Cleveland Browns upcoming opponent shares concerning update

Two 1-5 teams will clash against one another this coming weekend.

And neither team has shown many positives to lean on heading into Week 7 of the 2025 campaign.

While the Cleveland Browns seem to have reoccurring locker room concerns, the Miami Dolphins have entered the picture with the team's starting quarterback calling out the rest of his teammates. It's uncertain which team is in a worse position so far this year, but the Dolphins have put together a good case.

"Well, I think it starts with the leadership in helping articulate that for the guys, and then what we're expecting out of the guys," starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said after the team's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, 29-27. "We're expecting this. Are we getting that? Are we not getting that? "

These comments echo ones that have come from many Browns players over the past few decades. Cleveland, a team riddled with controversies, underperformances and weak expectations, seems to be used to it at this point, but for a team like Miami, it's certainly hit them like a truck.

According to Tagovailoa, the team has had player-only meetings and many members of the team have showed up late. That's not a recipe for success when trying to rebuild a culture for a 1-5 organization.

"We have guys showing up to player-only meetings late. Guys not showing up to player-only meetings," Tagovailoa said. "There is a lot that goes into that. Do we have to make that mandatory? Do we not have to make that mandatory? So it's a lot of things of that nature that we got to get cleaned up. It starts with the little things like that."

Those comments by the team's starting quarterback were not backed up by head coach Mike McDaniel, who seemed to almost say the opposite after the loss.

"Player-led meetings are extra things outside of what I demand," McDaniel said. "We’ve been very accountable to me. It sounds like there was something on his mind with regard to the specific meetings with a couple individuals that he was trying to get corrected by being direct with communication. I think that’s the only way to lead. 

"As far as where we’ve been at as a program, I think we’ve opened the air on all of that and it’s very clear how we hold people accountable and what’s non-negotiable with all those things. Clearly, he’s sending a message, but from my standpoint, everything that I’ve asked of the guys, they have delivered on and so I’m sure whomever he’s talking to, they’ll deliver as well as he’s a direct communicator with his teammates."

While these comments definitely don't speak positive vibes into the locker room for the Dolphins, it does give the Browns an extra leg up on the game. If the Dolphins don't address the internal issues, Cleveland might be able to come out swinging with a bit of extra momentum, especially being at home.

The Dolphins' sole win of the season came against the lackluster New York Jets in Week 3, where they won, 27-21. Miami has scored a a high of 27 points in a game this season, but have given up more than 30 three times.

On the other hand, the Browns were recently dominated by the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 23-9 loss. They've been held to less than 17 points scored in all six games of 2025.

Miami and Cleveland will meet up on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 1:00 p.m. from Huntington Bank Field. It will be just the third meeting between the two teams since 2019.