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

INDIANAPOLIS -- Former Miami Dolphins star and current Indianapolis Colts cornerback Xavien Howard on Monday offered a stinging assessment of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the wake of Sunday's Colts victory over the Dolphins.

Howard, signed by the Colts last month -- 18 months after his release from Miami -- said the Colts left Tagovailoa hapless during the 33-8 Indianapolis victory.

"We knew the guy, he gets the ball out pretty quick," Howard said. "And once we take away his first read, I feel like it's panic mode after that. And it showed yesterday. We took away his first read and he was trying to get rid of the ball real quick."

Howard might have a point. Tagovailoa seemed rushed at times during the game and did not react well to pressure and the Colts' varied coverages. He had two interceptions, including one thrown to defensive end Laiatu Latu, who fooled Tagovailoa by dropping into zone coverage. Tagovailoa also committed a fumble when he was sacked by nickel cornerback Kenny Moore II on a blitz.

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

"You could just tell with the big eyes and him getting flustered," he said of Tagovailoa.

It was Tagovailoa's seventh game with at least three turnovers since he entered the league in 2020. Only Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence has more over the same span. Tagovailoa posted a career-low 2.7 QBR in the game, the worst by a Dolphins starting quarterback since Josh Rosen's 2.2 against Washington in 2019. Tagovailoa finished 14-of-23 for 114 yards, and the Dolphins were scoreless until 6:21 remained in the fourth quarter.

Howard started the game, his first since the final week of the 2023 season. He spent last season out of the NFL after his release by the Dolphins in February 2024. But he was reunited last month with Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Howard's former position coach in Miami. The gravity of facing the Dolphins was not lost on Howard, who twice led the NFL in interceptions while in Miami.

"I barely could sleep the night before the game because I was just thinking about, like, how I'm going to feel playing against my former team," he said. "And I went out there, [put] my feelings to the side and kept it about the business, and we took care of business."

Howard played 32 snaps in the game and was the one who recorded the fumble recovery after Moore jarred the ball loose from Tagovailoa. Howard said he wanted to leave an impression after Miami's decision to part ways with him.

"I wanted to put that out there," he said. "But as a team, we got the [win]. We definitely didn't want them to [score] any points, but they got eight points. We definitely wanted a shutout."