AFC Notes: Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is still confident in their offense without Tyreek Hill going into Week 16 against the Cowboys. 

“I would say it is always tough when you don’t have one of your best guys out there,” Tagovailoa said, via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. “To me, I personally say none of us really cares who’s out there or who’s not. At the end of the day, whoever’s in there, we all trust that we can get it done with those people. Even when I wasn’t in there last year, that was the mindset that those guys [had]. We’ve got to go out there. We’ve still got to play. [Our opponents] don’t care that Tyreek’s out. Those guys didn’t care that I was out last year. It doesn’t matter. We got to go out there and play. And I think that should tell you a lot about the guys that were out there.”

Tagovailoa doesn’t listen to outside critics about himself or their offense after hearing skepticism about his abilities without Hill, Jaylen Waddle, or Raheem Mostert. 

“Everyone wants to make this about me, about Tyreek — please, keep pushing it to Tyreek. Make it about Tyreek,” Tagovailoa said. “I understand that my platform and who I am in this league as a quarterback makes me polarizing. Whether I’m the best, whether I’m the worst, I [couldn’t] care less. I don’t listen to it. … At the end of the day, I really don’t care. But if [Dolphins communications] does share it with me, I mean, I keep receipts. We all have a way of how we do things, but all the narratives about it — yeah, sure. I am only good with Tyreek, you’re right. That is the only time I’m at my best. You’re right, I’m only good when Jaylen [Waddle] is in. I couldn’t care less about it. Sure … I’m only as good as Raheem Mostert allows me to be. That’s what the narrative needs to be. And we’re able to win games and we’re able to go where we want to go as a team. I am the worst football player if that’s what you want. I don’t care. I really don’t. So, whatever it is, whatever you need on your show, take clips out of what I just said. Do it. Do what you need to do. I’m just here to do my job, and my job is to help our guys win games.”

Jets

• When asked about Jets QB Aaron Rodgers‘ endorsing Nathaniel Hackett as their offensive coordinator, Hackett responded he’s been focusing on Week 16 and helping prepare Trevor Siemian: “I’ve been keeping my head down trying to get Trevor (Siemian) ready for this game,” per Connor Hughes. 
• As for whether it’s fair to be judged without Rodgers in their offense, Hackett said he needs to put a “good product” on the field: “In the end, my job is to win. My job is to put a good product out there. That’s what I focus on. It doesn’t matter who’s playing for us… we try to do everything we can to get everybody to be successful … That’s the only thing we look at,” per Zack Rosenblatt. 

Patriots

Patriots HC Bill Belichick was asked about new QB Nathan Rourke, who was claimed off waivers from the Jaguars on Wednesday.

“When you only have two quarterbacks at the roster, a guy sprains his ankle, you’re down to putting a receiver or a running back or somebody at quarterback,” Belichick said, via NESN.com. “But he was productive — preseason, Canada.”