Las Vegas Raiders not getting a huge break with Tua Tagovailoa out
By Brad Weiss
The Miami Dolphins will be without Tua Tagovailoa on Sunday, but that is not as big an advantage for the Las Vegas Raiders as one would think.
In the NFL, the quarterback position is the most important position there is, and luckily for the Las Vegas Raiders, they have a bonafide starter in Derek Carr, who is one of the best in the game right now. In fact, it is so rare that a team has a strong starting quarterback, that there are some teams in the NFL right now trotting out starters that would not even start on another team.
Heading into their Week 3 matchup against the Raiders, the Miami Dolphins had some issues at the quarterback position, this after Tua Taovailoa was hurt last weekend against Buffalo. It was rumored that he would be out for an extended period of time, and those rumors came true on Wednesday when it was announced that he fractured his ribs, and would miss the Raiders game.
Against most teams, that would be a decided advantage for the Silver and Black, as no team really wants to lose their starting quarterback. However, the Dolphins losing Tua is not that big a deal considering their backup signal-caller, Jacoby Brissett is a guy who has won in the league, and can operate an offense when called upon.
In fact, last season, when the Dolphins beat the Raiders inside Allegiant, it was Ryan Fitzpatrick who led them back late.
While the news is tough for Dolphins fans, it is not like the Kansas City Chiefs losing Patrick Mahomes right before the Raiders game, or the Los Angeles Chargers losing Justin Herbert. Brissett is a capable quarterback, and this injury should not be cause for the Raiders to let their guards down at all.
Raiders looking to move to 3-0 on the young season
Even before Tua was ruled out, the Raiders were the favorites in this game, something they have not been all season long. Heading back to Allegiant Stadium after a successful trip east to play Pittsburgh, Las Vegas should have their way with this Dolphins team, one that is coming off a 35-0 loss in Week 2.
The truth is, the Dolphins are in good hands with Brissett as their No. 2, much like Las Vegas would be if Marcus Mariota could stay healthy. This is a rematch of a game that went down to the wire last season, so Tua or no Tua, you can expect both Miami and Las Vegas to be ready to roll in this one.