The Miami Dolphins will walk into another week of uncertainty as they prepare for the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football.
Indeed, quarterback speculation and questions are plentiful, with fans wondering what — and who — is next for the team as they prepare to face an 0-3 Tennessee team that has questions of its own.
With three options on the table as a replacement for star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel made it clear this week he is in no rush to confirm who will be leading the team against their next opponent at Hard Rock Stadium. Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle have been in rotating roles while Tagovailoa recovers from his third concussion of his NFL career. But Tyler Huntley, who joined the Dolphins just two weeks ago, looks to be the favorite to lead the team against the Titans, leaving fans to question whether or not that will bring the spark the 1-2 Dolphins need to get past their current losing streak.
When asked about whether the choice to start Huntley would cause a lot of change to the team’s gameplan, McDaniel explained that it should not be an issue.
“No, if that would be the direction, which is a possibility for sure, the good news is it’s within the framework of the offense,” McDaniel explained. “If it’s something that can fit within the framework of the other stuff that players do, [then it’s just a matter of] how to block it, and then how can you bridge some of the stuff people have done in the past to what you’re going to do this week.”
Huntley previously stepped into a similar position of pressure when he took over for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, a former NFL MVP, in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals back in 2023.
WINLESS OPPONENT GIVES DOLPHINS SOME HOPE
Aside from the quarterback spot still being determined, the Dolphins are not completely out of luck going into their fourth game of the season. Saddled with a 1-2 record, and a two-game losing streak after being defeated by the unbeaten Buffalo Bills (3-0) and Seattle Seahawks (3-0), the schedule does soften from here.
The Titans have not yet tasted a win this season, and are struggling on both sides of the ball. They have suffered defeats to the Chicago Bears (1-2), New York Jets (2-1) and Green Bay Packers (2-1). And their second-year quarterback Will Levis has been plagued by turnovers in the early going.
Although the only win the Dolphins have this season was before the absence of Tua Tagovailoa, it is evident that a team accustomed to winning has a greater chance than one who hasn’t gotten quite as lucky yet. Understanding how important a win would be for the team, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle explained his view on how the pressure is building up.
“I look at the last two seasons, or since [coach] Mike [McDaniel] has been here, and going into the first three weeks, we had a whole bunch of hype and all this crazy stuff with all this media attention and we get to see what our team is made of early,” Waddle explained. “It’s only the third week and our back is up against the wall, so we’re going to see what we’re made of pretty early, see what the team’s got.”
INJURED RECEIVER BECKHAM JUST NOT THERE YET
Training camp left veteran receiver Odell Beckham Jr. with a hamstring injury, and he has missed the past three games. Since he’s on the injured reserve list, he must miss at least this next game to get to four mandatory absences, but there appears to be even more uncertainty for the future.
McDaniel eased the minds of fans and spectators, though, insisting Beckham’s injury will not set him back for the long term, he’s just not all the way back yet.
“I’ve seen some good progress, and I’m optimistic for when his window opens up and we will see how his body responds,” McDaniel explained. “I do know there’s been some intentional good work and that he hasn’t had the setbacks that we’ve made sure to avoid.”
Multiple situational factors may be negatively affecting the team on paper, but with adjustments being made and a willingness to work around the setbacks, fans are looking forward to seeing what the Dolphins will pull off during this highly anticipated Week 4 primetime matchup.
