The issue is that this should have been prioritized in the offseason. It’s challenging to evaluate backup QB options when you're focused on winning games and chasing a playoff spot.

The issue for quarterbacks like Tim Boyle is that they might look decent in the second half of blowout losses when opposing defenses are more focused on preventing big plays. However, when a team can prepare for him, identify his tendencies, and exploit his weaknesses, he often struggles. Let’s hope McDaniel has a strong game plan that takes the pressure off whichever quarterback he decides to start.

Looking back, the Dolphins lacked solid options for backup quarterback on their roster and may have overestimated the talent. With their sights set on a deep playoff run and a starting QB who has a significant injury history-and who has even lost weight to enhance his off-script play-this decision by the franchise seems questionable.

I don’t have much confidence in Tim Boyle, as he hasn’t shown he can be a competent QB at any level in his career. Still, if he’s named the starter, I hope he brings his A-game on Monday night. At the very least, he needs to improve on how the offense performed last week. It has to be better, right?

C'mon, you can do better!

And if I recall, the Dolphins had an approximate 97% win percentage with about 4 minutes left to play.

White and Boyle are not even deserving of an NFL roster spot.

Agree with the school yard ball. Anything for a spark, really. "This team has way more problems than (just) a QB" This offense has an identity problem and McDaniel refuses to fix it. He had a few cheesy "Madden" plays that wore out after 1.5 seasons. Let's see if he has anything else.

@@MattNewton Tua fan or not. All the so called sport show and pod cast experts all said McDaniel was the only reason Tua had good games. Exact opposite. Tua is the reason crazy late play calling McDaniel stil has a job.

@@cameroncook3863 Well, Tua is the only one that has successfully run his "system", so tyou can certainly make that argument. However, let's take a look at the other QBs that have run McDaniel's system. In 2022, Teddy Bridgewater had an 85.6 passer rating while playing with the Dolphins which was on par with his 90.5 career passer rating. From 2023-2024, the backup QBs have been Thompson (66.1 career passer rating), White (76.1), Boyle (56.4) and now Huntley (79). Huntley has the best career passer rating since Bridgewater. Thompson and Boyle are not even good enough to be 3rd stringers on an NFL team. So yeah, compared to these guys, Tua is the only one who can run his system. But that's not really saying much.

I'm not babying them. It's a fact. It is the longest domestic trip in the NFL. And it's a hostile environment at that. Skylar didn't play well. And I made no excuses for him. But the coaching staff that decided he was the best person to put in that situation has to be held accountable as well.

"all he gets is adversity and never corrects the problem" Couldn't agree more. As much as he talks about adversity, the team never rarely overcomes it. They are just not a mentally (or physically) strong bunch. Good point on the coaching search in 2022.

@richardkeys5214 Brewer outplayed Connor Williams yesterday. They certainly are not trying to tank. You're right on McDaniel. He's a creative play designer. But he's not yet suited for in-game clock and team management. He's more of a cheerleader than a head coach. There's no discipline nor true accountability. Preparation looks way off the mark.

McDaniel had a mini-bye to prepare for a middle of the pack NFL team and it looked like the offense hadn't prepared for the game at all. Honestly, they looked like amateurs. Clearly, they underestimated the impact of Connor and Hunt. Hunt, I would have let walk. But Connor I would have tried to keep. Although, I think he was never coming back after the team refused to give him a deal, then he got injured. AVG could have easily been brought back at his cost, but I'm way more concerned about the offense than the defense. And I have felt this way for a while now.

@MattNewton On all analyses from yesterday, Brewer looked better than Connor Williams. Connor really struggled with Seiler, Campbell and Hand, and had multiple penalties. But we can't reverse departures. What we can reverse is this woeful attention to detail and accountability for who is on this roster, and that extends to coaches. Agreed, going back the last two years, as much as everyone is entertained by that high-flying offense, it's the defense that stepped up late in the season while the offense looked in total disarray. Compare the points scored this time last year to this time this year. The drop-off is monumental.

