Does Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel need to hand over the play-calling sheet to someone else?
It doesn’t feel like the Dolphins are to that point yet given the wave of quarterback injuries over the 1-2 start.
But that hasn’t stopped the question from coming up.
“I take the responsibility super serious and every time that I’m calling a game, it’s based upon doing the best for the team,” McDaniel said. “I wouldn’t hesitate to change that procedure — because it is my call — I would change it in a heartbeat if I thought somebody else gave the team a better chance to win.”
Were the team’s only win a three-point escape over Jacksonville with a fully healthy Tua Tagovailoa while otherwise getting blown out by Buffalo and Seattle, this might be more of a reasonable discussion.
Even then, it’s a pretty honest answer from McDaniel, who has also admitted that his preparation needs to improve.
McDaniel handing over the duties did come up last season after the Dolphins couldn’t hit the 20-point mark three straight times, including the playoff loss. But this year, his needing to turn to Skylar Thomson, who wound up hurt and giving things over to Tim Boyle, has put a sort of asterisk on the proceedings for now.
It will be interesting to see where this conversation stands next week if and when McDaniel and the Dolphins switch over to Tyler Huntley as the starting quarterback. If that comes with a recommitment to the running game and a reduction in the nine turnovers on downs, which outpaces the rest of the league, then it won’t be a topic for much longer.
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