After falling to a 6-8 record this season, the Miami Dolphins have finally decided to shift away from QB1 Tua Tagovailoa and start rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16. Tagovailoa has had a dismal season so far, as he leads the NFL with 15 interceptions and is ranked 30th with a QBR of 36.7. The play calling has also been poor, resulting in the QB1 getting sacked a total of 30 times this season. However, this change may not be the answer to the Dolphins’ quarterback woes, as explained by NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner.

“Make no mistake, this is not an easy offense for any quarterback to just get plugged into,” Warner said during his appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. “And if you don’t have certain skill sets, accuracy, and anticipation, this can be a really tough offense to run.”

The two-time NFL MVP feels Quinn Ewers doesn’t fit this style of play, where the quarterback is demanded to run an offense that is built primarily around funneling the ball to a primary receiver, typically Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle. Further, the quarterback is expected to throw ahead of schedule by releasing the ball before the receiver is even open.

“I’m fascinated to see the next three weeks and see how Quinn Ewers, who is a guy that I saw in college, that I didn’t necessarily think was that kind of a guy,” Warner said.

And Kurt Warner is right, as Ewers’ scouting report after his stellar college career highlighted these issues in his game.

“Ewers prioritizes his initial read when throwing, quickly resorts to check-down options, and struggles to anticipate throws effectively,” PFF wrote. “This lack of anticipation, combined with a habit of locking onto his pre-snap decisions, contributes to his high turnover-worthy play rate.”

Further, Quinn Ewers had a declining aDOT, which fell to a lowly 7.8 yards in his final season. He also struggled with precision as Ewers’ PFF passing grade dropped from 85.6 (12th in FBS) to 71.8 (70th in FBS). He threw 12 interceptions in his final year, and in just 10 passing snaps this season, he has already recorded 1 Turnover-Worthy Play.

Despite these issues, head coach Mike McDaniel expressed optimism about Quinn Ewers’ first start in the NFL.

McDaniel on Quinn Ewers’ first NFL start against the Bengals

With the Miami Dolphins eliminated from the playoff race after suffering a 28-15 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Mike McDaniel has an opportunity to evaluate his other quarterback choices. Especially with Tua Tagovailoa hitting a new low this season, giving Quinn Ewers some playing time this season could allow the Dolphins to formulate a plan for their future.

Hence, Mike McDaniel seemed enthused with Quinn Ewers taking the starting spot against the Bengals in Week 16.

“I think Quinn gives this team the best chance to win,” McDaniel said. “I’m looking for conviction in quarterback play. Understanding that he is a rookie, I felt that he would play the position most convicted, which impacts every player on the field.”

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Now, with the Miami Dolphins taking the crucial decision of benching Tua Tagovailoa, it will be interesting to see how Quinn Ewers performs over the last three games of the season and whether he can live up to the high expectations from his successful college career.