Tua Tagovailoa delivers more proof he isn’t ‘him’

MIAMI — Yet another clutch game choke job!

That’s the only accurate way to summarize what the Miami Dolphins did in Sunday’s critical must-win game against the Houston Texans, which turned into a 20-12 loss when the offense kept spitting up on itself in scoring territory.

That’s the best way to describe three interceptions and one fumble lost by Tua Tagovailoa at NRG Stadium, in a contest that will likely eliminate the Dolphins from playoff contention now that a 10-win season isn’t possible.

Like most of this season — and most of his NFL career — when the Dolphins needed Tagovailoa to put on a cape and play superhero in a game where the rushing attack was again limp (2.7 yards per carry on 19 attempts), and the offensive line featured two backups at offensive tackle who have now collectively started eight games, the fifth-year quarterback’s performance was lackluster.

And that’s being nice.

The former University of Alabama standout was far from the version of “HIM” that Tagovailoa was just bragging about this weekend when presented his high school jersey by teammate Anthony Walker Jr. as a Christmas gift.

“I had the opportunity to drive our offense to potentially tie the game up and that’s not what I did,” Tagovailoa said, referring to the offense’s final drive, which ended when a deep pass thrown to Tyreek Hill was intercepted by Derek Stingley Jr. after one of the league’s top young cornerbacks snatched the ball from Hill’s hands and brought it down for a turnover in the game’s final two minutes.

“That’s not how you win games in this league,” said Tagovailoa, who finished the game completing 29 of 40 passes for 196 yards and three interceptions. “I’m very disappointed with how I played today and how I conducted myself on the field with our guys, our team. I just need to be better in all aspects.”

Tagovailoa was constantly harassed, primarily because of the poor performance of the offensive line (three sacks allowed), whose ineptness had typically been masked by Tagovailoa’s quick trigger.

But not on this day, not in this game against the NFL’s second-best pass rushing defense, especially with rookie Patrick Paul at left tackle replacing Terron Armstead (knee) and Jackson Carman, a third-year player elevated up Miami’s practice squad a month ago, at right tackle as Kendall Lamm’s replacement because of a back injury the 10-year veteran is nursing.

Miami’s dink-and-dunk offense failed to deliver on critical downs, and in scoring territory. Tagovailoa threw two of his interceptions on third-down throws in scoring territory on passes intended for Hill.

“We just didn’t execute as an offense. We had some tremendous drives. We just weren’t able to finish them,” Hill said. “We just weren’t there today and you can see it. It starts with all of us. Not just one, Those turnovers are on all of us. Ball placement. Not being in the right spot. All of us. No need to point the finger at nobody. We point the finger at ourselves and get better from it.”

The 60 passer rating was Tagovailoa’s second worst of the season, trailing only his 56.7 passer rating in Miami’s Week 2 loss to Buffalo, which happens to be the game Tagovailoa suffered the concussion that sidelined him for a month.

Tagovailoa has only had four games with a worse passer rating.

The problem is, this has become the common theme for the Dolphins in every big game, every contest where the season’s on the line, or Miami has an opportunity to silence one of the team’s unfavorable narratives.

During the Mike McDaniel era, which coincides with Tagovailoa’s best seasons, the Dolphins have a 3-17 record against playoff teams.

This season Miami’s 0-5 against teams in the playoff equation, and that record won’t change unless the Los Angeles Rams, which Miami beat on the road last month, slide into the final NFC wild-card spot.

At some point we have to stop making excuses for Tagovailoa. But that conversation should start when this franchise puts a better team around him, one with a competent run game, and a deeper, healthier offensive line, which doesn’t force him to consistently make the best out of a bad situation.

“Be a man, own your mistakes, get better from it, it’ll make the team better,” Hill said when asked about the final stretch of games. “No need to sit in self-pity and feel sorry for yourself because that’s not what real men do. Real men own their mistakes, get better from it and move on from it.”