Neither Dolphins backup proves they deserve QB2 job in win over Washington

The backup quarterback battle for the Miami Dolphins should be all but officially over, with Skylar Thompson giving Mike McDaniel plenty of reasons to keep him over Mike White, but instead, the competition will remain wide open. Seriously?

Thompson wasn't perfect in Miami's 13-6 win over the Commanders, not even close. His first drive looked as though he was still playing vs. the Falcons. He settled down considerably on his next drive despite missing an open Durham Smythe. He led the team on what would have been a touchdown drive if not for a tipped pass that Braxton Berrios couldn't bring down in the end zone. On the next drive, Thompson was a bit long on a deep pass outside and dealt with another dropped pass.

Dolphins fans know this is a two-man race. The thought of another quarterback coming in and competing is not going to happen, and while neither quarterback has shown a lot to warrant "faith," McDaniel is going to have to choose one of them.

Who will end up winning the Dolphins QB2 battle?

When Tua Tagovailoa, who was perfect, left the game after his lone series, Thompson came onto the field to finish the first half, not White. Is that something that should be taken note of? So far, Thompson has taken the work against the second-team units against the Falcons and Commanders, while White has been relegated to the deeper rosters. Against Washington, Thompson managed just over 60 yards passing, and White finished his first drive with a lost fumble in the red zone. He ended the contest with 116 yards, completing 11-of-16 pass attempts.

In his first series of the game, White started strong with a nice deep pass to Erik Ezukanma, but he needed better awareness in the pocket and watched his drive end in a turnover. Hardly enough to make a statement for the job. He was able to bounce back on his next one, but took a sack and needed to be quicker with his reads.

If Tagovailoa misses time in 2024, the Dolphins better hope there is a veteran available on the open market. With teams no longer needing to keep three quarterbacks on the roster to have an emergency third QB, there might be options available when final cuts are made. Still, McDaniel has a tough call to make between White and Thompson. Who knows who will end up being around for Week 1 at this point.