Ex-Fins CB says Colts forced Tua into 'panic mode'

INDIANAPOLIS -- Former Miami Dolphins prima and existent Indianapolis Colts cornerback Xavien Howard connected Monday offered a stinging appraisal of Dolphins backmost Tua Tagovailoa successful the aftermath of Sunday's Colts triumph implicit the Dolphins.

Howard, signed by the Colts past period -- 18 months aft his merchandise from Miami -- said the Colts near Tagovailoa hapless during the 33-8 Indianapolis victory.

"We knew the guy, helium gets the shot retired beauteous quick," Howard said. "And erstwhile we instrumentality distant his archetypal read, I consciousness similar it's panic mode aft that. And it showed yesterday. We took distant his archetypal work and helium was trying to get escaped of the shot existent quick."

Howard mightiness person a point. Tagovailoa seemed rushed astatine times during the crippled and did not respond good to unit and the Colts' varied coverages. He had 2 interceptions, including 1 thrown to antiaircraft extremity Laiatu Latu, who fooled Tagovailoa by dropping into portion coverage. Tagovailoa besides committed a fumble erstwhile helium was sacked by nickel cornerback Kenny Moore II connected a blitz.

After the game, Latu offered sentiments akin to Howard's.

"You could conscionable archer with the large eyes and him getting flustered," helium said of Tagovailoa.

It was Tagovailoa's seventh crippled with astatine slightest 3 turnovers since helium entered the league successful 2020. Only Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence has much implicit the aforesaid span. Tagovailoa posted a career-low 2.7 QBR successful the game, the worst by a Dolphins starting backmost since Josh Rosen's 2.2 against Washington successful 2019. Tagovailoa finished 14-of-23 for 114 yards, and the Dolphins were scoreless until 6:21 remained successful the 4th quarter.

Howard started the game, his archetypal since the last week of the 2023 season. He spent past play retired of the NFL aft his merchandise by the Dolphins successful February 2024. But helium was reunited past period with Colts antiaircraft coordinator Lou Anarumo, Howard's erstwhile presumption manager successful Miami. The gravity of facing the Dolphins was not mislaid connected Howard, who doubly led the NFL successful interceptions portion successful Miami.

"I hardly could slumber the nighttime earlier the crippled due to the fact that I was conscionable reasoning about, like, however I'm going to consciousness playing against my erstwhile team," helium said. "And I went retired there, [put] my feelings to the broadside and kept it astir the business, and we took attraction of business."

Howard played 32 snaps successful the crippled and was the 1 who recorded the fumble betterment aft Moore jarred the shot escaped from Tagovailoa. Howard said helium wanted to permission an content aft Miami's determination to portion ways with him.

"I wanted to enactment that retired there," helium said. "But arsenic a team, we got the [win]. We decidedly didn't privation them to [score] immoderate points, but they got 8 points. We decidedly wanted a shutout."