Omar Kelly: Dolphins laughingstock of NFL after losing Toilet Bowl

Omar Kelly, Miami Herald on Oct 20, 2025

Published in Football

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MIAMI — Talk about disrespectful.

Not only is that the most fitting way to describe the Miami Dolphins’ performance in the Toilet Bowl battle of one-win teams with the Cleveland Browns, but it accurately describes how Miami’s fellow NFL bottom dweller treated the Dolphins (1-6) during this 31-6 loss.

How bad was it you might ask?

The Dolphins pulled quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the fourth quarter and replaced him with rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers, and it’s hard to justify that the switch wasn’t performance related since Tagovailoa finished the game with a 24.1 passer rating, which is the worst of his career.

But wait, it gets worse.

On a wet and slippery day the Browns pulled out seven offensive lineman on the first-and-goal play from the 4-yard line to force the issue against Miami’s goal-line defense, which is usually filled with defensive tackles and big bodies.

Considering that has been arguably the weakest position of this Dolphins team (offensive guard is a strong candidate too), the Browns were clearly trying to hit Miami’s defense where they sucked.

All it took was two pushes since on the next play Cleveland pulled a direct snap to their rookie tailback Quinshon Judkins, who ran it up the gut for a touchdown that put Cleveland up 17-3.

Cleveland didn’t even need seven offensive linemen on the field to bully the Dolphins.

Miami got pushed around all game, and put on a full exhibit of what bad teams do: fumbles, dropped passes, turnovers, penalties, coverage breakdowns and missed tackles.

The second half opened with Tagovailoa’s pass to tailback De’Von Achane being tipped away, and then picked off by Browns cornerback Tyson Campbell, who returned the turnover 34 yards, scoring a touchdown that built the Browns a three-score lead with 29:48 of game time left on the clock.

On the next drive Miami lost yards consistently before the drive ended with Myles Garrett escaping Patrick Paul’s block and pancaking Tagovailoa. On the punt that ensued the Dolphins committed two penalties on the same play.

All that was missing Sunday was the “Benny Hill” high jinks music as the game’s backdrop because the Dolphins committed error after error, after error, after error.

This isn’t what the South Florida sports community deserves.

We’re talking 25 years without a playoff win.

Once the plug is pulled on this team — and do it all, coaching staff and the regime that built this roster — it will be owner Steve Ross’ fifth coach fired since completing the purchase of South Florida’s NFL franchise in 2009.

The Dolphins are on pace for Ross’ 10th losing season in 17 years, and what makes this worse is that Ross’ stretch only includes five winning seasons, and three playoff berths.

While 2025 technically isn’t over, it might as well be.

From this point the Dolphins must win eight of the final 10 games to produce a winning record, and nine of the final 10 to be in the playoff realm if double-digit wins are required, like last season.

The way Miami’s mistake-prone defense has been playing, and seeing how impotent Miami’s offense has been without Tyreek Hill, it’s hard to imagine there’s some kind of coaching Viagra McDaniel can give his team.

That means it’s time to find something to play for, and it very well might be the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Back in 2019 the Dolphins were intentionally tanking the team, trading quality players before the season and routinely inserting players claimed off the waiver wire into the lineup. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, Ryan Fitzpatrick’s steadying hand and Brian Flores’ defense helped that team produce five wins.

This team’s tank-worthy performance is organic.

Miami’s offensive line is a disaster. Its defensive line gives up yards to everybody in the NFL. And without Hill on the field drawing extra attention from defenses, Tagovailoa’s limitations are showing.

The offense has gone limp.

The two fourth-quarter interceptions Tagovailoa threw — the first of which set the Browns offense up on the 2-yard line, putting Judkins in position to score his second rushing touchdown on another direct snap — hinted McDaniel’s team had finally quit on its coach, who leaves this game with a 29-29 record.

McDaniel, who came into this season 28-23 with two playoff losses, is no longer a winner, and seemingly the 2025 Dolphins aren’t either.

What they are is soft, and it’s hard to envision that changing until Ross makes massive changes.

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