It's a familiar scene in South Florida, but this time, the quarterback change has nothing to do with Tua Tagovailoa's health. Just his ability to play quarterback for the Miami Dolphins with any level of consistency.
Quinn Ewers' first start will not be an easy one; they never are. His limited regular-season experience will help, but not by much. There will be bad throws, maybe an interception, maybe a strip sack fumble, and there may be touchdowns, too.
Ewers isn't competing within himself, and while he is competing against the Bengals, his biggest challenge might just be Mike McDaniel and his confusing playbook.
Quinn Ewers looks to avoid the pitfalls other Miami Dolphins' backup quarterbacks have fallen into with Mike McDaniel's offense
Since he arrived in Miami, McDaniel has been called a genius when it comes to his playbook and play-calling. Many fans may not see it. His system was built around the strengths of Tua Tagovailoa, and that becomes a problem for those quarterbacks expected to replace him.
In 2022, McDaniel's offense was flowing perfectly until Tagovailoa went down. Without Tagovailoa running the system, Miami managed to hold on long enough to make the playoffs, but lost in the first round. McDaniel's offense has been good for Tagovailoa, but not so much for the other QBs thrust into the starting role.
- Teddy Bridgewater - 0-2
- Skylar Thompson - 1-2
- Tyler Huntley - 2-3
There have been three quarterbacks who have started in place of Tagovailoa since McDaniel became the Dolphins' head coach. They combined for three wins. Zach Wilson and Mike White have played, but have only been asked to throw a combined 15 passes. Tim Boyle completed 15 of 26 in two games, but he didn't start.
The common thread between all of them is that McDaniel doesn't change his offense. He doesn't "dumb it down." It has been a point of contention since taking over the team. He expects his quarterbacks to be able to run the offense effectively, regardless of who is at the helm.
Dolphins fans should expect the same from him this week against the Bengals. That being said, one notable change this year is McDaniel's reliance on the rushing attack, something he didn't lean on as much in the past.
The Bengals will hope to take De'Von Achane out of the game and force Miami to beat them with Ewers. If he hasn't grasped the scheme, it will be a problem. It will show how much attention he has paid to McDaniel's system throughout the year, and, more importantly, McDaniel's ability to teach it to him.