 288.

Tagovailoa was incredibly efficient with his passing attempts as well, considering he completed 28 of his 36 tries. He also threw for three touchdowns without registering a single interception.

Following the Dolphins’ second victory in a row, tight end Jonnu Smith spoke very highly of the 26-year-old signal caller and his skill level.

Perhaps no player on the Dolphins was a bigger beneficiary of Tagovailoa’s strong showing than Smith. On six receptions, the veteran totaled a season-high 101 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

For perspective on just how big of a game Smith had, he totaled more receiving yards against Las Vegas than he did in his last two games played combined. He finished with 91 combined receiving yards between games against the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams earlier in the month.

More importantly than how well Tagovailoa and Smith performed, the Dolphins are now 4-6 on the season. While Miami’s playoff chances aren’t exactly a thing of beauty, the team’s play over the last couple weeks suggests that making the postseason is far from out of the question.

According to the league’s official website, the Dolphins have a 12 percent chance of qualifying for the playoffs after their victory over the Raiders. That’s as of Sunday evening with games still going on across the league.

Additionally, Miami’s next contest will come against one of the more subpar teams in the NFL this season. The New England Patriots’ record of 3-8 is tied for the worst mark in the AFC East division.

If Tagovailoa can play just close to as well as he did against Las Vegas when the Dolphins take on the Patriots, fans of Miami should feel confident that the team will win its third game in a row.