Before the offseason turned from vacation to training camp, many in the media saw the Atlanta Falcons as the team to beat in the NFC South. Now, Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans are laughing at the thought.
Tua Tagovailoa joined the Falcons after his release from the Dolphins in what was a massive and historic cap hit of nearly $100 million. The QB's quick release and accuracy made the Falcons' offense look better, but then camp arrived.
Tagovailoa has been erratic in camp, and that's being nice. Head coach Kevin Stefanski wouldn't name the QB as the starter despite Michael Penix Jr.'s injury that kept him out of camp. Yes, that's how bad Tagovailoa has been. There are some who believe the veteran QB could even be released.
Tua Tagovailoa is the best gift the Tampa Bay Buccaneers received in the NFC South
The Buccaneers' rivals are watching the Tagovailoa fall apart. He has suffered through dropped snaps, inaccurate throws, a lack of leadership, and an unforgettable camp video of him dancing that made Falcons fans cringe.
This is great news for the Buccaneers. Had Tagovailoa shown signs that the change of scenery was taking him back to his 2023 Dolphins season, he could have been a thorn in the Bucs' sides, but that hasn't happened, and the latest depth chart lists both him and Penix as the first-team QBs.
Tagovailoa literally held the starting job in his hands and, like those snaps, dropped the ball. As someone who has covered Tua extensively for the last six seasons, his confidence is rattled. Pressure of any kind changes the way he plays, and he isn't the type of QB who recovers quickly.
Rueben Bain, Jr. will feast on the QB if they face each other. His quick moves off the snap can easily collapse the pocket. Tagovailoa isn't a mobile QB. He is "run-shy." If Bain can create pressure, the game is over so long as Tua is behind center.
Falcons fans are close to giving up on the QB. It's not surprising. It's hard to put your faith in a player who, at times, doesn't seem to be 100% invested in what he is doing. His practices show those cracks as well.
He has played in just one preseason game, week one, and it was a quick three-and-out series that came with one dropped snap and two passes that didn't travel more than five yards in the air. Needless to say, the Falcons are not going to be much of a problem if they can't figure out the QB problems.
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