Last night’s game was the quintessential ‘nail in the coffin’ for Mike McDaniel, Tua Tagovailoa, and the Miami Dolphins. If this were a contending team, this would be a performance that would be in one ear and out the other. However, Miami doesn’t resemble anything close to a team on the cusp of becoming a contender or a serious organization. Let’s recap last night’s beatdown and where the Dolphins go from here.
Doors Blown Off by Ravens 28-6
Heading into Thursday Night Football, I thought the Dolphins would lose by double digits. With that being said, I didn’t expect it to get out of hand like it did. Their dreadful night started late in the first quarter. Miami faced a 4th & 1 down on the Baltimore 12-yard line, trailing the Ravens 7-3. They would commit a false start that pushed the team back five yards, and their kicker would miss a 35-yard field goal. From that moment on, it was night-night for the Dolphins.
Baltimore would outscore them 21-3 the rest of the game. For an offensive head coach like Mike McDaniel, they were 2/12, 16.6%, on 3rd down in the loss. That is horrible. Whatever type of HC you are, your side of the ball must be buttoned up and semi functional. It is not as if Tua Tagovailoa was hurt and they were dealing with a backup.
Speaking of their QB, let’s discuss it. I don’t remember the last time we saw a player go from boom to bust in the span of a week. Against the Falcons, he was excellent with four TDs and only six incompletions. Last night, he completed 25 of 40 passes for 261 yards and an interception. An offense that was unstoppable against a strong pass defense in Atlanta was shut down against the Ravens bottom-five unit.
Where Do the Dolphins Go from Here?
It is time to clean house. I am not one to call for people’s jobs, but it’s time to move on, Stephen Ross. Fire Mike McDaniel and promote your Defensive Coordinator, Anthony Weaver, as the interim head coach. When your head coach says “Umm” 157 times in his postgame presser, that is inadequate.
Trade all of your ‘premier players’, outside of Jaylen Waddle, and return to being one of the worst teams in the NFL. It’s not like it can get much worse than it is now. There is no incentive to be competitive for the remainder of the season. This team needs to be sellers at the trade deadline and in the offseason.
🚨🚨THIS IS INSANE🚨🚨#DOLPHINS HEAD COACH MIKE MCDANIEL SAID UMM 157 TIMES IN HIS POSTGAME PRESSER TONIGHT.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) October 31, 2025
McDaniel used the same six words throughout tonight's presser:
UM
UH
UGH
AH
AHH
UMM
This is something else 😳😳😳
pic.twitter.com/MZuvQBmjJT
If there is ever a franchise that needs to shake its Etch A Sketch, it’s this team. I am big on where a team and organization are in the lifespan of their playoff window. The Dolphins peaked in 2023, going 11-6, ranking among the NFL’s best offenses, making the playoffs, and losing to the Kansas City Chiefs on the road. The ONLY way to take steps back as a franchise is to pay a ‘good’ quarterback ‘great-elite’ quarterback money. The second the Miami Dolphins paid Tua to his four-year $212.4 million extension, their window closed.
Final Thoughts
This is a reminder that the playoff window in the NFL opens and shuts in a blink of an eye. Just three seasons ago, this Dolphins team dropped 70 points on the Denver Broncos. Fast forward to today, this team is sitting at 2-6 and looking to speed-run their way to Cancun. This was the final nail in the coffin. Mr. Ross, clean house and reset the culture in this organization.
As always, thank you so much for checking out where the Miami Dolphins need to go after their 28-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.
