MIAMI GARDENS — This isn’t going to be pleasant. The Dolphins’ report card from Sunday’s 33-27 loss to New England will show the outing was an absolute failure. We already know that. These are the details of the unit-by-unit failure.
It should be noted that the Dolphins are tied for last in the league in turnover margin at minus-4 and they’re now minus-14 in turnover margin in the coach Mike McDaniel era, which started in 2022. Their minus-31 point differential this season is second-worst in the league behind Chicago (-34).
Fans are mad. Players are trying to keep the faith. McDaniel appears downtrodden.
If the Dolphins lose at Buffalo on Thursday, McDaniel might lose his job on Friday, which would give an interim coach 11 days of preparation before the New York Jets game on Set. 29. But defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who many think is the favorite to become interim coach, hasn’t been much better than McDaniel. The defense is the biggest disappointment of the early part of the season.
But before looking too far ahead, let’s take a final look back.
Run game: F
The Dolphins rushed for 61 yards on 15 carries, led by running back De’Von Achane (11 carries, 30 yards). Wide receiver Malik Washington had three carries for 23 yards on jet sweeps and laterals, including an 18-yard gain, meaning his other two carries went for five yards. Rookie running back Ollie Gordon II had one carry for eight yards. The run blocking was suspect but more than that, the play calling was suspect. Yes, the Dolphins trailed, 12-0, in the first quarter but they only had seven carries for 48 yards at halftime. McDaniel continues to refuse to make an effort to consistently run the ball.
Related Articles
Chris Perkins: Dolphins have nothing going for them, and can’t find anything
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel not worried about job after fans plead for his firing
Things we learned in Miami Dolphins’ 33-27 loss to the New England Patriots
Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Things are very shaky’ as Miami falls to 0-2 | VIDEO
Pass game: D
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (26 for 32, 315 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, 115.5 passer rating) had his second regrettable performance of the season. His fourth-quarter interception was a killer. Running out of bounds on third and 12 with 58 seconds left wasn’t a good play, and it’s a play where his lack of running ability hurt. Granted, Tagovailoa absorbed five sacks but he underthrew Tyreek Hill (six receptions, 109 yards) and blew a potential touchdown reception. He made a nice throw to Jaylen Waddle (five receptions, 68 yards, one touchdown) on his 18-yard touchdown reception. But the pass game remains a disappointment because it’s not sparking the offense, which means the offense isn’t a threat.
Run defense: F
The run defense didn’t play that badly. The problem is the Dolphins need the run defense to play well, to excel, to lead the defense. They haven’t come close to playing well. New England rushed for 122 yards on 29 carries, an average of 4.2 yards per play. That’s unacceptable. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson (11 carries, 54 yards) was good. But the surprise was quarterback Drake Maye, who had 10 carries for 31 yards including a 13-yard gain and a 6-yard touchdown run. The Dolphins were No. 9 in run defense last year at 103.7 yards per game. They’re No. 25 this year at 139.0 yards per game.
Pass defense: F
The Dolphins’ front seven, whose biggest job is getting to the quarterback and covering for the secondary, perhaps the team’s biggest weakness, has been a huge disappointment. The Dolphins had three sacks against the Patriots but none were game-changing. The missed sacks by outside linebackers Jaelan Phillips and Matthew Judon on Maye (19 of 23 for 230 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, 137.3 passer rating) were more impactful than the sacks the team recorded. One of the missed sacks turned into a 55-yard catch-and-run reception by Stevenson and the other resulted in Maye’s 6-yard touchdown run.
Special teams: D-
One play prevents this from being a failing grade. Malik Washington’s 74-yard punt return touchdown gave the Dolphins a 27-23 fourth-quarter lead. But they gave it right back on the next play by allowing a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown by Antonio Gibson. That touchdown with 7:06 remaining gave the Patriots the 30-27 lead that they never relinquished. New England kicker Andres Borregales tried to give the game away between two missed extra points and a kickoff that missed the landing zone (betwene the 20-yard line and goallline) and gave the Dolphins the ball at their own 40-yard line on their final possession, but it didn’t make a difference in the game’s outcome.
Coaching: F
The Buffalo game could be McDaniel’s final appearance as the Dolphins coach. Miami has looked dazed and confused in both of its games this season. There are basic things such as 12 men in the huddle, delay of game, getting the plays to the huddle and penalties that the Dolphins can’t master. All the signs are there of a coach in his final days. Players say they still have faith in McDaniel, but that faith will be tested if the Dolphins lose to the Bills.
Stock up: Fan anger toward McDaniel
This isn’t an endorsement, it’s an acknowledgement. The anger toward McDaniel among fans is rising quickly. Fans financed a banner to fly over the stadium before the game requesting that McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier be fired. One fan wore a T-shirt that read “Fire everybody.” The banner wasn’t only about this season’s 0-2 start, it was about Tagovailoa’s lack of development, about not winning a playoff game in the McDaniel era, about signing players such as tight end Darren Waller, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and edge rusher Shaq Barrett who either don’t see the field or disappoint.
Stock down: McDaniel
It certainly feels as though the end is near, even if the Dolphins miraculously win at Buffalo. But it seems there’s little chance of that happening. McDaniel is 1-6 against Buffalo and riding a six-game losing streak, and he’s 0-4 at Highmark Stadium. McDaniel is 28-25 (.528) excluding playoffs, and 28-27 (.509) including playoffs. The Bills are 13 1/2-point favorites for good reason.
