Dolphins fail to make upset bid a reality

The Dolphins surprised many of us here last night and actually made a game of it last night in Buffalo at the OLD Highmark Stadium. Some fans will blame the game on DT Zach Sieler and others will blame it on QB Tua Tagovailoa and others still on all of them and add in HC Mike McDaniel. If you didn’t watch, I’ll sum up the chain of events. With 10:20 left in the 4th quarter, the bills were punting, and and Dolphins were in punt block formation. Zach Sieler came right up the middle and the big guy dove to block the punt, but the punter got the ball off easily and Sieler and his momentum couldn’t stop and he rolled into the Punter and thw appropriate “Roughing the Punter” was made. That gave the Bills a first down in Miami territory and the Bills of course took advantage of that and scored a TD.

So now the Dolphins are down 28-21 with 7:17 left in the game. The Dolphins start the drive at the 36 yard line after a 29 yard kick return by Dee Eskridge who had a nice evening in the return game. The Dolphins drive the ball to the to the Buffalo 21 yard line where it’s 1st and 10 with 4:40 remaining in the game as the Dolphins are going in for the tie. It never happens, because on 1st down, Tua in the shotgun looks to hit WR Jaylen Waddle on short pass on the right side but QB Tua Tagovailoa threw the ball right into the waiting arms of Bills LB Terrel Bernard who saw Tua looking at Waddle the whole way. The Bills then drove for an a FG to put the game out of reach at 31-21 in what was a winnable game for us.

I’m on Dolphins twitter often and although I haven’t ventured on yet this morning, I know very well what I will see. It will be something along these lines, but this a fictitious tweet.

“Tua played a great game, kept us in it, that Zach Sieler penalty killed us”

It seems no one wants to hold dear Tua accountable. I ask all the time, when will Tua ever make the big play to WIN a big game rather than lose it, and honestly, I don’t believe we’ll ever get an answer to that question. It’s so unfortunately clear that he is just incapable of elevating his play and helping this team win when the chips are down against a good team. He’s not it, not the guy, he’s a good QB who can’t show up when you need him to. That’s his ceiling.

If you add in the fact that Mike McDaniel was brought in to soothe Tua, and to help elevate his confidence and his game, I guess that makes two guys who just can’t get it done. If you add in that our roster is a freaking joke, I guess that makes three guys who can’t get it done as Chris Grier has assembled this mess. I was a on a text thread will my buddies and my friend Scott is a Steelers fan and telling me that our team has a lot of talent. I’d say De’Von Achane is the best player on the team. I’d say Tyreek Hill on the right team with the right QB is next. Maybe Bradley Chubb on the right team is right there too. What does that say? I think we owe both of those guys an opportunity to be great somewhere else! Both should have good enough value to to get our new GM some decent draft capital. Hill may fetch as high as a 3rd, and Chubb probably a round or two later but we could sure use those picks and I’d bet a new GM would be able to use them singularly, without using two or more to get a good player, unlike our current GM who loves doubling up draft picks and squandering our draft capital.

So we’re 0-3 and we get to show the world our fancy new Rivalry Uniforms, the dark navy blue uniform with aqua and orange trim. Don’t forget to buy them all, Stephen Ross would sure appreciate it! Anyone who buys any jersey for this team right now and spends a lot of money must be crazy! Who knows who will be here next year when we clean house? Or will we? That’s the scariest part is not knowing whether Ross can actually fire GM Chris Grier, HC Mike McDaniel and in turn, end QB Tua Tagovailoa’s rein here in Miami. He’ll be on the roster because his salary is around $60M next season, but that doesn’t mean he has to play.

I do believe at some point this season if the misery continues, we should take a look at QB Quinn Ewers. Not now, it’s too early and there’s too much season left, but I do believe it’s in our best interest to see what we have in Ewers and see if maybe he’s the next Brock Purdy, but hopefully one that doesn’t get hurt as much. We know now, or at least Tua Tagovailoa has shown us time and time again he’s not the guy, so we need to find his replacement. Ewers could be Skylar Thompson 2.1 and that’s fine, at least we know he’s not the answer either and then we should draft our next QB early in the draft next year.

We gave the Bills a much better fight than the NY Jets, no question about that, and the Jets were home for the Bills. BTW, did I mention it was a warm and comfortable evening in Buffalo at around 66 degrees, so it wasn’t the cold last night that did us in. If the game is on the line and your franchise QB has the ball, you need him to tie that game last night and not turn the ball over again, and he let us down as per usghe. Does any of this mean anything for next week’s game, of course not, but I just don’t know how much more proof any fan who knows the game needs to realize he’s not the guy.

DC Anthony Weaver was the hot name to be interim HC if Mike McDaniel gets fired. Have we really seen anything this season that makes that a wise move? Our defense wasn’t as bad last night against a better opponent, but it wasn’t good, and it didn’t help us win the game last night either. I don’t think it’s a slam dunk in any way, We’ve allowed 32.3 points per game, so is that the guy that’s earned the right to be Head Coach of the Miami Dolphins, even if it’s just an interim title?

I’ve said it myself that the defensive front 7 could be a really good unit if they stay healthy. Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, and how about that exciting 2nd year player Chop Robinson who is primed for a big season? Chop has 3 tackles and 1 sack. 3 games, 3 tackles??? You can get run over and a ballcarrier could trip on your fallen body in their path and get a tackle, so three tackles in 3 games? Besides Bradley Chubb. who has 3 sacks, Jaelan Phillips, Chop Robinson, Kenneth Grant, Benito Jones, Zach Sieler have been invisible. Well, Sieler was invisible until he ran into the punter last night anyway. I know our secondary is a mess, but so is the rest of it. There’s nothing goo to see here. S Dante Trader did make a really nice shoe string tackle to probably save a TD last night as he closed quickly and dove hard to make the play. S Minkah Fitzpatrick is 3rd on the team in tackles with 22, but has he made one impact play that makes you think we have an All Pro Safety back there?

