Dolphins change QBs while Bengals don't ahead of matchup

The Miami Dolphins are making a change at quarterback while the Cincinnati Bengals maintain they are not as the teams prepare to face each other on Sunday afternoon in Miami Gardens, Fla.

The Dolphins (6-8), who were eliminated from playoff contention with a 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, announced on Wednesday that they are benching Tua Tagovailoa. Miami intends to have rookie Quinn Ewers make his first NFL start.

Ewers will face the Bengals (4-10), who despite also being eliminated are sticking with Joe Burrow as their starter.

Tagovailoa threw for just 65 yards and was intercepted once over the first three quarters on Monday as the Steelers built a 21-7 lead. His final numbers -- 22 of 28 for 253 yards and two touchdowns with four times -- don't look horrible, but his two TD tosses came after Pittsburgh was up 28-3.

Tagovailoa, who is in his sixth season with the Dolphins, leads the NFL with 15 interceptions. He has thrown 20 touchdown passes, and his QBR ranks 30th in the league.

"I'm looking for conviction in quarterback play," Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said on Wednesday. "I felt (Ewers) would play the position most convicted, which impacts every player on the field. I needed more convicted play at the quarterback position."

Ewers would make his second appearance in a game this season. The Dolphins' seventh-round draft pick from the University of Texas entered in relief of Tagovailoa on Oct. 19 in a 31-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns. He completed 5 of 8 passes for 53 yards.

Ewers would benefit from Miami recovering its dominant rushing attack, which powered its offense during the four-game winning streak that ended on Monday.

De'Von Achane was limited to 60 yards and no touchdowns on 12 carries after scoring four TDs over his previous four games. Achane ran for more than 100 yards in three of those games, and in the one when he didn't, he totaled 92 yards and a score on seven carries before sustaining a rib injury.

After making two strong starts in his return from toe surgery, Burrow struggled during a 24-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens last week. He completed 25 of 39 passes for 225 yards but threw two interceptions, including a fourth-quarter pick-six, and no TD tosses. It was the first time Cincinnati was shut out in one of Burrow's starts.

In his two prior outings, Burrow completed 59.8% of his passes for 545 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions.

Burrow is advocating change for the team, though he didn't get into specifics.

"I'm not saying personnel or people," he said Wednesday. "I'm just saying what we've been doing hasn't worked the last couple of years. We have to think outside the box and get creative about where we go from here."

Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor doesn't seem to have any intention of sitting Burrow for the team's final three games, telling reporters his team "wants to win."

Burrow echoed those sentiments and said while he "couldn't see" himself playing with anyone else but the Bengals in 2026, he acknowledged that "crazy things can happen" in the NFL.

Regardless of who is playing quarterback for Cincinnati, Ja'Marr Chase remains a constant.

Even in the shutout loss last week, the star receiver caught 10 passes for 132 yards. He has 101 receptions for 1,147 yards on the season, those figures ranking third and fourth respectively in the league, but he has just five touchdown grabs.

The Dolphins, who also released veteran linebacker Matthew Judon, had four players sit out practice on Wednesday -- linebacker Jordyn Brooks (foot/knee), defensive back Elijah Campbell (ankle/knee), safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (calf) and cornerback Isaiah Johnson (knee). Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant (shoulder), kicker Jason Sanders (hip) and tight end Darren Waller (rest/knee) were limited.

Bengals tight end Noah Fant (ankle), defensive ends B.J. Hill (ankle) and Joseph Ossai (ankle), defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (ankle), receiver Charlie Jones (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday. Receiver Tee Higgins (concussion) and tight end Drew Sample (neck) were limited.