@c2jones "He's a creative play designer." Even accepting this premise as fact, it comes with limitations. I thought McDaniel would be creative enough to add wrinkles every week to keep defenses guessing. Too often, it's McDaniel and his offense that's unprepared for how defenses are defending them with little to no halftime adjustments. As far as accountability, was Tua brought to Seattle to deliver another inspiring halftime speech to the team (which actually the head coach should be doing)?

@c2jones You are right about the departures, but I thought the drop-off at center last year after Connor's injury was the biggest drop-off of any of the o-line positions. And he was highly graded last season. That would have been too big for me to ignore in the offseason. Now they addressed the position with Brewer and he reported played better than Connor yesterday. But we'll see how it plays out for the rest of the season.

"Undisciplined. Unorganized. Unprepared. Unaccountable. Unacceptable." Watching this offense, I felt like I was watching amateurs. They just looked unprepared in all facets of the game. I feel like the offense still hasn't recovered from the Tua concussion. Almost like they are still in shock. And it's not hard to see why when the leader of the team looked like he needed counseling after Tua's injury. There have been comparisons to McDaniel's offense and the gimmicky Wildcat offense. And while the suggestion has been shot down by certain members of the media, I believe there are similarities. The biggest similarity in my mind is, when you have something on offense that is difficult to defend, you must prepare for the day when a defense eventually figures you out. Neither offensive system was prepared with counter measures and when that "gimmick" was taken away, they just fell flat. That's just unacceptable. After 3 years (in this fragile offensive system), I think we've seen enough of Skylar Thompson. Looking forward to seeing what Huntley has to offer whenever that time comes.

I'm not a doctor, but it didn't look good for sure. Hopefully, he makes the best decision for himself and his family.

Yeah!

They're only good on paper

They beat up on good teams. Struggled against better teams. I think McDaniel has addressed the narrative publicly and the need for the team to change it.

McDopehead sucks!

​​​​@@MattNewton McDaniel operates a highly flawed scheme based on flash and showiness using "tricks" to try and fool the defense instead of solid fundamental football. When good teams and defenses don't go for all those motions, misdirections, fakes, etc they have nothing to fall back on in terms of fundamentals. They get dominated at that point of attack on both sides of the ball far too often, they are a finesse team that doesn't know what to do when a team punches them in the mouth. McDermott figured out how to stop McDaniel's scheme the first time they played, and McDaniel has never really had an answer. It's the same game almost every time they play. Much of the problem is that Tua is extremely limited in what he can do physically. When he is given time and doesn't need to go thru a bunch of reads and make things happen off schedule he plays really well. When teams force him to go thru reads, disrupt receivers routes and timing and force him into throwing to the outside by clogging up he middle of the field to take away the crossers they love to run to utilize their receivers ability to run away from you,the Fins are a very pedestrian offense. Bills give Miami light boxes and hope they run the ball all night. Fins fans getting excited by Achane performance don't understand that's what the Bills were willing to give them. They were not willing to give them deep throws or long completions. Achane is never going to beat them by running the ball because they will make enough plays to put them in 3rd and long to stop drives

@@dannysmith716 I think he has to learn from his experiences. He's going into only his 3rd year calling plays for an offense on any level and he's going through some real growing pains. It's a lot for a 1st time head coach. Especially when his QB is fragile and limited. Let's see how it goes in year 3.

Really? I never said or even implied such a thing. And for the record, I don't think the Bills tried to hurt him. It so happens his worst NFL injuries came directly or indirectly in games vs the Bills. I mean, Damar Hamlin didn't even hit Tua on the play he was (apparently) concussed. Tua plunged his head into Hamlin. Tua hurt himself on that play way more than Hamlin did, that's for sure. He may be brittle, but it doesn't change the facts.