Maybe the Jets will be the elixir that makes us feel good for a week. Or, maybe the Jets will make us feel good for a different reason because if the NY Jets find a way to embarrass our team more than they have been already, in our house wearing those silly dark navy Rivalry jerseys, maybe that’s the last straw for Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and finally does what needs to be done. What I fear most is Ross solely firing HC Mike McDaniel and leaving Chris Grier in. That might send me into a tizzy, I’m not gonna lie. I honestly don’t know if I could dedicate any more time on this team if Ross tells us Chris Grier is the the guy who will continue to run this franchise, I really don’t.

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508 Responses to Dolphins fail to make upset bid a reality

  1. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    About last night’s game, and the Pats game. If we had a QB who wasn’t playing scared, we possibly could have won them both despite the defensive struggles.

  2. Krishna's avatar Krishna says:

    Thank you, Mike E.

    …I agree wholeheartedly that CG, MM, and Tua are not the future of this team. I HOPE!

  3. CavalierKong's avatar CavalierKong says:

    I’m still trying to figure out how our defense went on that weird streak last night where they momentarily looked like they were a legit NFL defense and stopped the Bills, what was it 3 times in a row and 4 times in 5?

    • bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

      I know. It was actually like they finally figured something out.

      Also, I put it on the last blog, but it’s about time they put Brunskill in at RG instead of Kion Smith. Not sure if it was due to injury or not. I did see them show the OL coach chewing out the OL and next thing I know Brunskill was in there.

  4. Jeff JT Trzcinski's avatar Jeff JT Trzcinski says:

    I’m a broken record and I don’t care….this is the WORST team we had since Cam Cameron. How noone saw that prior to the season started is mind blowing to me. 95% of our roster are injury prone players. Achane is our only bright star who has the most trade offering. I’d hate to see him go, but if I were Grier, I’d trade everyone and gut the entire team because this team is tainted with McDaniel’s lack of leadership. We obviously need a new HC that won’t be buddy buddy with the players, but that drastic change won’t go over well as these guys are all soft and won’t like that hard-nosed approach. I worked for companies that we had a “soft” manager who was the people pleaser and then they brought in a hard-nosed manager; and it killed morale because that wasn’t what we were used to and didn’t appreciate that approach. So in order for that to work, we have to gut the team down to the absolutely bottom and rebuild. It’s the ONLY way.

  5. Rockphin's avatar Rockphin says:

    Thanks for keeping it fresh Mike! Even if the Dolphins suck. I’m sitting in the lobby of a hotel waiting for my client and the TV is on and the headline reads. What should we be saying about Tua now? There’s no volume so I can’t hear what your thoughts are, but my thoughts are he sucks

  6. Rockphin's avatar Rockphin says:

    The other sports channel the headline says did the bills performance last night cause you any concerns…
    Just goes to show the perception of how shitty the Miami Dolphins are

  7. Rockphin's avatar Rockphin says:

    Anthony Weaver will be fired before Mike McDaniel

    Overreaction or reality: Reality

    How bad has the Dolphins defense been through three games? The Dolphins have allowed 30+ points in all three games, which included a season-low 31 in Thursday’s loss to the Bills. Their 32.3 points per game allowed is highest in the NFL, and the 370.3 yards per game allowed are 25th in the NFL

    The pass defense continues to get picked on, has the Dolphins have allowed 8.9 yards per pass attempt (28th in NFL) and the 128.9 passer rating allowed is amongst the worst in the league (31st in NFL). They allowed the Bills to score on five of seven possessions (not counting the end of half), and one of those non-scoring possessions was a missed field goal.

    Miami’s defense has significantly regressed from last year. Part of that is personnel, but Weaver hasn’t proven he can adjust to what he has. The way this seaosn is going, his seat may be hotter than McDaniel’s right now.

    • Rockphin's avatar Rockphin says:

      this was from CBS, they said that to not being the franchise quarterback was an overreaction and that he is good 🙄

      they also said that Mike McDaniel should be fired now after three games was an over reaction.

  8. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    Our defensive line didn’t impact the game at all last night. Our edge rushers were invisible. Did Chop even play? I think I saw his number once. It’s not just our defensive backfield that is causing problems.

  9. manitobafinfan's avatar manitobafinfan says:

    GMFB just pointed out the two back to back great stops Jack Jones made , and that NO ONE on defence came over to head slap, or congratulate him .. we were down 7 at the time , complete Lack of passion … I did not see it last night but wow , screams volumes

  10. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    Randy, not sure, because I am no expert on trench play. I did notice the Bills lining up with 3 TE’s quite a bit. They were double teaming and/or chipping then running their routes. I think that really affected our guys on the edge.

    Rookie TE Jackson Hawes is a beast, a favorite of mine this past draft. I hate the Bills got him.

  11. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    Some say Chubb is playing well because of his 3 sacks in 3 games. Yeah, that’s nice, but I have seen Chubb give up the edge on running plays in every game and a couple times a game. There have been about 5 big runs to Chubb’s side so far this season because he didn’t set the edge.

    • Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

      I have as well Mike, you’re absolutely right. I feel like our front seven has been wiped out in so many plays it’s almost like they’re not even there. Chop Robinson is the only guy who has a tackle for a loss not including the ILB’s, so that means Sieler, Jones, Grant, Phillips, Chubb, Phillips, Biggers are all just getting pushed back and taken out of the action, no penetration.

  12. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    A little remake on the Miami Dolphins Fight Song courtesy of your own Mike E.

    Miami’s got the Dolphins,

    I hate this football team,

    We take the ball and give it back

    Like no one’s ever seen

    We’re in the air and it’s picked off

    We fumble on the ground

    And when you say Miami

    You’re talking 0 and 3,

    Cuz we’re the Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins,

    Miami Dolphins we’re no fun,

    Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins

    Miami Dolphins can’t win one

  13. sb7mvp's avatar sb7mvp says:

    I said all off-season that I felt that Weaver was maybe getting the support to take over if MM was to falter early in the season, but that was before Ramsey was traded and our secondary took a huge hit.

