Dolphins continue to fall and are looking for answers while Tagovailoa is out.
It’s been hard for the media to trust the Miami Dolphins, and Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks was another bullet in the chamber of their argument.
The Dolphins not only got blown out, they were called for eleven penalties. That’s a recipe for disaster in itself, and it feels as if the team is taking a step backward.
The offense is a shell of itself without Tua Tagovailoa under center, but it’s not just on backup Skylar Thompson. It’s deja vu to when Tagovailoa was out in 2022. The offense was nonexistent then as it is now, so why wasn’t this planned for? That falls squarely on head coach Mike McDaniel and even more so general manager Chris Grier.
I don’t feel it has anything to go with Tagovailoa, either. Both McDaniel and Grier just bet on the wrong horse. Thompson has been in the system for three years, so they felt comfortable with someone who’s grown with the system over a proven veteran. He somehow beat out Mike White and got the job, although getting back a few million back towards the cap from a Mike White cut may have helped sway the decision.
The Dolphins are committed to Thompson too, coach McDaniel adding that the start for Monday night against the Tennessee Titans would depend on Thompsons health.
It’s a wild thought that he would even be considered to start when Tim Boyle looked better, and Boyle was only added to the roster as a body. Just a guy who signed three weeks ago and looked better than the three-year backup. The starter on Monday night should be between Boyle and Snoop Huntley, depending on how well Huntley knows the playbook.
The Dolphins are viewed by the media as a bottom ten team that could easily be bottom five. It’s a long drop from two weeks ago.
NFL
- Ranked #25 – Previously ranked #17 (-8)
“This has to be the lowest point for Mike McDaniel’s team in his reign after it was unable to mount anything resembling an offensive drive until Sunday’s game against the Seahawks was out of reach. Those drives came with Tim Boyle at quarterback, replacing an injured Skylar Thompson, who floundered for two-plus quarters before leaving with a rib issue. With Tua Tagovailoa out until at least Week 8, the only other QB on the roster who could factor in here is Tyler Huntley. McDaniel has been very praiseworthy of Thompson, but he can’t feel great about what his offense did Sunday. Even with the 0-3 Titans and 1-2 Patriots up next, these feel like scary games. The Dolphins have to find a way to get to the Week 6 bye with another win or two, but even that feels like a stretch assumption now.”
ESPN
- Ranked #20 – Previously ranked #17 (-2)
“Over their first three games, 19 of the Dolphins’ 33 offensive drives ended in five plays or fewer. That inability to put together long drives has led to fewer scoring opportunities and, ultimately, the NFL’s worst-scoring offense. Miami has scored just 33 points this season — an outrageous stat for a team that scored 70 points in Week 3 last season. Playing without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) has been a challenge for this team dating back to 2022, and it’s still unclear exactly how long the Dolphins will be without him this season”. – Marcel Louis-Jacques
CBS Sports
- Ranked #25 – Previously ranked #23 (-2)
“Without Tua Tagovailoa, they just don’t have enough to score points – even with the explosive receivers. This is going to be a long season without him.”
Bleacher Report
- Ranked #24 – Previously ranked #22 (-2)
“It’s panic time in Miami.
The Dolphins have skill-position talent that rivals any in the NFL. But after surrendering six more sacks in Sunday’s loss in Seattle, the Dolphins are on their third-string quarterback after Skylar Thompson was forced from the game with a chest injury.
With Tim Boyle playing much of the game, the Dolphins barely cracked 200 total yards and were held out of the end zone. Wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combined for seven catches for 66 yards. While talking to reporters after the game, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel acknowledged that the Dolphins have to figure out how to move the ball—and do so quickly.
“You have to look at everything and you have to find a way to give your team the best chance to win,” McDaniel said. “I think in 2022, this was something that happened to us as well, and ultimately the rest of the league does not care, nor should they. So, we have to find a way to get better collectively. I’ve never won a game scoring three points, so I think collectively starting with me it has to be better. We have to get it figured out fast.”
Knox has his doubts as to whether that will happen.
“The argument that Tua Tagovailoa wouldn’t be the same quarterback outside of a Mike McDaniel offense that doesn’t feature Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle may still hold weight,” he said. “However, it’s clear that Miami’s offense won’t work with just any quarterback. And without an offense that can put up points in bunches, the Dolphins just aren’t very threatening.”
Sports Illustrated
- Ranked #25 – Previously ranked #21 (-4)
“I do wonder why the Dolphins were so flat-footed when it came to the backup quarterback situation. I understand the need to keep Tua Tagovailoa confident, and certainly hindsight is 20/20, and, yes, Skylar Thompson has been in this offense. But could you really be that certain it would work out if Tagovailoa’s injury issues started creeping up again? Tennessee and New England provide two get-right opportunities before the picture begins to sharpen on Tagovailoa and his long-term availability.”
Fox Sports
- Ranked #28 – Previously ranked #22 (-6)
“That game in Seattle is exactly why I dropped the Dolphins way down the power rankings when Tua Tagovailoa got hurt. This offense just isn’t viable without good quarterback play, and Miami doesn’t look like it has a real alternative on the roster right now.”
The media has spoken, and they now know what Dolphins fans have known for a long time, and that’s the Dolphins can’t win games without Tagovailoa. They are 1-7 in games that Tagovailoa misses or does not finish. That’s all you need to know.
The Dolphins get a chance Monday to shift the narrative and get back to .500, but the Dolphins have much to prove before anyone puts any stock back into them.
Let us know in the comments where you think the Miami Dolphins should be ranked in the NFL power rankings.