@@MattNewton seemed to keep bringing up the injuries happened against the Bills

@@boyscout7277 They happened. And they were impactful as they affected the 2021, 2022 and now the 2024 season. That's probably why I kept bringing it up. It doesn't mean I said or believe the Bills tried to hurt him.

I predicted this exact scenario last year. Tua is not built for the brutality of the NFL. That Milano "hit" was a love tap. From now on, the susceptibility to injury should be one of the biggest factors in deciding whether to pay a QB a huge contract.

@@markmurphy558 Great point. Tua was drafted after having what many considered a possible career ending injury. That's all anyone needs to know about how Chris Grier feels about drafting or signing injured players. Not shocked he signed OBJ while injured. At least Grier owns it. He's said repeatedly that injury history doesn't dissuade him from obtaining players because players around the league, even great ones get hurt. And he's right. But when you have so many high-risk players at critical positions, your team is basically a ticking time bomb. And by about December, the bomb goes off. Jaylen Waddle was drafted injured. And he's almost always battling with something. Terron Armstead came as advertised. Ditto for Tua.

It's unfathomable to believe two top NFL receivers could be taken away so easily. It's just not good game planning by the Dolphins coaching staff. Too many weapons to be out-coached like they were. I will give Josh Allen his flowers, though. He owns the Dolphins almost as much as Brady owned the Bills.

Actually why you could run is how Buffalo was playing you. If you are going to go 2 high and shut down the deep play the middle is open.

Exactly. There is no reason why they can't take what the defense give them. Easy way to get yardage. On that interception to Chosen, Achane was open underneath with a lead blocking FB. Take the easy throw. I made an entire video about targeting the RBs more because of how defenses play against the Dolphins. They sellout against the pass and abandon man coverage responsibilities to the RBs to get depth in the secondary. It's on tape. The OBVIOUS counter is to run the ball and throw to the RBs until the defense commits 7 or more in the box. This is truly not rocket science. McDaniel and Tua did not stick to the script.

And I will argue this is not entirely unique to the Dolphins. It's going on all around the league, and it is frustrating pass happy offensive coordinators and offensive minded head coaches.

It's a really sad state of affairs. And I have ZERO faith in Skylar Thompson.

Haha! Sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one. Good catch!

@@HillrePierre-j3k Thanks, I really appreciate it!

Yes, he flashes it, but I'd like to see him doing this more consistently. He has the ability, now he has to show it off! 😁

Tua has to regain his accuracy (brush off the rust) and they're going to need to run special drills to find ways to get a reliable ground game. Both of these elements came back in the 2nd half of the Jaguars game, so I think the potential is there.

@@c2jones I was surprised (and happy) to see Alex Ingold in short yardage situations. He even converted a 3rd and short running behind Liam Eichenberg. It seems that McDaniel knows a physical element to the run game can complement his explosive outside zone concepts. It's obviously a small sample size, but it's better than nothing.

@MattNewton Yes, late in the game in that sweltering heat, eventually the Dolphins were able to generate some short-yardage efficacy. Wilson and Ingold are great options for that, too. Reminds me of the finishing touches of the Dallas game of last year (Wilson). Tough yards at the very end to salt the game away when earlier in the game, they couldn't manifest 3rd and short-yardage.

@@c2jones Agreed. Would love to see this even more, not only when the game is hanging in the balance. Also, would have loved to see Jaylen Wright active. But I'm sure McDaniel has a plan for him.

@MattNewton You may get your wish. Achane and Mostert were sidelined at practice on Monday. If the RBs can’t return to the practice field on Tuesday, they may very well miss this week’s game. If even one is out, Wright would undoubtedly be active. Wilson would be the presumptive starter.

Thank you for your support! With OBJ hurt, there should be an even greater urgency to get De'Von Achane the ball whenever they can.

@@abtrtomr There are limits, for sure. But there's nothing wrong with being the best version of yourself. You can try to maximize whatever talent you do have.