    It’s possible they go to Darrell Bevell who was a HC before and actually knows how to call a game.

    Regardless of all that, Grier’s inability to build a solid team is what is killing this franchise and has given false hope and allowed him to keep a job for the last decade.

  14. sb7mvp's avatar sb7mvp says:

    This is not a defense of Tua post as I was the first on here to say he wasn’t elite and was in the same category as Tannehill, even though he was putting up great numbers his first year under McDaniel so don’t read that into this question.

    Does anyone here think that Jalen Hurts is a superior QB to Tua?

  15. Krishna's avatar Krishna says:

    Our season is about to turnaround….lol.

    _______

    Darren Waller injury update: Dolphins TE expected to debut for team vs. Jets after nearly suiting up vs. BillsWaller has missed the first three games of the season with a hip injury

                Jordan Dajani

    By Jordan Dajani

    1 hr ago•1 min read

  16. manitobafinfan's avatar manitobafinfan says:

    Nice team song Mike E well done

  17. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    SB – Hurts has a different skillset but overall, I think he’s a more dangerous QB and has won big games and does whatever is needed to win whether it’s throwing or running. Dude squats 600 lbs, so he can move the pile.

  18. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    BBM,

    I saw all of our front guys get pushed around and blocked singly. Grant was a disappointment too. I don’t get a sense of energy or effort from him. He stops way too early on plays. Chop plays with effort, but he gets swallowed up too. Our right defensive edge got crushed a number of times. No truly really good edge rusher should be blocked by a TE. I don’t care how good the TE is. There are a lot of highly paid edge rushers in the NFL who are poor at setting the edge, so I see that as a choice by the FO. Phillips, for instance, isn’t great at setting the edge consistently but they feel his ability to rush outweighs that. It’s a give and take. Our guys aren’t doing either.

  19. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    Supposedly the NFL is going to take away the Tush Push next season, we’ll see if it happens and how the Eagles adjust. The Dolphins have never recovered from the NFL taking away the cheat motion. Offense has been dead ever since

  20. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    MikeE,

    Pushing a ball carrier used to be illegal. It was illegal because it’s not fair. They need to just go back to that rule and be done with the tush push bullshit.

    The thing that makes me chuckle is that none of these professional teams seem to be able to do the most fundamental and basic play in football. The quarterback sneak. Why is that?

  21. CavalierKong's avatar CavalierKong says:

    Our dline has been surprisingly disappointing. I also saw Chubb getting abused in the run game against the Bills. I said last game I hadn’t seen Chop show up yet this season (I missed the sack he got and was corrected about that, but other than that…) Phillips has been non-existent as well. Sieler showed up really big for the first time this season- in the wrong way.

    Chubb has gotten some decent pressure through 3 games, but that is it.

  22. CavalierKong's avatar CavalierKong says:

    Like I said during the game last night, there are so many missed assignments in the secondary through 3 games it’s crazy. It isn’t always obvious which player is making the mistake, but you can see the wide open areas that are obvious breakdowns in coverage. Perfect example was the Bills 1st TD pass last night. Watch that play and it’s obvious either the CB or the safety made the wrong adjustment and it left a monstrous gap that was easy to exploit. We seem to have plays like that over and over throughout the game.

  23. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    Randy – I get it, and that’s why the Tush Push will be gone.

  24. bookman11's avatar bookman11 says:

    Shhhhh, only talk about the sacks with Chub, we need the trade value to climb 😏

  25. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    @kurt13warner

    Ok for those of you who like to #StudyBall heres a complete breakdown of the #TUA INT last night… I say it every week, DETAILS matter!! Coaches are you considering EVERYTHING on EVERY PLAY??? Why, Why, Why??? Who’s my BIGGEST problem??? Die-Hard Fball fans enjoy! https://youtu.be/8cj-RbLjSqc

  26. ElephantRider's avatar ElephantRider says:

    Tush push-

    Mando put some clips of all the false starts Phi gets away with on that play. The entire line is surging forward before the ball is snapped and it’s never called.

  27. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    @kurt13warner

    Ok for those of you who like to StudyBall heres a complete breakdown of the Tua INT last night… I say it every week, DETAILS matter!! Coaches are you considering EVERYTHING on EVERY PLAY??? Why, Why, Why??? Who’s my BIGGEST problem??? Die-Hard Fball fans enjoy! https://youtu.be/8cj-RbLjSqc

  28. ElephantRider's avatar ElephantRider says:

    Tua is a pocket passer. Problem is he isn’t good at reading the D. Not a great combo when the D knows he isn’t a threat to run.

    • mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

      I’m beginning to think Coach McD’s concepts, techniques, and basic play designs are faulty. At least that’s what I’ve taken away from Kurt Warner’s last 2 videos.

      Yes, Tua is a pocket-passer who is no threat to run and is damaged goods.

      • mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

        So long as Tua is instructed to play NOT to get hurt, he’s damaged goods in my book. And if Tua ever plays with his heart on his sleeve, he’ll probably get concussed again. That’s damaged goods in my book.

      • Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

        There were also takes by QB Chase Daniels and another QB that still say the INT was Tua’s fault. I don’t really what care what any of them say, he threw the ball to the LB, end of story. There’s always a trillion excuses for him but the INT still stands, and we still lose no matter what. I’d rather find a new GM, HC and QB that we don’t have to constantly defend when they suck or lose the game for us.

  29. ElephantRider's avatar ElephantRider says:

    Does anyone else think his arm has actually gotten weaker? It was never strong, but looks like he really is struggling to throw it.

  30. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    sb7mvp

     says:

    September 19, 2025 at 1:32 pm

    This is not a defense of Tua post as I was the first on here to say he wasn’t elite and was in the same category as Tannehill, even though he was putting up great numbers his first year under McDaniel so don’t read that into this question.

    Does anyone here think that Jalen Hurts is a superior QB to Tua?

