Colts’ Xavien Howard Says Pressuring Tua Sparked Dolphins’ Turnovers

Indy trounced Miami 33-8 in their season opener, which was also Howard’s first matchup against the team that drafted him.

Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins throws a pass during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts during the game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sept. 7, 2025. Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Xavien Howard gave insight into how the defense shut down Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

The Colts romped the Dolphins 33-8 in their season opener on Sunday. Tagovailoa was held to just 114 yards passing and a single garbage-time touchdown against two interceptions and a fumble. Speaking to the press after practice Monday, Howard—who played his first 8 seasons with Miami—said that once they got Tagovailoa off his first read, he broke down and the defense was able to take advantage.

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

Howard praised defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo for scheming up the defense to be in position to make plays. But Howard also had a hand in the defensive game plan: having played with Tua for four seasons in Miami, he understood enough about his tendencies to give his team some tips on how to force him into making mistakes.

“We knew it’s a lot of quick throws in the middle,” he said. “So I told them, man, clog the middle and make sure they throw the ball outside. And we clogged the middle and made, I think we got two interceptions by clogging the middle.”

Tagovailoa struggled mightily against the Colts’ secondary on Sunday and made several mistakes that opened up opportunities for the Colts’ offense. On the Dolphins’ first possession, Tagovailoa dropped back on 3rd and 8 and threw a pass intended for wide receiver Tyreek Hill. But the ball sailed over Hill’s outstretched arms and into the breadbasket of Colts safety Camryn Bynum. The interception stalled a Dolphins drive that had marched deep into Colts territory. The Colts’ offense drove all the way down the field and scored a touchdown to take a 10-0 lead.

On the Dolphins’ next possession, Tagovailoa faked a handoff to his running back, but was immediately strip-sacked by Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II, who came free on a cornerback blitz. The fumble was recovered by Howard. The offense scored another touchdown to increase the lead to 17-0.

Early in the third quarter, Tagovailoa dropped back and stepped to his right, then fired a pass over the middle that was intended for wideout Malik Washington. The pass was snatched away by edge rusher Laiatu Latu, who had dropped back in coverage. The Colts drove down into the red zone but were held to only a field goal to make it a 23-0 lead.

Howard, who was trailing Washington in coverage on the play, complimented Latu for bailing him out.

“He [is] a playmaker, man,” Howard said. “The crazy part [is], I was chasing the over [route], we [were] in like a sky coverage, and I was chasing the over, and he saved the day for me.”

Tagovailoa threw the Dolphins’ only score with about 6 and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter. On 4th and goal from the Colts’ 11-yard line, he surveyed the defense before throwing an outlet pass to running back De'Von Achane. Achane slipped out of a tackle by Moore, then plowed through three defenders into the end zone. He then completed a two-point conversion to tight end Julian Hill. The touchdown prevented a shutout, but the Colts won the game 33-8.

The game was also Howard’s first time playing against his former team. A second-round draft pick of the Dolphins in 2016, Howard emerged as a star in eight seasons with the team. But he was cut during the 2024 offseason and spent last year out of the game. He signed a one-year deal with the Colts in August.

“I barely could sleep last night, the night before the game, because I was just thinking about how [I’m going to] feel playing against my former team,” Howard said. “I went out there, got my feelings to the side, and kept it about the business, and we took care of business.”

Howard said he spoke to the defense during their Friday meeting that he wanted them to make a good first impression on the league in their first outing. He said Monday that they accomplished that goal.

“I feel like the sky’s the limit for the defense,” he said. “We[’re] constantly going to want to force the ball and get the ball back to the offense, and also probably score some touchdowns on defense and probably do more, but for the first game, we put that first impression for us out there.”