Agreed. The play design was exceptional on most plays. Execution was on point. And the RZ conversion rate was top 3. The arrow is undoubtably pointing up!

@@Blainegardner Appreciate the comment!

He has to take the next step forward in his development. If you are not getting better, you are falling behind...

@@kaygunn72 I hope so. I'm expecting a BIG tear from Achane. Jonnu will have a big role especially now that OBJ is out for 4 weeks.

@@leohleon4444Thank you, really appreciate it! I think hes ready for a big workload if it's afforded to him.

The Dolphins were in a roster crunch, so they had to make some tough decisions. But I can understand these moves. Brooks was released with an injury settlement and can't resign with the team until after week 4. Maybe he re-signs to the practice squad at that time, but he likely couldn't help the team on the field before then. Ahmed was the least talented back on the roster, so that played a greater role in his release than his health. It didn't help that the Dolphins have quality depth at the position, either. Chosen was available and knows the playbook. The Dolphins are so short after Hill and Waddle, they need bodies in the event one of them goes down (they are both currently dealing with injuries). At the very least, he can run clear out routes for other receivers and that has value.

@@MattNewton I hadn't heard those specifics on Brooks. That helps my mood on it a little better. I disagree with the Ahmed having the least talent. Talent is a subjective evaluation. Ahmed was the only RB on this team that hasn't missed time due to injury (at a time when injuries are defining this roster) and he's been productive every time he's been called upon.

@@c2jones Well, it can be both subjective and objective, right. For example: in 38 career games over 4 seasons (of near perfect health) for the Miami Dolphins, Salvon Ahmed has averaged 3.6 yards a carry (163 att 593 yds). For context, that is below the 3.8 ypc Myles Gaskin has averaged over his career. Ahmed averaged 2.8 ypc in both 2021 and 2023 (on albeit a smaller sample size). I'm not sure how many RBs are currently on NFL rosters with those stats. But like all the RBs on the roster, he's a team guy and easy to root for, but I'm not sure his talent is worthy of an NFL roster spot.

@@MattNewton It's about opportunities. Compare his limited carries. Through 4 seasons for the Dolphins, he had 163 carries for 593 yards, 40 catches for 274 yards and scored 6 touchdowns. In his rookie season against a tough Patriots defense, in his first opportunity, Ahmed ran for 122 yards, becoming the first undrafted rookie in franchise history to top 100. He averaged 5.3 yards a carry and scored a touchdown. He's been reliable. Even last year he performed when given the opportunity.

@@c2jones Opportunities is a part of it. But look at Achane with limited opportunities. I remember people saying how difficult it was to tell them apart. But on the field, it was evident. Ahmed reminds me of Gaskin. Good guys, good players, no elite traits. Ahmed ran a 4.62 and Gaskin a 4.58. Both were teammates at Washington. Both are off of NFL rosters. They did pretty well in Miami, but were replaced by better talent, imo.

Good point. We certainly don't want to overload him. But he's the 2nd best player on offense. Tyreek Hill has had 177 targets in back-to-back seasons, and no one blinks at his workload even though he's now 30 years old. Now Achane has dealt with a couple fluke injuries in 2023. But he's young and explosive and has to be a bigger part of the offense. If he gets 60 receptions this season, in addition to his rushing work that would be more than double than he received last year (27). And I'd be on board with that!

@@MattNewton that Bronco game in week 3 was not a fluke. He’s special and if you are correct Matt, he’s gonna blossom into a full blown superstar this year. What do you think caused his inconsistency when healthy last year?

​@chrisreed3572 Game script. The Dolphins are a pass first team. In neutral game scripts (when the Dolphins were either +4 or -4 points in the game), the Dolphins threw the ball about 70% of the time which was 3rd in the NFL. He typically got significant volume when the Dolphins were either far ahead or far behind (15+ touches). If the Dolphins choose to pass at the same rate as they have the last 2 years, Achane may not get the touches he needs to be a fantasy superstar. That's why it's important for him to be involved in the passing game. What he has is the talent, however. That is undeniable. So, it's really up to the coaching staff what they do with him. I'm optimistic because talented offensive players on the Dolphins have had the best seasons of their career with McDaniel in Miami (e.g., Hill, Tua, Waddle and Mostert). Clearly the man knows how to use offensive talent.