    ————–

    “Superior” is a strong word, so I’d say NO… Hurts is not superior to Tua. Better overall player than Tua, YES.

    Hurts was my favorite QB in 2020 Draft by a landslide, though most of us knew we’d take either Tua or Herbert. I watched nearly every Oklahoma game live during the ’19 season. What he did was nothing short of incredible, putting the whole team on his back, especially when CeeDee Lamb was out with an injury.

    Hurts > Tua, but not superior, IMO.

    • Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

      su·pe·ri·or

      /səˈpirēər/

      adjective

      1. 1.higher in rank, status, or quality.
      • mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

        Still can’t call Hurts superior to Tua. But if we want to talk about being clutch with the game on the line, YES… then Hurts is far superior to Tua in THAT given department.

      • Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

        If you put Hurts>Tua, seems like you’re ranking Hurts over Tua and saying Hurts is better than Tua, no?

      • mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

        And of course, Hurts is superior to Tua when it comes to injuries! That’s for CERTAIN.

  31. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    M – Don’t worry about it’s semantics. I know where you’re at. 🙂

    • mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

      I’m losing faith in Tua, rather quickly. However, I still can’t say that Tua — all by himself — cost us either of the last 2 games.

      Regardless… we need a new GM, a new HC, and a new HEALTHY QB.

  32. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    I’m curious, does anyone here think Darren Waller makes it through an entire game with us next week?

  33. Tim Knight's avatar Tim Knight says:

    It’s a tough time to be a Dolphins fan. 😔

  34. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    Mike E,

    Help both us, man. After years of futility at the TE position post-Randy McMichael, we finally got a good one in Mike Gesicki!!! But once Coach McD came to town, it was OUT with Gesicki because he couldn’t block. Or rather, “he earned his right to become a FA”.

    So with the addition of Darren Waller, we got a guy who statistically sucks at blocking FAR worse than Gesicki (didn’t know that was possible!), a year removed from retirement, and has an injury history. AND, he’s taking up a valuable roster spot on our 53.

    MAKE IT MAKE SENSE, BROTHER!!!

    • mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

      AND, after 1 mere season while setting Dolphins records at the TE position, we trade Jonnu Smith… who also wasn’t a very good blocker, but he saved us from a potential 4-13 season last year, in my guesstimation.

    • rich0322's avatar rich0322 says:

      Once again we drafted the wrong player(TE) in Gesicki and definitely brought in the wrong player in Waller. Neither made sense to me, but that’s the Dolphins for you.

  35. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    I can see both sides of the INT argument. None of us know what was actually called, so it’s impossible to say who was at fault. I think Warner has pointed out some major flaws in our play design, but he still always figures out a way not to blame QBs. Tua himself said he “saw color”…a swipe at his OL but he’s a leader…so why make a throw if you just said your vision was obstructed? Trust the process my ass. Trust common sense.

    • rich0322's avatar rich0322 says:

      I thought Tua’s explanation of that play is part of the problem. Even Fitzpatrick said he thinks Tua will change his tune after seeing the replay later.

    • mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

      Yessir, I can see both sides of the INT argument as well. What I also saw was Brunskill not even touching his defender, unabated for what would have been a sack.

      Tua probably spazzed when he saw the pass-rusher bearing down on him.

  36. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    manitobafinfan

     says:

    September 19, 2025 at 11:46 am

    GMFB just pointed out the two back to back great stops Jack Jones made , and that NO ONE on defence came over to head slap, or congratulate him .. we were down 7 at the time , complete Lack of passion … I did not see it last night but wow , screams volumes

    ———–

    That’s extraordinarily disappointing to hear. So much for all the BS we’ve heard all offseason about a renewed effort for camaraderie, team, and unification.

  37. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    I saw players slapping Jones up a little bit in the game. That shit is a little overblown. I think our defense actually came out and played with a lot of energy and attitude in the second half. The talent still isn’t there, but the effort was. I liked how our defense responded overall. I can’t say the same for our offense.

  38. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    And I mean responded in an emotional….effort way…not necessarily in performance, unfortunately. I did see some guys not playing to the end of the whistle or seeming to make personal decisions on how they played but in the second half I saw a defense that was giving effort for the most part. It wasn’t great, but it was an improvement over the first half.

  39. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    M – There’s no way I can make sense of trading actual draft capital to acquire a TE who was retired because he quit on his team. I mean if Grier really wanted Waller and he offered the Jints a 2028 7th RD pick would they say no? Maybe, and maybe he would have just said OK, forget I asked and the Jints would come back so quick and say OK, we’ll take the ’28 7th rounder because who on earth was going to give us anything at all for Waller until you came along. Know what I mean?

  40. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    M13,

    Brunskill is a known quantity. I’m not sure why we’re surprised that he wasn’t good. Better question….knowing that he’s a below average backup….why put him on an island right in front of your weak ass short QB? Oh, because you needed 5 guys in the pass game and nobody to even chip a guy? Got it. You put it on the backup OL.

  41. Brian in NY's avatar Brian in NY says:

    E Rider ,

    I don’t know if his mechanics aren’t right uncertain throws or what it is, but I definitely feel like his arm has gotten weaker also. Those downfield throws it’s like sometimes he could barely throw 50 yards and they look like Hail Marys.

  42. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    In 2023, Tua was “Jacked Tua”, or as others would say, “Fat Tua”. So the team wanted Tua to lose that weight for ’24 so he could scramble better… so that he could get concussed again? Because that’s what happened.

    Agreed with Elephant Rider and Brian… Tua’s arm isn’t nearly as strong as we’ve seen it in ’22 and ’23.

    Get Tua back to his ’23 playing weight, and it will not only protect him, but his arm strength should return.

  43. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    Elephant Rider/Brian,

    I was thinking the same thing about Tua last night. Was it me, or did his throws just look weaker than they’ve ever been? I know he’s a timing guy, but everything looked weaker.

