The presence of Darren Waller in the Miami Dolphins' offense is changing the scheme in a way fans could only have dreamed of. After just six quarters, Waller was making Mike McDaniel look like a genius again.
Waller was the standout player for the Dolphins' offense early on against the Panthers with five catches for over 70 yards and a touchdown. Everything was clicking, the Dolphins were moving, and 17 points hung on the scoreboard to a big goose-egg on the other side.
Then, the wheels, as they so often do, fell off, just like Waller's production and usage.
Dolphins' Mike McDaniel once again proves he cannot make in-game adjustments
Unlike McDaniel, the Panthers made a few adjustments on the defensive side of the ball. They moved their protection inside and made it hard for Tua Tagovailoa to thread the ball to Waller. They figured out how to put pressure on the Dolphins quarterback, forcing him to throw passes he couldn't. Why? Because he was unable to make the next reads to find the open receivers.
In the second half, the Panthers forced Mike McDaniel to adjust his offense, but not in a way that McDaniel could lead the team to a win. That change was not to throw to Darren Waller. It worked. Waller did absolutely nothing in the last two quarters, and Dolphins fans should know why.
McDaniel failed to get Waller involved in the second half, largely due to an inability to adjust to the Panthers' defensive shifts. Instead of scheming touches for his tight end, he abandoned the idea entirely.
Waller is not the problem; McDaniel is. His scheme depends heavily on speed and precise motion. Losing Tyreek Hill stripped the offense of its explosive edge, and Waddle hasn’t been able to fill that void.
The real issue isn’t just McDaniel’s complex system. It’s his refusal to adjust when things break down. On Sunday, that stubbornness was clear. With the game on the line, he called for deep shots despite knowing his quarterback wouldn’t have time to let the play develop.
The lack of practice for Waller became evident on Sunday. McDaniel didn't have much in his playbook to utilize him once the core plays were taken away. It's why we saw Julian Hill and Tanner Conner more.
So far, Waller is making the statement that Dolphins fans were hoping to see during training camp, but McDaniel is making one as well: he doesn't know how to get him involved once the opposing team takes him out.