With the Patriots set to host the Dolphins in their regular-season finale on Sunday, New England will have its sights firmly fixed on securing the number one seed in the AFC. However, the Dolphins appear to be running out of steam, and their coaching staff may be making plans for life without Mike McDaniel.
Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round rookie quarterback drafted by Miami in 2025, is set to face his second straight week at the helm. While he's shown some glimpses of NFL talent, particularly last week when he helped his team pull off an upset victory over the Buccaneers, his overall performance has been inconsistent.
Ewers' average depth of target is slightly below that of his counterpart, Drake Maye, and while he's able to push the ball downfield, his ability to avoid sacks may be a major concern. With some of Miami's top players ruled out or questionable for Sunday's game, Ewers will face a stiff challenge in the Patriots' pass rush.
Offensively, the Dolphins are struggling in the trenches, with their line ranking 24th in pass block win rate and 30th in run block win rate. Patrick Paul has been the only bright spot among his teammates, while rookie Jonah Savaiinaea and Cole Strange have been poor performers.
Defensively, Miami is in the middle of the pack for sacks but has struggled to generate pressure up front, particularly against the pass. Bradley Chubb and Zach Sieler will undoubtedly be a challenge for Ewers, however.
As Mike McDaniel's future with the Dolphins hangs in the balance, this game could prove to be his final act as coach. A loss on Sunday would cement rumors of his impending departure, while a win might keep him in the saddle – at least for now.
Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round rookie quarterback drafted by Miami in 2025, is set to face his second straight week at the helm. While he's shown some glimpses of NFL talent, particularly last week when he helped his team pull off an upset victory over the Buccaneers, his overall performance has been inconsistent.
Ewers' average depth of target is slightly below that of his counterpart, Drake Maye, and while he's able to push the ball downfield, his ability to avoid sacks may be a major concern. With some of Miami's top players ruled out or questionable for Sunday's game, Ewers will face a stiff challenge in the Patriots' pass rush.
Offensively, the Dolphins are struggling in the trenches, with their line ranking 24th in pass block win rate and 30th in run block win rate. Patrick Paul has been the only bright spot among his teammates, while rookie Jonah Savaiinaea and Cole Strange have been poor performers.
Defensively, Miami is in the middle of the pack for sacks but has struggled to generate pressure up front, particularly against the pass. Bradley Chubb and Zach Sieler will undoubtedly be a challenge for Ewers, however.
As Mike McDaniel's future with the Dolphins hangs in the balance, this game could prove to be his final act as coach. A loss on Sunday would cement rumors of his impending departure, while a win might keep him in the saddle – at least for now.
! The Pats are really gunning for that #1 seed and I think they're gonna come out all guns blazing 
. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are like... fading away 
. Ewers is a rookie QB with some nice moments but his overall game needs work 
. And don't even get me started on their O-line struggles - it's like they can't block a paper bag 
. I'm rooting for the Pats to secure that seed and take out McDaniel's future plans in the process 
. Can't say I'm surprised tho, Dolphins just haven't been firing on all cylinders this season 
.
Quinn Ewers is gonna get killed out there by the Pats' D-line 
and we're supposed to be worried about Mike McDaniel's job security? Come on, coaches make tough decisions, it's not like he's been getting crushed all season. The Dolphins need a complete overhaul, not just a QB swap 
. And have you seen their O-line stats? 24th in pass block win rate? That's a joke 
. Their O-line is toast and can't protect their QB from getting sacked all day. The question is, will Mike McDaniel survive another embarrassing loss? 
and their O-line is straight trash. Ewers needs to step up his game or be benched ASAP 
And honestly, it'd be pretty interesting if Mike McDaniel was actually let go 
- that coaching staff has been all over the place lately. I'm rooting for Ewers though, he's got this! 
But, Quinn Ewers is gonna give it his all, and I love that about him! He's got so much potential 
And can we talk about how hyped I am for this matchup?! The Pats' pass rush vs the Dolphins' O-line is gonna be EPIC 
. I think McDaniel needs to go if they wanna make some real noise in the playoffs. They need someone with some real experience at the helm 
.
! Can't believe they're even talking about Quinn Ewers being the QB, like is this some kind of joke? 
. But for real tho, Dolphins are donezo 
, no way they can stop the Pats' O line. I'm predicting a blowout 
points or more 
.
. Can't wait for Sunday Funday! 
, but that game could be his last as coach. The Dolphins need to figure out who's on their team now that some key players are injured 
. If they can keep Quinn safe, I reckon Miami's offense will struggle to move the ball. Can't see them holding their own on D either... might be too much for Ewers to handle 
. The fact that Miami's top players are out or doubtful for this game makes it tough for them to compete against the Pats' pass rush 
.