  44. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    Ghost of Adam Gase

    @GhostOfAdamGase

    ·

    It’s very hard to hate Tua. He played great for most of the game but that defines his time with Miami.

    *************************

    Played “great”???? He completed 22 of 34 for 146 yards, that’s 6.6 yards per completion or 4.2 yards per attempt, and that’s playing “great”? This is what baffles me, I think Tua has some kind of frigging spell on some people. Not for one second did I think Tua played “great”. The Bills gave up 40 points to the Ravens, this defense is no juggernaut and we dinked and dunked all the way to 146 yards. There was one scramble that I thought was great, but just one play, and overall, Tua was certainly not great. As I’ve said here so many darn times, we need to aim higher! We’ve become so complacent with average QB play at best

    • mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

      The question becomes: why are we dinking-and-dunking so much?

      • Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

        Since they took away the cheat motion, no one is blowing by defenders like they did in ’23. That shit is over and done with and our offense has suffered since. Don’t you agree?

      • mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:
        1. Is Coach McD calling for these dinks-and-dunks for a reason?
        2. Is Tua’s arm a problem, being he noticeably is NOT throwing with as much velocity as he had in ’22 and ’23?
        3. Are we trying to protect Tua in light of another horrific O-Line?
        4. Is it a matter of Coach McD has yet to find an answer to 2 high Safeties? If so, why didn’t we retain Jonnu Smith?
        5. Have ‘Reek and ‘Da Penguin lost a step on their go-routes?

        So many questions, so few answers, and a fanbase that is ready to burn the house down again.

    • CavalierKong's avatar CavalierKong says:

      They threw up a stat at one point in I think it was the 3rd quarter that Tua had -.5 yds average air yds per pass to that point in the game.

      Meaning the ball travelled an average of -.5 yds per throw. It was because 90% of his throws were swing passes to Achane, lol.

  45. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    MikeE,

    Michaels said at one point in the game that Tua had thrown like 13 passes and 8 had been behind the LOS or something like that….and I’m thinking 8, only 8? Lol

    • Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

      I just don’t get it. Do people feel better about our QB situation by puffing up Tua? I mean we’re 0-3, and that fucker has 4 INT’s and 2 fumbles to keep him as the leader on the QB board for most turnovers since September of 2023.

  46. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    Mike E.

     says:

    September 19, 2025 at 4:27 pm

    Since they took away the cheat motion, no one is blowing by defenders like they did in ’23. That shit is over and done with and our offense has suffered since. Don’t you agree?

    ————-

    Should have added that to my list above. Good call!

  47. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    M – I think 1 through 4 are all correct. I think Tyreek Hill will look fast as fuck as soon as he’s traded and he finds a QB that can actually lead him

  48. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    BBL… good conversations today!

  49. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    I’m curious, does anyone here think Darren Waller makes it through an entire game with us next week?

    ————

    Yes, he will. Reason being, this is his first game, so he is likely only going to play 1 or 2 plays. That’s the MM way. Or does that just pertain to RB’s, I dunno.

  50. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    Kong – Either way, if one or both of those are correct, it’s just silly talk. Achane will have played great, not the QB. I know I’m beyond fed up with Tua but watching that entire game I didn’t once feel Tua played above average.

  51. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    Saw an interview with Jaelan Phillips after the game. He looks like a French Renaissance painter. lol

    https://x.com/schadjoe/status/1969127355206578674

  52. sb7mvp's avatar sb7mvp says:

    To me, Hurts is a product of his environment in the same way that Tua has been. But Hurts has been put in a situation of a continually significant team that knows how to build the right way. They don’t ask Jalen to do anything but play within the system and don’t screw up.

    Tua doesn’t have that luxury, because he has no o-line, no run game, and his coaching has been suspect. He’s also never really played with a consistently good defense. You put Tua on the Eagles and they’re having similar results in my opinion.

    • Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

      They’d have to find another candidate to do the Tush Push. Pretty sure one Tush Push for Tua and that would be his last. Tua also doesn’t give Philly the running capability that Hurts does, besides the Tush Push carries. Also, add in the fact that Tua just isn’t clutch, hard to say the results would be the same.

      • sb7mvp's avatar sb7mvp says:

        I feel like you’re giving Hurts a lot more credit for things than he deserves, especially when it’s clutch versus not clutch. Tua’s had plenty of clutch plays for the Dolphins. I’m willing to bet he’d have a lot more on a team that had an o-line, running game, and a more reliable TE.

    • CavalierKong's avatar CavalierKong says:

      Interesting take

      and you said butt hurts lol

      Kong being juvenile

  53. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    Christian Wilkins signing with the Vikings

  54. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    SB – that’s fine, I just know Hurts did those things, while you’re only speculating that Tua could, so there’s that too. Speculation is all it will ever be. I’d be willing to bet that when we part ways with Tua, his career will never be as good as it was here

  55. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    I’m going to press you a little further SB, I feel like I let you off easy. Give me these instances when we were either fighting for a playoff spot or in a playoff game where Tua played clutch

    • sb7mvp's avatar sb7mvp says:

      You’re adding in the caveats of fighting for a playoff spot or a playoff game, which you didn’t state earlier, so it’s a completely different point that you made before when you simply said that Hurts was more clutch. I had to look at Hurts history.

      rookie season he was 1-3

      2nd year 9-8 lost wildcard (1TD, 2 INTs) Backed into the Playoffs

      3rd year 14-3 lost super bowl – (Played excellent but lost to the KC Refs)

      4th year 11-6 lost in wildcard (Only threw 1 TD, went 0-9 on 3rd downs)

      5th year 15-2 won SB (KC played uncharacteristically bad and Philly went up big)

      So even with you moving the goalposts in the conversation, there’s still little to no evidence that Hurts is this Clutch Playoff QB

      The fact of the matter is that Jalen Hurts is on a much better team with a much better front office. That can’t be denied. When I watch Hurts and Eagles play, I don’t see a quarterback who is expected to do much other than play within the system because the team around him is good enough to win games that way. It’s easy to look clutch when your o-line can block and you have a run game or a TE who can make big plays running or blocking.

