Tua Tagovailoa Is NFL's Best Long-Shot Bet for MVP in 2021

Lynne Sladky/Associated PressDraftKings has a lot of odds that you will win the National Football League's Most Valuable Player Award. It's mostly a list with the usual suspects. Because he is Patrick Mahomes, 2018 MVP Patrick Mahomes is our favorite. Josh Allen, the 2020 runner-up for the Buffalo Bills, is second. Third is Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay, the reigning MVP. However, no one knows where or if he will play in 2021.Some people seem to be really optimistic, while others like setting fire to money. I don't care what you think.If you prefer long shots (and who doesn’t love a long shot), A young quarterback who is a contender for the playoffs has the talent and the weapons to make it big in his second season. A southpaw signal-caller that could earn you $66 for each dollar wagered. This dark horse has a real chance of winning the race.Tua Tagovailoa, a quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, is that man.Miami has seen a lot of hand-wringing over Tagovailoa’s poor rookie season. He was the fifth overall pick in 2020, which didn't help matters when (via Adam Beasley from the Miami Herald), he admitted that he didn’t know much about Miami's 2020 playbook.Tagovailoa stated that he wasn't comfortable calling plays. "I thought the guys who were there last year were amazing. I didn't feel comfortable checking plays, alerting plays, and all that. I rode along with the play, even though I knew it wouldn't work. It was something I wanted to do.Adrian Kraus/Associated PressAs Jeff Kerr reported, Brian Flores, the Dolphins' head coach, was quick to defend his young quarterback and praise the achievements of Tagovailoa in the offseason."I believe he's reflecting on where he is now and where he was a year ago. That's a good thing. This is a time for reflection on where you are today compared to six months ago. He's done a lot to improve and I believe he has. I think that he's communicated that.According to ESPN's Cameron Wolfe Tagovailoa could have a significantly improved year 2.Dan Marino stated, "He's been amazing." He's amazing. He is a true talent. It's now about his relationship with other players. It has been difficult because he did not have OTAs last summer, a lot or the opportunity to play in exhibition games. All these things can delay you a bit. He works hard, I can tell you that. His future, and our team's future together, are exciting to me."Marino has a few valid points.It is not uncommon for young quarterbacks to struggle their first season, especially if he has as many obstacles as Tagovailoa in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic completely destroyed the youngster's NFL offseason. Even if there had been OTAs or training camps, Tagovailoa would not have been able participate in them. He was still recovering from the dislocated right hip injury that ended his college career. This injury could also have played a significant role in Tagovailoa’s struggles on the field for 2020.It wasn't so long ago Tagovailoa was not the best quarterback prospect in his class. Some considered Tagovailoa to be the top prospect for the position in many years at 6'0", 217 pound. There was speculation that the NFL might "Tank for Tua."Joe Burrow's season was perhaps the greatest by a college quarterback, and Tagovailoa was hurt.Lance Zierlein, NFL.com's head of draft, wrote that Tagovailoa "has the release and accuracy needed to work all three level successfully and can become more disciplined and full-field readers to put the pieces together against NFL coverages."The talented young quarterback now has nine pro starts under him, and is still one year away from his injury.He is also the head of a very good football team.Despite Tagovailoa's inconsistent play, the Dolphins won 10 games last season and missed the playoffs by a narrow margin. Tagovailoa has plenty of passing-game weapons at his disposal. The Dolphins drafted Jaylen Waddle sixth in the draft, adding to their roster of holdovers such as wide receiver DeVante Parker or tight end Mike Gesicki.Omar Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Omar Waddle reports that Waddle quickly made an impression on his new team.Although Miami's receiving team is strong, their run game is questionable. Last year, the Dolphins were 22nd in the league for rushing at 105.5 yards per match. There wasn't one player who gained more than 600 yards.If the Dolphins are to have any chance of beating the Buffalo Bills in AFC East, then Miami will run through Tagovailoa's offense. Kerr reported that Flores is focusing on making Tagovailoa's 2nd professional season even better than the 1st."Last year was last year." Flores stated that he is more forward-thinking. "I believe Tuawe has talked a lot about his growth over the past six months and how it's affected him. My focus is to help him improve every day. You can use the past to help you make improvements. We'll continue to work on this one at a time to help Tua."The O-line is Miami's greatest offensive problem. Pro Football Focus ranked Miami's line fifth worst in 2020. PFF ranked Miami's line lower than the Carolina Panthers or New York Giants as they entered training camp.For the Dolphins to reach the playoffs in 2021, it will take more than just good line play. Tagovailoa must get the Dolphins to the postseason in order to be considered for the MVP award.This is the problem with long shots. These are long shots because they're not easy to see. Tagovailoa would need to do a lot to be able to headline the NFL Honors in Los Angeles next year.Adrian Kraus/Associated PressTagovailoa's line needs to be strong and allow him to throw the ball. The team's new receivers need to be able to handle top-of-the-line defenses, something that was not always possible in 2020. Tagovailoa must improve his passing skills, particularly on throws downfield.It's not impossible to imagine that such things could happen. Although Miami's line was not good in 2020 it is still very young and there are many opportunities for improvement. The Dolphins have one of the most talented receivers rooms in the AFC East. Tagovailoa is only scratching the surface of what he could do in the pros, unless many people were wrong about his quarterback.The Dolphins can win 11-12 games, giving the Bills a tough time in this division. Tagovailoa is equipped with the tools and talent to make a significant step forward in his second season.Two of the three previous MVPs were second year signal-callers.Sometimes, you get long shots.You can reach crisis counseling and referral services by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1 800 426 2537) (IL) if you or someone you care about has a gambling problem.Gambling problems? 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9–WITH-IT(IN), 1-800-522-4700, 1-800-BETS OFF? 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