The Miami Dolphins will head into Week 4 as one of six teams in the league without a win after the first three weeks of the 2025 NFL season. The pressure is mounting, with head coach Mike McDaniel coaching for his job and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa struggling to figure out how to consistently get his offense firing on all cylinders.
In Week 4, it will be the battle of winless teams, with the Dolphins facing off against Justin Fields and the division rival New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Monday Night Football.
With the Dolphins desperately needing a win, McDaniel wants to see more from his starting quarterback.
Mike McDaniel Calls for Tua Tagovailoa to Step Up
With the head coach always being the first to be fired or given the blame for a team’s struggles, McDaniel knows his seat in Miami is getting hot, and one player who can help him cool it off is Tagovailoa.
“The game of a franchise quarterback is never just still,” McDaniel said during a team press conference. “There’s a ton of things based on my experience with him. I know where he’s at. I know the challenges that have been in front of him. We talk about each and every play through a vision that’s highly communicated. I think all things throwing the football, he’s capable of, and there’s opportunities he needs to take advantage of. There’s also a ton of opportunities to turn the ball over that he hasn’t taken. He’s really answered the bell 99 percent of the time as the quarterback, especially in games where turnovers are zero-zero. You can get substantially better by not having one play.”
It seems as though McDaniel hasn’t lost total confidence in Tagovailoa and his ability to get the job done on the field. Still, there’s no question that things are likely reaching a boiling point in Miami if this Dolphins squad doesn’t turn things around quickly.
Dolphins Have an Ideal Opportunity Against the Jets
The Jets are also in trouble heading into this game, but they face a different situation, with a new quarterback under center in Fields and a new head coach in Aaron Glenn. Teams like New York tend to have more leeway, whereas the Dolphins are an established team with a longtime head coach and a franchise quarterback; therefore, mistakes and dysfunction are more glaring in Miami.
“It’s not an easy task to be in his shoes,” McDaniel said of Tagovailoa’s situation. “I’m very happy with where his mind is at and where his focus is at because if he were a weaker-minded individual, it’s tough for any quarterback during any losing streak or any whatever, but he’s focused on being 1-0 against the New York Jets. I know he’s capable. I’m excited to see his next opportunity that we work on all week because of just that, being focused on the right things.”
One big question mark for this game in Week 4 has been Fields’ status, as he’s trying to bounce back from a concussion. It appears things are trending in the right direction, according to the Jets’ head coach.
“If he’s cleared, he’s starting,” Glenn said via Andy Backstrom of Yahoo Sports. “He still has to go through the whole protocol before he’s totally cleared, but I like where he’s at.”
Unless there’s a tie, which can happen from time to time in the NFL, something has to give in this matchup of AFC East rivals, with the Dolphins arguably having more to lose.