      I don’t see a QB who has above average or elite physical skills. Even if he’s a better runner than Tua, he’s still not an elite runner in the mold of Josh Allen or Mahomes. His arm isn’t a bomber. He’s not a QB that does anything exceptionally well.

  56. ElephantRider's avatar ElephantRider says:

    Last 3-4 years Hurts averages over 600 yds rushing and double digit rush TDs. I’ll take that average QB over Tua every week.

    • ElephantRider's avatar ElephantRider says:

      I guess my thought is Tua brings nothing the D has to plan for. Just get him off his spot and good things happen for the defense. Elite QBs make you pay often whether running or making a play from scrambling. The league is set up for that kind of QB and Miami doesn’t have one of those.

  57. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    Poor Tua, everyone keeps moving the goalposts on him. It’s all just so unfair!

  58. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    SB – what exactly is it that the Dolphins ask Tua to do that’s so difficult? I mean they got him Tyreek Hill, his former WR from Allybama Jaylen Waddle and a very good receiving TE in Jonnu Smith. Did Tua play well enough to get us into the playoffs? Did he stay healthy?

  59. ElephantRider's avatar ElephantRider says:

    Why are we talking about Hurts? Lol

    Hes a top 10 QB in the league. Tua is bottom half easy….and that’s being nice.

  60. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    I feel like some Dolphins fans just have suitcases of excuses for why Tua doesn’t suck. Even Paulie (NJ Phin Fan) is showing me the Kurt Warner video to defend Tua. I said I saw a video of Chase Daniels disputing what Warner said. He said Chase Daniels???? Kurt Warner’s a HOF QB!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

    ******************************

    I said I’d rather have a HOF QB playing here than have a HOF QB making excuses for our shitty QB!!! 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆

    • steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

      I didn’t watch the Warner video, but I did see the replay of the Tua int, if nothing else just knowing Tua throws to his first read enough, that the LB could gamble and be right more times than not on any given pass play

      The ball was late over the middle, enough said

  61. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    For the n-teenth time, Tua is not THE problem… but neither is he THE answer. Tua can’t put the whole team on his back, especially after all of the concussions he’s sustained behind a BS O-Line over the last several years.

    Tua is damaged goods, y’all. And for the n-teenth time, Tua is one hit away from becoming scrambled eggs, plus he’s been mandated to play NOT to get hurt.

    I don’t understand how some folks don’t understand this. One can scapegoat Tua all one would like, but he’s not THE problem.

    Those who eagerly scapegoat Tua are secretly wanting to bring back Coach McD and GM Grier in ’26, whether they realize it or not. Either that, or they just don’t understand 101 football.

    Listen to me… we need to draft a new QB in the ’26 Draft, preferably as early as possible. Why? Because we can no longer rely to build around Tua.

    I’m not defending Tua… I’m saying OUTRIGHT that we need a new QB to build around.

    • steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

      Tua is a liability, he can’t escape the rush enough to make a play, he’s too small for that weenie arm, he’s fragile, when the blitz comes and he doesn’t hit his 1st read he gets into his Benny Hill scramble

      Ewers at best is Tua without all tge concussions

      we need a dual threat QB, that has decent accuracy a decent arm and at least 6’3″

  62. steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

    100% Hurts > Tua

    to win in the SB you need a dual threat QB or at least one that’s very hard to stop with the game on the line

    Hurts doesn’t need the tush push to be successful, he’ll be fine without it

  63. New Age's avatar New Age says:

    Hurts is a far better QB than Tua and it’s pretty obvious. The easy things he’s better at is running and staying healthy. Running makes teams gameplan more and staying healthy means more wins.

    Is Hurts the best QB out there? Nope, but Tua is at best in the lowest 1/3 QBs in the league. At best. He’s an injury prone TO machine. It’s very hard to beat the turnover game and Tua makes sure we’re always in the mix for too many TOs. Dude can’t run, has a weak arm, and can’t read a defense. He’s just not very good. The pre-snap junk McD ran was perfect for a QB who can’t read defenses and has two extremely quick WRs. Tua has shown no ability to run any other kind of different offense effectively.

  64. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    I think folks are getting a little overboard on Tua. I’ve never been a fan. I don’t like small QBs….especially immobile ones, but I was willing to give him a shot and see where he landed. It’s been a mixed bag, at best. Tua is a QB with a particular skill set. He was a perfect fit for how Saban ran offenses, for instance. MM tried to build an offense to accommodate those skills. It’s had good and bad results. It worked best when the running game was creating space like it’s designed to do. The problem is that it’s only sustainable if all the pieces work really good.

    Tua ain’t my cup of tea, but he’s also not the only reason we suck. There are plenty more, sadly. He’s just the most visible. I said it after week one. He’s now become dead weight around this team’s neck.

    • steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

      if Tua was an accurate dual threat QB or Hurts he’d be able to overcome other deficiencies

    • New Age's avatar New Age says:

      He’s not the only reason but he’s not a very good NFL QB. One good year with a trick offense, that the NFL bans, does not make you a good NFL QB. Tua had the most talented players in the country playing with him at Bama. Lots of other dudes did well with a Saban offense. For instance, Bryce Young.

      Tua’s not chopped liver, but compared to other NFL starting QBs, he’s lacking. Sure, he’s still a top 25ish QB in the NFL, but he’s not good enough to carry a good team on off days.

  65. steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

    Tua has regressed

  66. ElephantRider's avatar ElephantRider says:

    M

    Most here agree he is not THE problem. I liked what Randy said. Hes just a dead weight.

    We have so many things to bitch about unfortunately. Lol

  67. sb7mvp's avatar sb7mvp says:

    Mike E.

     says:

    September 19, 2025 at 7:53 pm

    Poor Tua, everyone keeps moving the goalposts on him. It’s all just so unfair!

