Well, we’re really getting down to the end, aren’t we?
I still forget there’s a Week 18 now, so there’s just one more chance for all of those who dedicate their time to a perpetual cycle of mediocrity, confusion, and sadness to get our fix before we dive head first into the offseason, where the Fins will assuredly make a bunch of moves that equally elate and enrage the fan base, continuing a time honored tradition that will outlive each and every one of us.
They also played the Buccaneers this past
Sunday.
And they won.
Quinn 2: Electric Boogaloo
Long time watcher, second time starter Quinn Ewers helmed the proverbial ship, this time taking on Baker ‘Longshanks’ Mayfield and a full deck of swashbuckling rapscallions, prepared to shoot their starboard side cannons straight through Miami’s mizzenmast, hurtling themselves into the postseason and sending the Fins to Davy Jones’ locker.
That’s where this metaphor ends because I don’t know enough boat stuff.
Oars.
Ewers had a fairly pedestrian day statistically, finishing 14/22 (64%) for 172 yds, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs, but he, again, looked comfortably in command of the offense, particularly early on. MM called a balanced game (30 rushes to 22 pass attempts) and allowed Ewers to mix it up between Mike’s Special Sideways Screen and a few downfield shots, which Quinn seems happy to take and I am happy to watch.
No; he doesn’t look like the second coming of Dan Marino (though there was that in-the-weeds stat that he’s now the only other Dolphins rookie QB to throw 2 touchdowns in the 1st half of a game), but he comes off as more promising than most 7th round fliers.
Untimely penalties worked against him to derail some momentum (what would a Dolphins game be without them, really) and he still managed to stay composed, not throw many dangerous passes, and avoid taking too many sacks (2 for 19 lost yards).
While he doesn’t jump off the page as the long term answer for the Fins (yet), in his very limited sample size, he at least seems to have potential.
He’ll have a much tougher third and final outing next week in Foxboro against the *Patriots, which should hopefully shed a little more light on his future.
And speaking of futures:
De’Von Achane and Jaylen Waddle should be shelved
You know, to preserve their futures.
I know they’re competitors for a living. I know they want to finish the season on a high note. I’m sure they have incentives to boot.
However.
If either one was to suffer a significant injury, it’d be the silliest way possible to hamstring 2026 before it even starts.
Let Jaylen Wright, OGII, Malik Washington, Theo Wease, and I guess Cedrick Wilson handle it from this point. They need the reps and Achane and Waddle need the rest.
It’s not going to happen, but it really should.
There isn’t a lot of electricity on the Fins’ roster right now and Achane and Waddle are the bulk of it. MM shouldn’t take needless risks with his best talent.
Miami’s only teensy glimmer of hope for the future is in its youth.
Some of which also resides on the defensive side of the ball.
The defense could have a decent foundation
I understand that Anthony Weaver’s defense has been kind of all over the map this year. While this week they allowed Baker Mayfield to throw for 346 yards (including to two different receivers who went over 100 yards each) and let the Bucs engineer a touchdown drive in 50 seconds at the very end of the game to get the score close enough to where a successful onside kick could have sent it into overtime—What was I saying?
Oh yeah: I actually think the defense has something to build on.
If the once and future GM can manage to retain corners Rasul Douglas and Jack Jones while the young’ins behind them (Jason Marshall, who nabbed a pick against TB, Storm Duck returning from injury, etc.) build themselves up, they can lock down the outside.
Add a healthy Minkah Fitzpatrick alongside a shiny new partner at the other safety spot and they’re looking pretty sharp.
Get Jordyn Brooks a new contract and a run stuffing running mate, get Chop to be consistent for a full season, and maybe draft a replacement or two for the almost certainly gone Bradley Chubb to bracket the Fine Young Cannibals (legally a joke) at DT and Weaver (or perhaps his replacement, depending on how the front office comes after the coaching staff) has some clay to mold.
They may not be the ‘85 Bears, but they could definitely be better than a lot of Dolphins’ defenses of the past.
Tua feels forgotten
Maybe it’s just me.
There was one weird shot of him from the back during the broadcast, near the end, but otherwise: I hardly heard mention of Tua.
I guarantee I’m reading too much into it because there’s no other way to live, but whenever the powers-that-be put the focus of the game on the new guy (and send a lot of compliments his way), it makes me think that they think that the old guy ain’t coming back.
I have no clue what the Dolphins will do with Tua or Ewers or really anything at all because they won’t return my messages tied to dead birds.
But each week it feels a little bit more like we’ve seen the last of Tua in Miami.
Weekly Overreaction: Ewers will break Marino’s records
I’m just kidding.
Imagine.
Just.
Anyway.
I don’t have an overreaction this week since this game was made up and the points didn’t matter. I mean yeah; they did for the Bucs, who totally blew it, and it’s nice that Miami got a win, especially with a rookie QB, but let’s be honest: this part of a Dolphins season is essentially just a really early preseason for the next.
We’ve got one more game to get through.
We can do it.
As long as we stay:
Tuagether.
Are you jazzed about Quinn Ewers? Are you ready for the Dolphins to rock in 2026? Are you, I don’t know, reggae somehow? Sing it out in the comments below.
