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Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins lowers his helmet while attempting a tackle

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Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa knows it's in his best interest to limit the chances of damaging his helmet knee.

But this is football and it's not always that easy.

Unfortunately, Tua injured his helmet in Monday's win against the Los Angeles Rams and lowered his head while trying to make a tackle after an interception.

The collision occurred when Rams linebacker Christian Rozeboom intercepted Tua on a short pass over the middle intended for Jaylen Waddle.

Instead of simply walking far away from the field, Tua lowered his head and tried to make a tackle near the sideline.

“I feel good,” said Tua after the 23:15 win. “Everything is fine. I walked up to the guy who intercepted me and asked him, 'Brother, couldn't you just run out of bounds or hold back? It's like you see me. You just wanted to run me over.' ?'

“He told me after the game that it was like there was no space. There would be nowhere else to go. So he has to do what he has to do to help his team win games. That wasn't the case for me.” I did plan on using my head, though. That was pretty terrible.

Because of his history with concussions, Tua will never have to do anything like that again. Always.

Tua had a bad stretch in the second quarter, with an interception and a lost fumble on consecutive possessions.

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said the best way to limit turnovers and avoid danger is to “not throw it to the opponent.”

However, he was pleased that the Dolphins scored a touchdown and two field goals in their last four offensive possessions.

“Those are the moments where I can feel the growth of the three years the most, when something isn't going well or when you get so mad at yourself,” McDaniel said. “He sets high standards for himself, but also recognizes that he is the franchise quarterback of this team. So you shouldn't get too involved with yourself. You have to lead and leave things behind, good or bad.”

Tua did exactly that.

“I kind of take those L's and don't let them affect his game,” McDaniel said. “As he progressed and moved forward as the game progressed. I was very happy with that. I would prefer not to experience the adversity, but that's not really the case in NFL football. You have to be ready to pick yourself up again and get started.” with enthusiasm.

Tua was 20 of 28 for 207 yards with one touchdown, one interception and an 89.4 passer rating.

“Hopefully this is an opportunity we shouldn’t miss,” Tagovailoa said. “Hopefully we can continue with this win and find our rhythm at the end of the season.”

Joe Schad is a journalist who covers the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram and on X @shadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse newsletter. Support our work by subscribing today.