Lambeau Field is known for its frosty reception, and this Thursday night matchup promises to be no exception as the Miami Dolphins take on the Green Bay Packers. The chatter around the water cooler has been all about the chilly conditions and how they might affect quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
His history in freezing temps isn’t exactly glowing, with reports noting an 0-6 record when the mercury dips below 46 degrees. But Tua, never one to back away from a challenge, is ready to let his performance rewrite the narrative.
Following the Dolphins’ commanding 34-15 win over the New England Patriots, where temperatures were a warm 77 degrees, Tua didn’t shy away from commenting on his supposed cold-weather woes. “I’m excited to kill narratives,” he stated confidently. “Bring it on.”
To lay the groundwork, let’s look at Miami’s recent cold-weather encounters. The last time the Dolphins battled the chill was during their playoff clash in Kansas City, where calling it “cold” might have been putting it mildly.
The temperature stood at a staggering minus-4 at kickoff. Prior cold encounters saw Miami face Green Bay at home in 46-degree weather, Buffalo with the thermostat set at 30 degrees, Tennessee checking in at 36 degrees, and earlier fixtures in Denver (45 degrees) and Buffalo (35 degrees) back in Tua’s rookie season of 2020.
Now, before the alarm bells ring, let’s put that 0-6 stat into perspective. Six games over four seasons isn’t a whole lot to go by.
Plus, Tua is no longer the rookie quarterback he once was. His development under a new offensive scheme tailored to his strengths paints a different picture entirely.
Some might remember the tough outing against the Titans in 2021 – certainly a career low – but not only was it cold, there was rain to contend with too. Fast forward to last season’s Kansas City clash, where Tua, like many quarterbacks facing the Super Bowl-bound Chiefs under minus-27 wind chills, found the going tough. Hey, we’re only human.
Take the December showdown against Green Bay at Hard Rock Stadium. Tua showed up for three strong quarters before interceptions marred the final stretch. There’s a discussion to be had about the concussion he suffered during the second quarter he only reported the next day, but it wasn’t the cold that got to him.
And then there was the showdown with Buffalo, which might give us the clearest picture of what to expect against Green Bay. On that snowy afternoon in 2022, Tua completed 17 of 30 passes, totaling 234 yards and tossing two touchdowns without interceptions, notching up a solid 104.0 passer rating. It was a game for the taking, had it not been for Josh Allen’s last-second heroics.
One might argue that the 2022 Buffalo defense posed greater challenges than the one Green Bay will field this Thursday. So, sure, feel free to lean into the Tua-versus-the-cold storyline—it sells, for sure. But simplifying it to an 0-6 record is grasping at low-hanging fruit.
Looking ahead, Tua’s response to past wintery games shines a light on the real key to success—mindset. “We’re nowhere near the temperatures that all these other cold teams play at,” he noted from Miami’s sunny backdrop.
“To me, it’s just a mindset. That’s really all it is.”
So as Tua steps onto Lambeau’s iconic frozen tundra, he’s got a chance to warm things up with a standout performance. Let’s see if he can put this story on ice once and for all.