The Miami Dolphins ended their season the same way they started it — with a lopsided loss to their opponents. In Week One, the Indianapolis Colts took Miami to the woodshed — in Week 18, it was Drake Maye, Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson and the New England Patriots who spanked Mike McDaniel’s crew by a score of 38-10.
At the time of this writing on Sunday night, McDaniel still has his job as the team’s head coach, but that could change if owner Stephen Ross decides to go in a different direction once he receives input from his (presumably) new general manager who has yet to be hired.
Personally, I’m done with the wunderkind experiment. The Dolphins need an adult at the head coaching position, and I don’t view McDaniel as that kind of guy. Thanks for 2022 and 2023, Mike, but the league adapted to your fighting style and you never developed a counterpunch.
With that being said, for the first time in 2026, but for the last time during the 2025 NFL season, let’s take a look back at the good, bad and ugly from the Miami Dolphins’ final regular season loss.
GOOD
It’s over
They can’t hurt you anymore. Well, not for a few months, anyway.
The Dolphins’ season is over — and it ended with a whimper, losing to their division rivals, the New England Patriots, by a score of 38-10.
The good news? You’re finally free. You don’t have to sit on your couch or in your recliner on Sundays (or Thursdays, Mondays, whatever) and grit your teeth while clenching your fists in balls of rage. Let it go. Take a deep breath. Go for a walk. Play some pickleball or some ping-pong. Maybe you can just take a nice, little nap.
You did your time, and you’ve earned your freedom. Enjoy.
BAD
Dolphins defense implodes against Patriots
The New England Patriots demolished the Dolphins on Sunday — gaining 457 total yards, including 243 yards on the ground. Rhamondre Stevenson led the way with 131 yards on 7 carries (18.7 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. Rookie back TreVeyon Henderson tallied 53 yards on 13 carries (4.1 yards per carry) and two scores of his own. Quarterback Drake Maye also had five scrambles for 41 yards.
While a loss is a loss, this embarrassing one hurts one player’s pocketbook as Bradley Chubb needed the Dolphins to allow just 14 points in order to trigger over $5 million in incentive bonuses — something that obviously did not happen. Sunday’s woeful performance was a costly one for Chubb — and shameful one for everyone else.
UGLY
Dolphins remain scoreless in third quarter for 10th straight game
While giving up 14 points to the Patriots in the third quarter on Sunday, Miami’s offense went scoreless once again — marking the 10th straight game that the Dolphins have scored exactly ZERO points in the quarter immediately following halftime. You read that right… Miami has not scored a third quarter point since Tua Tagovailoa hit Jaylen Waddle for a 43-yard touchdown in the third quarter of the Dolphins’ victory over the Atlanta Falcons on October 26th.
As I mentioned last week, that stat is extremely damning to Mike McDaniel’s case to remain head coach of the Dolphins moving forward. He is incapable of making halftime adjustments and teams have taken advantage of that glaring fault time and time again this season.
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The Dolphins predictably were destroyed against the Patriots in New England on Sunday — finishing their season with a 7-10 record (the worst win-loss record in Mike McDaniel’s four years as head coach). Mike McDaniel may have been coaching for his job, and if owner Stephen Ross was watching closely, he has to know that keeping McDaniel in charge of the team can only be a decision you make if your goal is to lose in 2026 in order to acquire a high draft pick in 2027. Do you think McDaniel has earned himself one more year in South Florida? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter at @MBrave13. Fins up.
