The Miami Dolphins improved to 7-9 after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-17. The Dolphins got back to their winning formula as they ran for 145 yards and generated three turnovers on defense. Rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers led the way at quarterback, earning his first career win.
The rookie quarterback went 14-for-22 with 172 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Despite the positive signs for the young starter, his 34.7 QBR ranked 20th in the NFL in Week 17. In last week’s loss to the Bengals, Ewers had a 27.4 QBR. Former starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a 37.2 QBR on the season.
In spite of what the numbers say, head coach Mike McDaniel praised the performance of his young quarterback. He said “You have an idea that the game isn’t too big for someone based on your history with them … It’s awesome in this profession when you believe in people and they take advantage of the opportunity.”
Dolphins Make Quinn Ewers Announcement
It comes as no surprise following the past two weeks of Miami Dolphins football, but head coach Mike McDaniel announced that Quinn Ewers will be the team’s starter in the regular season finale against New England. It will be the first career matchup for Ewers against an AFC East rival. Previously, Tua Tagovailoa went 7-1 against the Patriots, with the lone loss coming this year. Despite the loss, that game marked the only time Tagovailoa surpassed 300 passing yards this year.
A matchup against the Patriots represents a challenge for both Quinn Ewers and Mike McDaniel. Ewers has never played against a Mike Vrabel led team, meanwhile Mike McDaniel is 0-2 against Vrabel. The Dolphins as a whole have not beaten a team coached by Vrabel since 2018, in what was Vrabel’s first game as a head coach, a game that ended up being the longest in NFL history.
For Ewers, it will represent his third career start as he finishes his brief audition for the quarterback role in the 2026 season. Palm Beach Post writer Joe Schad said it is unlikely that Ewers will enter the 2026 season as the unquestioned starter, but another strong performance could have him firmly in the mix to earn that job prior to Week 1 next year. Regarding Ewers’ play against Tampa Bay, Joe Schad gave him a B grade, saying he’s exceeded overall expectations through two starts.
Dolphins vs Patriots
Very rarely does a Week 18 game without postseason ramifications mean a lot to a team. For the Dolphins, this Week 18 game may be one of those rare cases. As previously mentioned, Ewers will have one more chance to prove why he should be Miami’s quarterback going forward. Head coach Mike McDaniel gets one final chance to demonstrate why he’s the right man to lead the Dolphins.
Reports of McDaniel’s return have been mixed. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said that McDaniel was likely to return in 2026, however, ESPN’s Adam Schefter contradicted this by saying nothing had been decided. Previously, ESPN’s Dan Graziano speculated that McDaniel had a chance to save his job with a strong finish to the season. Since their 1-6 start, the Dolphins have gone 6-3, and a win against the AFC East division winners could signify McDaniel’s return.
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