    ____

    I like you MIke, but there are times that you can’t objectively carry a conversation. There’s no need to misrepresent what I said. You’ve done that multiple times.

    This whole conversation is hilarious anyway, because I told you Tua wasn’t Elite 3 years ago and you had a full on meltdown.

    He’s was a decent QB, but he’s damaged goods at this point. You put Jalen Hurts on this team and he’d be damaged goods too.

    • New Age's avatar New Age says:

      I agree but I think Tua on the Eagles would still be damaged goods. I don’t think Philly has a ring today with Tua as their QB.

  68. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    I didn’t move the goalposts, Hurts did. I told you he took he took his team to the Super Bowl and won playoff games and you pointed out that he didn’t play well in this one and/or that one. You made it seem as if the Eagles won the Super Bowl in spite of Hurts. So, because Hurts won playoff games and won a Super Bowl, I asked you to tell me when Tua was clutch in a game that really mattered. Of course I moved the goalposts. You were going to throw the Ravens game at me in Week 2 when the entire Ravens secondary was OUT and you know what, that’s not the same as performing under the gun in a win or go home scenario, it just isn’t. Tua has been notoriously poor in those games, even the Cowboys game we won we needed 5 Jason Sanders FG’s and some mighty far ones too because Tua couldn’t drive this team past the 35 yard line.

    BTW – I’m glad you like me, I like you too! Mwah!

  69. Mike E.'s avatar Mike E. says:

    It depends on what criteria we’re using and what the situation is as to whether Tua is the problem or not. Right now, he’s not the biggest problem, the defense is, but his turnovers are also killing us. I think if we were looking to be playoff contenders and win a playoff game, Tua would be a problem because he historically has played poorly when the chips are down, and I don’t think it’s going to get any better for him with his hip and his weak arm.

    • New Age's avatar New Age says:

      I think Tua is a top 3 problem. The GM and HC are the other two. The difference in teams with a great QB from year to year is unbelievable. Indy was a floor mat before Manning…but he was HoF!” Ok, let’s look at the Redskins then with Daniels. Or the Ravens with Lamar. Chiefs with MaHomes. Bills with Allen, Chargers with Herbert, etc, etc, etc. The NFL today is QB driven and we have one that can’t win big games. Every year you’re going to have big games so how can you do it with Tua? You just can’t. That a huge problem.

      The only QB that is a bigger disappointment than Tua playing today is Lawrence. He’s on the same trajectory but even worse. Let’s see how long Jax continues to stay patient with a QB who also cannot read a defense, throws lots of TOs, and can’t win big games.

  70. steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

    correction Tua was not the problem

    that’s when he was on his rookie contract, now that he’s getting paid and not performing close to his contract he is a big problem

  71. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    Decent slate of college games today. BBM’s watch list breakdown. LOL

    There are quite a few QB’s out there you haven’t heard about who could be rising stars. Keep in mind, some of these teams have played nobodies to start the season. I will list some players to watch.

    #17 Texas Tech at #16 Utah, 11:00am, FOX

    TT senior QB Behren Morton, good arm, quick release, nice touch. Not a dual threat but not a statue either.

    Utah: Both starting OT’s are 2026 1st rounders. RT Spencer Fano will be the best run blocking OT in the 2026 draft. He would be a perfect replacement for Austin Jackson who is only under contract through 2026. Utah is averaging 290 yards rushing per game.

  72. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    UAB at #15 Tennessee, 11:45am, SEC Network, not a big game but:

    TN Senior QB Joey Aguilar, 6’3, 225. Good arm. Something about him I like but he had 2 INT’s vs Georgia that really hurt but he still threw for 371 and 4 TD’s in their overtime loss to UGA.

    BBM’s favorite WR this draft but sure he will climb draft boards quickly, 6’5, 200 junior Chris Brazzell II, 4.48 projected 40.

  73. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    #22 Auburn at #11 Oklahoma, 2:30pm, ABC

    Oklahoma – John Mateer, nuf said

    Also on Oklahoma, BBM’s fav day 3 TE prospect is former LB turned TE this season Jaren Kanak, he’s more like a FB at 6’2, 233 but runs a 4.45. He’s a good blocker and in 3 games has 14 rec for 245 yards. Good after the catch. If you have watched any Oklahoma games this year you have heard his name several times.

    Auburn has dual threat junior QB Jackson Arnold. I think he has some skills but needs some work. I am sure he won’t enter the draft.

    BBM looking for a mid round WR. Auburn’s Eric Singleton Jr is one to watch.

  74. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    #21 Michigan at Nebraska, 2:30pm, CBS

    Might be a good game to see how Nebraska sophomore QB Dylan Raiola, 6’3, 230. He won’t be draft eligible until 2027.

  75. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    For the PSU guys:

    South Carolina at #23 Missouri, 6:00pm, ESPN

    LaNorris Sellers will be out with a concussion.

    Missouri has former PSU QB senior Beau Pribula, 6’2, 219. I haven’t watched him yet. He looked like he had some skills in clean up duty while at PSU. Though a senior, I think he has another year of eligibility and might stay in college. If not, he’s a possible day 3 or UDFA option.

  76. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    UF at #4 Miami, 6:30pm, ABC

    Carson Beck, meh

    I like OT Austin Barber from UF and UM’s OT. Barber may be there top of 2nd.

  77. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    #9 Illinois at #19 Indiana, 6:30pm, NBC

    Probably the best QB matchup of the day.

    First big test for IU junior QB Fernando Mendoza, 6’5, 225, not a dual threat QB but has mobility.

    IU WR Omar Cooper Jr, 6’0, 203, 4.4 projected 40 is also one to keep an eye on.

    IU CB DeAngelo Ponds and Safety Amari Ferrell are 2 DB’s to keep an eye on. Ponds is smallish but plays big. He may be a slot/NB in the NFL.

    Illinois QB Luke Altmyer, 6’2, 210, is solid. Not a running QB. Had a decent year last year and off to a good start this year.

