On Sunday afternoon, the Miami Dolphins hit the road to face off against the Cleveland Browns, with both teams entering the game at 1-5 and in search of their second win of the season. The Dolphins have struggled this year, beginning with a season-opening loss at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts that they seemingly haven't been able to recover from.
Things didn't go well at all for Miami on Sunday, with the team at one point finding itself down by a score of 24-6 to the lowly Browns. In fact, things got so bad that at one point, NFL insiders were openly wondering whether or not this might be the final game of the Mike McDaniel era.
“The Dolphins are losing 24-6 at the Browns Tua Tagovailoa has thrown a Pick 6. It is not an overreaction to wonder if we are witnessing the final chapter of the Mike McDaniel era,” reported Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post on X, formerly Twitter.
In fairness to Tagovailoa, the pick six that Schad referred to was on a tipped pass, taken by Browns defensive back Tyson Campbell to the house for six. Still, that likely won't ease Dolphins fans' concerns about their team moving forward.
A brutal season for the Dolphins
Heading into this season, the Miami Dolphins were hoping to resurrect their playoff appearance from two years ago and re-enter the contender discussion in the AFC with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa, who has indeed not been hampered by the concussion scares that plagued him over the last couple of seasons.
Still, none of that has mattered as far as play on the field, as Tagovailoa has still struggled mightily overall this year, and the team recently lost wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who was already sleepwalking through his second straight down season, for the year due to an injury.
All of this has undoubtedly put Mike McDaniel firmly on the hot seat, as the good vibes from his relaxed attitude and funny jokes have quickly worn off for the Dolphins' fanbase.
The Dolphins will next take the field next Sunday on the road against the Atlanta Falcons.
