MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Quinn Ewers is ready to get back under center.
The Miami Dolphins quarterback hasn’t started a game in almost a year, when Ohio State beat his Texas Longhorns in a College Football Playoff semifinal. That was months before Ewers was selected in the seventh round of the NFL draft by the Dolphins.
Since then, the three-year Texas starter has spent much of his time buried on Miami’s depth chart. That changed Wednesday morning, when coach Mike McDaniel announced that Miami was benching struggling starter Tua Tagovailoa in favor of Ewers for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Definitely have been through a lot leading up to where I am now,” Ewers said. “At Texas, shoot, even in high school, I think that’s all led me to where I am right now. And I just lean back on my faith and that foundation that I think I’ve done a good job to build up and leaning into that.”
The Dolphins (6-8) and Bengals (4-10) were both eliminated from the postseason with losses in Week 15, but both teams have insisted there’s still motivation with three games left in the season.
“Any time you get the opportunity to strap up the pads … and prove your worth through all the hard work that you’ve put in, that’s what we’re all trying to do,” said Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow. “We have three opportunities to do that.”
The Bengals made the playoffs in two of Burrow’s first three seasons, including a trip to the Super Bowl in 2021 and AFC championship game in 2022, but they haven’t made the postseason since. The Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game since 2000 — the longest drought in the NFL — and have missed the postseason in two straight seasons.
McDaniel said Ewers’ decisiveness and confidence give Miami “the best chance to win” on Sunday given Tagovailoa’s struggles, which include throwing a league-leading 15 interceptions this season.
Zach Wilson, who has been Miami’s No. 2 quarterback most of the season, will back up Ewers. Tagovailoa will be the emergency third quarterback.
“At the end of the day that’s our jobs, me and Zach, and any backup quarterback in the NFL,” Ewers said, “is to be ready when your name is called. I think I’ve done a good job of studying even though I’m not getting any reps with the ones prior to this week. I think I’ve done a good job showing them that.”
Ewers has primarily taken scout team reps all year. He replaced Tagovailoa in the fourth quarter of a blowout loss to Cleveland in Week 7, which was his only action this season.
“He’s getting thrown in there in (Week 16) with basically one week of practice as a starter,” Burrow said. “It’s certainly not the easiest situation to be in, but that’s the situation you can find yourself in.”
Burrow recently sparked questions about his future amid his own struggles this season. The quarterback experienced the first shutout of his career in a loss to Baltimore last week and has been picked off four times in the last five quarters.
“I like playing football, for the same reasons that I wanted to push to come back from injury,” said Burrow, who missed nine games because of a turf toe injury and is 1-2 since his return. “Same reasons I want play this week. It feels like everybody’s trying to do everything in their power to make me not play football, and I feel like I’m fighting it. I’m fighting everybody else. I just want to play ball. That’s all I want to do.”
Defensive woes
Cincinnati’s defense has had positive stretches of play over the last four games, but the Bengals are ranked last in the league in overall defense, last against the run and in scoring.
After Baltimore’s Derrick Henry rushed for 100 yards last week, the Bengals have allowed six 100-yard rushers this season.
Their 157.9 yards allowed per game is the most in the league and on pace for third-highest in franchise history. The 5.34 average yards per carry allowed is on pace for fifth-highest in the league dating to the 1970 merger.
Leaning on the run
The Dolphins run game was limited to just 63 yards against the Steelers last week, but Miami still leads the NFL in rushing yards per game (166.4) since Week 10.
Getting the run game going could take some pressure off Ewers, who said he wants to play “less frantic” than he did in his limited snaps earlier this season.
“The best way we can help Quinn is to make sure we’re ready to contribute in the run game, pass protection, routes, whatever that is to support him in his opportunity here,” said Dolphins running backs coach Eric Studesville. “It’s our opportunity as well as his.”
Dolphins players react
Center Aaron Brewer, a Dolphins captain, said he supports McDaniel’s decision to go with Ewers and praised the rookie’s playmaking skills.
“I believe it was the right decision,” Brewer said. “I feel like the coach always (has) the best interest for the team.”
LB Bradley Chubb said he spoke with Tagovailoa to offer encouragement immediately after the decision.
“A lot of great quarterbacks have been benched before, then came back and had career arcs that people still talk about,” Chubb said. “His story is far from over. It’s just about how he handles it.”