RB Chris Brooks Probably due to his injury history, but Mostert, Achane and Wilson have injury history, too. The only RB they had with no injury history was Ahmed, but they let him go. Figure that. Brooks was a big, tough back. But they may feel they have a pounding RB with Wright. DT Neville Gallimore I was surprised that given the need they have here, that they parted with him. Apparently, he didn't show enough. CB Nik Needham (I'm not sold on Kahou.) Erik Ezukanma (I thought he did enough in preseason to make the 53 given the injuries elsewhere) and Jake Ferguson are on the practice squad.

RB Chris Brooks - Good point on the injury history. The Dolphins were a bit logjammed at the position. When he gets healthy, maybe he makes it back to the practice squad. If not, maybe he has a longer road to success like Mostert did. DT Neville Gallimore - I was surprised as well. But I think Grier explained and others reported that Weaver wanted a different prototype for his DTs. Glad to see the others brought back. Ezukanma, especially.

@@MattNewton Jake Ferguson was expecting to re-sign and he just did.

@@c2jones That's good news indeed. What do you think about the WR depth?

@MattNewton I think they'll be alright there. I wasn't necessarily convinced on the merits of OBJ from the onset, but him being a mid to late-season feature isn't so unwise. I think Malik will bloom and I thought Eazy and McGowan did enough to be on standby. I live only a few minutes from the stadium and this year in practice I witnessed so many more plays to Jonnu (and the other TEs, but predominantly Jonnu) and an immense influx of plays to Achane out of the backfield and even lined up as a WR, that I believe this year's offense will be far less wideout dependant.

I hope he gets on the field because they can't keep him off and not due to injury. It's so easy to like all of these RBs on the roster.

I hope so. Mostert and Achane only had 27 catches each last year. With the uncertainty of OBJ, Achane is a prime candidate to receive more targets.

@@MattNewton Achane is gonna blow up this year! I just need him to stay healthy!

@@chrisreed3572 Can't worry about injuries. You drafted the talent, so you did your part. Now, the coaches and the player have to do theirs!

Thank you for the kind words. Totally agree. It's hard to be comfortable when you have one of the shortest times in the NFL (on average) to throw. And the team seems to be unwilling to provide him with the protection along the interior offensive line to go through his progressions (cap space, non-premium positions, etc.). So, the only way Tua can achieve this in this environment is to speed up his processing, go through his progressions faster and get rid of the ball quicker and more decisively. It doesn't seem fair, but it's the system they designed for him. That is his super-power. And that's why he's paid what he gets paid...to make the players around him better.

@@itcantbetruebutis7778 I agree, he's good. Maybe even very good, but not great. Great QBs don't win Super Bowls, great teams do. He certainly has to play better, but so does the rest of the team. And they must also stay healthy! 🙏

@@itcantbetruebutis7778"Organization flounder" Haha! I saw what you did there! But seriously, I'll see you week 1. 😉

@MattNewton they r the Miami Flounder! Can't be fins til they win!! One of my best friends was a fins fan with me growin up and he gave up YEARS AGO and became a Packers fan lmao 🤣 his dad was a packers fan so he said to hell with em! I can't watch em anymore.. Fans jump ship 🚢 theses days! The skins ( commanders ) haven't had the QB, and I'm not sure about their running back. But they need a top tier back 1000 yard runner.. I grew up with Penn st and Steelers and Eagles in my home and all around me. I went against all lol

Maybe they'll win you back this year. They definitely have the talent to do it. Staying healthy is the starting point!

@@thepointafterpodcast Haha! Need him to hunt Josh Allen!

Dude looks great for a rookie!