It's overreaction season! Here are three takes after the Dolphins' preseason opener.
The Miami Dolphins opened up their preseason with a trip to Soldier Field to do battle against the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon.
In what wound up as a 24-24 tie, the Dolphins got some live bullets in and a look at a number of different players that could be key pieces throughout this upcoming 2025 campaign.
As the dust from Soldier Field settles, let's jump into three overreactions from the Dolphins' preseason opener:
The Dolphins will gamble even more in 2025
Miami was among the NFL's leaders in fourth-down attempts a season ago, finishing with 31 fourth-down tries to tie for fifth most in the league in that category.
Under head coach Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins ranked tied-14th in both the 2022 and in 2023 season with 24 and 25 fourth-down tries, respectively.
If Sunday's start is any indication, expect more of the same from the Dolphins in 2025. Fans saw just one series with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and Miami gambled not once, but twice.
Was it just an opportunity to get Tagovailoa more work, or was the Dolphins' decision to roll the dice on a 4th-and-3 snap from their own 49-yard-line a harbinger of things to come? It could very well be an early indication of how the Dolphins plan to approach this 2025 season.
Give Tagovailoa and the offense more chances to move the sticks even in what have been historically unconventional situations for fourth-down attempts.
Tagovailoa converted the 4th-and-3 snap with a nice out route to Malik Washington to move the chains before the Dolphins were turned away on downs on three straight carries to running back Jaylen Wright from at or inside the Bears' 2-yard-line.
The Dolphins' short-yardage issues persist
Speaking of that second fourth-down try, there was a chorus of groans from Dolphins fans watching that series of snaps play out.
Wright picked up six yards on a 1st-and-goal carry from the Bears' 8-yard-line. But, then Wright was stuffed on the next three snaps, including a three-yard loss on 4th-and-goal from the 1.
For an offensive line unit with plenty of question marks, it wasn't what Miami fans were hoping they'd see in a key short-yardage situation in the first preseason action of 2025.
It's worth pointing out that Miami came right back and punched in a score with a 1-yard touchdown plunge from running back Alexander Mattison on 3rd-and-goal on the ensuing possession.
Zach Wilson is safe as Miami's backup QB
There's been a lot of buzz about seventh-round NFL draft pick Quinn Ewers out of Texas during OTAs and training camp. Some wondered if Ewers could make it a real competition for the Dolphins' backup quarterback.
Obviously, in Miami's initial preseason depth chart, it was Zach Wilson as the Dolphins' No. 2 signal-caller and that's in line with what coach McDaniel had indicated early in training camp.
At least on Sunday, it became clear why the Dolphins have Wilson slotted as their No. 2 quarterback. Wilson led a pair of Dolphins touchdown drives in each of his first two series of the afternoon, finishing 5-of-9 passing for 96 yards.
Meanwhile, Ewers looked like a rookie. After a pair of incompletions and a punt on his first series of work, Ewers followed with two more incompletions and then fumbled the football away as he was sacked on 3rd-and-10 from the Dolphins' own 10-yard-line.
It led to a four-yard Case Keenum touchdown pass for the Bears to Deion Hankins.
Dolphins Rookie QB Quinn Ewers loses the ball backed up in Miami territory and the Bears jump on it!
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) August 10, 2025
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/bDFINokHKf
Ewers did stabilize a bit after that, using a 21-yard screen pass to Mattison to set up a 1-yard Ollie Gordon touchdown run on his third drive. An 18-yard completion to wide receiver AJ Henning led to a 56-yard field goal from kicker Jason Sanders on Ewers' fourth series of the day.
With the game tied at 24 apiece, Ewers had an opportunity to direct the Dolphins on a game-winning scoring drive, but it ended with Miami heading backwards and with Ewers fumbling again on 4th-and-15 from the Chicago 45-yard-line.
Ewers finished 5-of-18 passing for 91 yards with a pair of fumbles lost.
It's one preseason game, but it's a reminder that there is value in Wilson as the Dolphins' backup quarterback. Wilson is a former No. 2 overall pick that has played in 34 NFL games and started 33 of them.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins 24, Bears 24: 3 overreactions from Miami's preseason opener
Category: Football
