The Dolphins wrapped up the preseason finale against the Jaguars, snagging a 14-6 win, finalizing two wins and a draw in August’s 2025 slate. Yet the Miami Dolphins’ first-team offense opened the night with two sputtering drives in their dress rehearsal that stalled without turnovers but looked anything but polished. Then came a third series bleeding into the second quarter, when Tua Tagovailoa finally steered the starters into rhythm, delivering Miami’s long-awaited preseason touchdown against the Jaguars under the lights at Hard Rock Stadium. But let’s not kid anyone; this win came despite numerous hiccups in the offense.

The Dolphins’ offense stumbled badly in the opening drives, producing back-to-back three-and-outs. Tua Tagovailoa was sacked twice and had two other throws disrupted by untouched blitzers. The performance highlighted glaring issues that left fans uneasy. After the finale, Tagovailoa faced the media with composure, aware of the scrutiny coming his way. “It felt good to get hit again. Maybe that’s not what people want to hear,” he said. “It feels good to get out there and sacked a little…..in my head, it was alright to have gotten touched.”

Penalties and mistakes haunted Miami’s opening drives, and Tua Tagovailoa faced relentless pressure with pass rushers collapsing the pocket on nearly every dropback. The veteran signal-caller connected on four of his eight attempts for 49 yards, with more than half of that production coming from a screen pass that Washington turned into a touchdown.

The troubling part for Miami was that this breakdown came against Jacksonville’s backups as dozens of key starters sat out. Miami should have looked way better than scoring only 7 points in the starting offense, and that play did not arrive until a few minutes into the second quarter. But let us not forget the variety of injuries plaguing Miami’s roster. Head coach Mike McDaniel has been praised for his offensive creativity over the past two seasons, with Tua Tagovailoa serving as the catalyst. While Tagovailoa is still hailed as a franchise starter, the discussion dust has kicked off around the backup role.

The story of Mike McDaniel’s backup QBs

Some fans have turned their focus to the depth chart. Many hoped rookie Quinn Ewers could leapfrog Zach Wilson for the backup role. Ewers shook off early jitters and improved, while Wilson’s second preseason outing was steady but not spectacular. In July, McDaniel ended speculation by declaring Wilson the number two. “Zach [Wilson] is the backup quarterback,” McDaniel said. “There’s no such thing as non-competition and I think Quinn [Ewers] is the type of person that is every day trying to make a real competition. Right now it’s not like that in my mind.”

But here is where things get interesting, as both rookie Quinn Ewers and veteran Zach Wilson have shown flashes of potential and falterations under the spotlight. In the preseason finale, Wilson commanded attention. After Tua Tagovailoa played three series, Wilson stepped in and held the offense through the third quarter, facing relentless pressure from the Jaguars’ defense.

Wilson managed to stay composed when the pocket held, delivering sharp throws that highlighted his experience. He finished 9 of 13 for 80 yards and was sacked twice. His best drive came when he led Miami to a touchdown, capped by Mike Boone’s score off the edge. That moment reinforced his command when given time, even if consistent protection was rare all night. Meanwhile, Ewers showed flashes of growth, especially after early jitters in practices against the Lions and the second preseason game. But the situation is far more complicated than gaining momentum.

Wilson’s contract looms large over the decision. Cutting him would cost Miami $6 million in dead cap space, making his spot on the roster almost guaranteed. McDaniel stressed process over panic when asked if competition was heating up. “I’m definitely not going to overreact to results, considering I talk about the process all the time,” McDaniel said. “I would be speaking against my own. But I think the biggest thing is that guys – you find things to see if guys can improve upon. Both of those guys have done a great job.”

For now, Mike McDaniel is finalising his 53-man roster as the deadline approaches.