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Mailbag: Has Tua Tagovailoa shown he can be the Dolphins’ franchise QB?

The Dolphins’ 33-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday was the most convincing yet in their four-game winning streak, with each phase of the team playing a big role in the victory. The win puts the Dolphins at 5-7 as they continue their onward push from a 1-7 start and back into the AFC playoff picture.

In this week’s mailbag, I take a look at whether Tua Tagovailoa has shown he can be the Dolphins’ franchise quarterback, whether the winning streak has changed the perception of the 2021 season and more. And a reminder that if you have questions you would like me to answer in future mailbags, you can ask me on Twitter or email me.

Here we go:

In Tua, I see a guy who just completed his rookie year and is improving week to week. I see a lot of room in his ceiling. Has he finally done enough to at least put “reasonable doubt” in the minds of those who might entertain a trade for Watson? - @mike_clarke

Tagovailoa’s last game against the Panthers was his 16th start so yes, we can say that his “rookie year” is over. The numbers are impressive: 67 percent completion. 3,515 passing yards. 27 total touchdowns. 12 turnovers. Most importantly, to me, is a 9-7 record. I know many don’t like quarterback wins being considered a stat because it is a team accomplishment, but quarterbacks do play a big role. I believe it should be part of the discussion. If Tagovailoa started the entirety of his rookie year and put up these numbers with the Dophins finishing 9-7, how would you feel? I would have to think most fans would be really encouraged by that scenario. Tagovailoa has physical limitations and durability remains a real question. But I always thought that it wasn’t prudent to make a trade for Deshaun Watson during the season, mainly because of his off-the-field concerns. I thought it would be best to see if Tagovailoa could improve and show he is a quarterback you can build around. And I believe his performance lately, in spite of a struggling offensive line and a lack of bona fide pass-catchers, has shown enough to put a Watson trade on the back burner.b

If the Dolphins continue on this winning streak and end the season above .500 but do not make the playoffs, will that upward trajectory, albeit below the expectations from the beginning of the season, be enough to save [Brian] Flores’ job? - @JPascerelli

It’s an interesting question, and it’s funny how one month can change things. The Dolphins went from appearing to be on the road to a top-10 pick — if they owned their 2022 first-rounder — to a legitimate belief that they can contend for a playoff spot in the final weeks of the regular season. The first half of the season was not ideal, from Tagovailoa’s three-game absence because of broken ribs to the seven-game losing streak. But entering this season, I wasn’t of the mind-set that the year should be judged solely on whether the team made a playoff appearance but more so on Tagovailoa’s development. If the Dolphins can get back around .500 and end the season on a high note, with Tagovailoa continuing to play well, I think this season is more of a success than people may think, and that should be enough to ensure Flores’ return. For what it’s worth, I never thought Flores’ job security was in jeopardy, barring a complete collapse in the second half of the season and it appears that won’t happen.

Thoughts on the use of [Mike] Gesicki or in this case lack of use... Are you seeing the opposing defenses faze him out? - @jjayminers

In the Ravens’ game, I noticed Baltimore put Marlon Humphrey, a big, physical cornerback, on Gesicki and that worked pretty well, although the Dolphins were able to get big plays from Albert Wilson and Isaiah Ford. Gesicki hasn’t been extremely active in the offense, and from what coaches and players say, it might be a bit of defense’s game planning. But it hasn’t impacted the Dolphins’ production or winning, so Gesicki won’t complain too much and neither will anyone else on the offense. In fact, I think it’s actually a positive development that the team has been able to incorporate more players in the offense instead of relying so heavily on Gesicki and Jaylen Wadle.

What’s different now compared to the beginning of the year? Coaching? Players acclimate? - @BigMikeNjax

I hate to answer this question with a bit of coach speak but the team really has just been executing a lot better in all phases of the game. On offense, pass protection continues to be an issue at times but Tagovailoa is in a real groove, the play-calling is starting to get more creative and the unit is finding a semblance of a running game. On defense, they have gotten back to what made them so the successful last year in terms of blitzing the quarterback and playing man coverage. Does the light schedule help a bit? Of course, but the Dolphins were also losing games to bad teams earlier in the season, so you have to give credit where credit is due.