The Miami Dolphins are not going to make the playoffs, and at this point, they may not be able to climb out of a top-five draft pick. Fans are over it, and it's only five games into the season.
Mike McDaniel gave the team another reason to move on from him in the final moments of the ugly loss to the Carolina Panthers. On Sunday, McDaniel's critical late-game mistake may have cost him an opportunity to beg for his job.
After Miami's defense gave up the go-ahead and ultimately winning touchdown, the coach faced a critical fourth-down decision, and he chose the wrong one.
Mike McDaniel bizarrely punts away with only one minute remaining in loss to Panthers
With only 1:10 remaining in regulation and the Dolphins facing fourth down while trailing by three, McDaniel opted to punt. Despite having all three of his timeouts remaining, McDaniel chose to put the game, and perhaps his career, in the hands of a defense that hadn't stopped the Panthers for most of the final quarter.
The Dolphins were faced with a 4th-and-17 from their own 15-yard line. On third down, Tua Tagovailoa took a sack they could not afford to give up. It set up Miami for failure, and they did just that. With the ball in their hands, the Panthers were able to ice the game when Jack Jones was called for a penalty.
READ MORE: Latest Dolphins trade speculation would be a total mistake
Many, if not most, Dolphins fans are calling for McDaniel's job. Nothing is inspiring about this team, and his lackadaisical attitude is only highlighted more by his inability to adjust his play-calling throughout the game.
If the Dolphins are going to have any chance of playing respectably, they will have to do so without their head coach. The team is in disarray, and McDaniel has nothing to offer. A change in who calls the plays at this point would be nothing more than a band-aid fix on a bleeding, open gash to the gut.
If there were any questions about whether McDaniel was cut out to be a head coach, it ended on Sunday in Charlotte.