    Illinois has a few good DB’s led by senior Xavier Scott.

    Illinois also has a good DE/edge player I like. He’s bigger, more like a Chubb. Gabe Jacus, 6’3, 271. Had 8 sacks last year and 3.5 this year through 3 games.

  78. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    If you want to watch Nussmeier against a lesser team, SE Louisiana is at LSU at 6:45pm on SEC Network.

  79. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    Michigan State at #25 USC, 10pm on FOX

    These 2 teams have decent QB’s to watch but not sold on either.

    Michigan State junior QB could enter the draft. Aidan Chiles, 6’3, 225. He is a threat to run also. Had an up and down year last year but off to a good start this year.

    USC junior QB Jayden Maiava, 6’4, 230 also had an up and down year last year but off to a decent start this year.

    Both day 3 QB’s at best if they enter the draft.

  80. rich0322's avatar rich0322 says:

    I’ll be watching TT vs Utah at noon, then Oklahoma vs Auburn at 3:30.

    Tonight I’ll be watching Illinois vs Indiana and Miami vs Florida.

    I’m also taping Syracuse/Clemson, Tennessee/UAB, and Oregon/Oregon St. The three I’m taping, Tennessee, Syracuse, and Oregon are my favorites and I’ll watch them tomorrow.

  81. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    There’s actually a lot to like about Texas Tech senior QB Behren Morton, 6’2, 225. He gets it out quick and can throw some lasers. Seems to have good arm strength but also some good touch.

  82. steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

    my guess is we’ll draft Arch, everyone will be excited, and he’ll end up being worse than Tua

  83. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    Hey, I’m all about being positive. I was actually surprised by how well Borom held up. My expectations were very low, but he was okay…not great…but not a major problem either.

  84. Randy's avatar Randy says:

    Why do people leave tags and stickers on their clothes these days? When I was a kid you’d get made fun of for it. Are people not smart enough now to understand they’re supposed to take those things off?

  85. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    steveccnv

     says:

    September 19, 2025 at 9:29 pm

    …we need a dual threat QB, that has decent accuracy a decent arm and at least 6’3″

    ———–

    100% agreed.

  86. bookman11's avatar bookman11 says:

    There is something about Morton from TT I like. Apart from the Elvis like sideburns.

    BBM,

    Is that a side arm throwing motion he has?

  87. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    Absolutely abysmal…

    @schadjoe

    Pro Football Focus grades for Jonah Savaiinaea and Kion Smith of Dolphins through three weeks: Smith: 65th of 66 graded NFL guards Savaiianaea: 66th of 66 graded NFL guards

  88. bailbondmike's avatar bailbondmike says:

    Morton needs to get better at that back shoulder throw. Wasn’t bad on both INT’s. Both were good plays by the defenders. Just a foot the other way and they’re both completions.

  89. rich0322's avatar rich0322 says:

    Unfortunately, Morton was knocked out of the game at the start of the second half. Sloppy game on offense for both teams. It’s definitely a defensive game. There’s not enough for me to make any major judgement on Morton, other than he is mobile and has a good arm.

  90. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    The Flying Pig

     says:

    September 20, 2025 at 2:14 pm

    I think you gotta give Jonah some time to grow into the position 

    hes kinda of been rushed into playing

    ————-

    Totally agreed. It’s not as though he’s a bust, but it’s been a rough introduction to the NFL for him. Nonetheless, he’s yet another of many contributing factors to our 0-3 start.

    He gets a mulligan from me for his rookie mistakes. Hopefully he shows vast improvement by mid-late season.

  91. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    Just watched a video of Jason Whitlock criticizing Tua, calling him a coach-killer. He showed the post-game interview of Coach McD, stuttering and all. Whitlock said that it’s really evident by the way Coach McD stuttered, umm, uhhh, etc, that he knows Tua is going to get him fired. He additionally stated that Coach McD sounded like he was on cocaine or fentanyl in not knowing how to throw Tua under the bus without sounding like he was throwing Tua under the bus.

    I hate to break it to Whitlock… Coach McD ALWAYS sounds that way!!! LOL

  92. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    steveccnv

     says:

    September 20, 2025 at 2:34 pm

    MM is a jackass, he should be playing RG

    ————

    +10000000000000000

  93. bookman11's avatar bookman11 says:

    Thanks BBM,

    He needs to slide at times instead of lowering his head when running. He did it twice.

    I love the quick release.

  94. steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

    central time zoner🤪

    bailbondmike

     says:

    September 20, 2025 at 10:16 am

    #22 Auburn at #11 Oklahoma, 2:30pm, ABC

    Oklahoma – John Mateer, nuf said

    Thanks Mike!

    IDK which games to watch for prospecting, your posts are very informative

    you’d think someone getting paid put these posts out there

  95. steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

    rich0322

     says:

    September 20, 2025 at 2:38 pm

    Yea, hopefully Jonah “2 picks” improves as the season goes along.

    Jonah 2 times, 2 times (Jonah 2x 2x)

  96. steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

    Mateer gets away from pressure and always seems to be going forward when running, but overall he’s not impressing me

  97. steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

    Arnold seems a little more polished and more slippery

  98. steveccnv's avatar steveccnv says:

    another ignorant article by everyone’s favorite Brian Miller

    drives me crazy, when I hear…went cheap. No dumbass, there’s a salary cap. You could say Grier blew his wad in previous yrs or didn’t spread out the cap, but there’s nothing cheap about what he did

    https://phinphanatic.com/dolphins-fans-blaming-wrong-guy-after-yet-another-defensive-disaster

  99. mf13ss's avatar mf13ss says:

    bailbondmike

     says:

    September 20, 2025 at 10:27 am

    For the PSU guys:

    South Carolina at #23 Missouri, 6:00pm, ESPN

    LaNorris Sellers will be out with a concussion…

    ———–

    Looks to me that LaNorris Sellers is starting this evening, Bro.

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