The Miami Dolphins face serious challenges after their 31-12 loss to the Tennessee Titans Monday night.
Just four games in, the season hangs in the balance as a struggling offense has raised questions about the team’s future without franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
It has been a frustrating season for coach Mike McDaniel. His club is now 1-3 with the NFL’s worst-scoring offense. Miami has scored just 25 points in the last three games, all losses.
“I think the game will be a different ball game if we did not have that early turnover on the lateral pass … but ultimately there’s nothing good about this situation right now, regarding where our team needs to be. We need to do enough to win a football game against any opponent and right now that’s not the case,” McDaniel said after Monday’s loss at Hard Rock Stadium. “We have to fix that fast.”
Tyler Huntley was the starting quarterback for this game after Skylar Thompson suffered a rib injury and Tagovailoa sustained a concussion earlier in the season. Huntley was signed on Sept. 17, and he had only two weeks to learn the system before his debut.
“I feel pretty comfortable, just now I’ve got to dig in deeper and just know the ins and outs of the offense,” he said Monday, “and know it’ll take our offense to another level.”
Huntley, a Miami native, struggled in his debut, throwing for only 96 yards. With 3:36 minutes left in the game, he was called for intentional grounding in the end zone giving two more points to the Titans, extending the Dolphins’ problems.
“We killed ourselves on a lot of drives, you know. They stopped us on a couple of drives, and then we had a lot of penalties,” Huntley said. “And we just need to be one as a team and fix that and lock in.”
McDaniel talked about what he saw in Huntley’s performance and what can be worked on moving forward.
“I think he did some good things or some stuff that as a competitor he wanted to have back,” McDaniel said. “He had a couple of drops. But overall, I thought he did a good job. I didn’t think his teammates around him at times were not doing what we needed them to do in a game like that. I thought he had a lot on his plate, and he was a competitor all the way through.”
Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was upset at the end of the game, shouting on the sidelines amid the losing streak. Hill had just 23 yards receiving, and caught 4 of 7 targets from Huntley.
McDaniel took notice, and talked, after the loss, about how players like Hill, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, and running back De’Von Achane were not able to move the ball.
“All the things we’re trying to do, they didn’t do anything that surprised us. We felt that we could get those guys the ball in premium situations,” the coach said. “We weren’t able to, so that’s not to my standard at all. I know for a fact that I play a part in the whole thing but it’s a collective issue for sure and we have to figure out how to score points and those guys can help us do that for sure.”
LINEBACKER PHILLIPS LEAVES HOME LOSS WITH KNEE INJURY
There was one notable injury on the Dolphins side, and it came on defense. Starting linebacker Jaelan Philips exited in the second quarter with a knee injury and didn’t return.
McDaniel, in his postgame media availability, said he didn’t know how serious the injury would be, and as of Tuesday, the veteran was still being evaluated, according to the team.
“I don’t know much, I know that he had a brace,” McDaniel said. “But beyond that, I’m going to have to find out more.”
Phillips tore his right Achilles in late November 2023, and he was back with the team just two months ago, so he is a quick healer. That said, if he’s out an extended period of time, the next linebackers in line for playing time are rookie Chop Robinson and Quinton Bell.
DIVISION RIVALRY UP NEXT AT NEW ENGLAND
The first game in the AFC East Division rivalry between the Dolphins and New England Patriots will be on Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Suddenly, this is one to watch since both teams are tied in last place at 1-3, and quickly need to catch up to the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets in the division.
On Tuesday, in beginning preparations for the Patriots, McDaniel said that Huntley will again be the starting quarterback. He also mentioned that injured wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has returned to practice after missing the first four games.
These rivals have played 117 times, with the Dolphins winning 62 games, and the Patriots 55.
