The Dolphins’ playing time surprise. And what snap counts, grades reveal
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky succinctly summed up the Colts’ 33-8 drubbing of the Dolphins with 13 words on X: “The Dolphins’ tape is a mess. Both sides of the ball. Total mess.”
Examining the wreckage, by position:
Quarterback
The regression of the Tua Tagovailoa/Mike McDaniel partnership has been one of the franchise’s most alarming developments.
As of Christmas Day 2023, the Dolphins were 25-14 during the McDaniel era when Tagovailoa started. Since then, they’re 6-9, and Tagovailoa has thrown 14 interceptions and fumbled eight times in those games. The McDaniel/Tagovailoa-led offense produced only 43 yards before halftime, the franchise’s fewest in a first half since 1991.
After throwing for just 114 yards against the Colts, he woke up Monday with the second-worst passer rating in football, at 51.7 — ahead of only Carolina’s Bryce Young, who struggled against Jacksonville.
On Sunday, Tagovailoa called his second interception (and third turnover of the day) “terrible” and said he was curious to see what teammates will join him in the film room on Tuesday’s off day.
The biggest decline with Tagovailoa has been yards per attempt, from a league-best 8.9 in 2022 (his first year with McDaniel) to 8.3 to 7.2 to 5.0 after Sunday.
Running back
The Dolphins had only 48 snaps on offense (compared with 73 for the Colts), and De’Von Achane was on the field for 35 of them and touched the ball on 10 of those 35. His seven carries averaged a robust 7.9 yards. Achane’s touchdown catch was his 10th, the most among all running backs who entered the league since the start of the 2023 season.
Rookie Ollie Gordon II had 12 offensive snaps, and Jeff Wilson Jr. (who was elevated from the practice squad) had two. Gordon had four yards on two rushes, but one was a third-and-short conversion. Fullback Alec Ingold logged 13 snaps on offense.
PFF rated Achane fourth and Gordon ninth among 20 players who took offensive snaps.
Wide receiver
Jaylen Waddle played 31 of Miami’s 48 offensive snaps, while Tyreek Hill logged 30, Malik Washington 28, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine 21 and Dee Eskridge 13. PFF rated Hill eighth and Waddle 11th among 20 Dolphins who played on offense.
Hill surpassed the 800-career reception mark, becoming the 42nd player in NFL history to achieve that. Hill, who was 802 career catches, and Davante Adams, Travis Kelce and Stefon Diggs are the only players with at least 800 receptions since Hill entered the league in 2016.
Tight end
The Dolphins had only two tight ends available: Julian Hill and Tanner Conner, who each played 28 snaps.
Pro Football Focus rated Hill ninth and Conner 15th among 20 Dolphins on offense.
Offensive line
The good news: Pro Football Focus rated left tackle Patrick Paul and center Aaron Brewer No. 1 and No. 2 among all Dolphins who played on offense. Paul didn’t permit a sack or pressure in 37 pass-blocking chances.
The bad news: James Daniels played three snaps before leaving with a pectoral injury, and Austin Jackson logged 38 snaps (and allowed a sack) before he also left for good with a toe injury.
Also, PFF rated rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea as the team’s worst heavy-usage player on offense (and ahead of only Zach Wilson and Ingold overall); he allowed two quarterback pressures and graded poorly as a run blocker.
Kion Smith, who replaced Daniels, was rated Miami’s second-worst offensive lineman in his 44 snaps on Sunday, according to PFF.
Larry Borom, who replaced Jackson, graded out well in his 10 snaps.
Defensive line
The Dolphins gave 54 snaps to Zach Sieler, 44 to rookie Kenneth Grant, 33 to rookie Jordan Phillips and 20 to Benito Jones (who started with Seiler and Grant) and another 20 to veteran Matthew Butler.
Among 19 players who logged snaps defensively, PFF rated Phillips fifth, Jones 12th, Butler 13th, Sieler 16th and Grant 17th.
Inside linebacker
Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson played all 73 snaps on defense; Willie Gay Jr. and K.J. Britt played only on special teams.
Brooks had 14 tackles and Dodson had 13, marking only the second time since 2000 that the Dolphins had two players produce at least 13 tackles in the same game.
PFF rated Dodson first among all Dolphins defenders and Brooks sixth.
Outside linebacker
Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb each played 40 of the Dolphins’ 73 defensive snaps. Chop Robinson logged 37 and Matthew Judon 33.
Those four combined for one sack (by Chubb) and just four pressures (three by Phillips, one by Chubb).
PFF rated Judon fourth, Chubb seventh, Phillips ninth, and Robinson 18th, ahead of only safety Ashtyn Davis.
Safeties
The surprise was rookie Dante Trader Jr. playing 22 defensive snaps, including several early in the game, while Elijah Campbell played no snaps on defense and Ashtyn Davis logged 11.
Trader played well; PFF rated him Miami’s second-best defender, in between Dodson and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick and Ifeatu Melifonwu played 73 and 50 defensive snaps, respectively. PFF said Fitpatrick didn’t allow a completion in two targets against him. Melifonwu was charged with allowing three completions in three targets for 22 yards.
Cornerback Storm Duck expected Melifonwu to offer help on an early Daniel Jones TD pass to Michael Pittman, but Melifonwu did not.
Cornerbacks
Jack Jones played all 73 snaps and permitted three completions in five targets for 48 yards. PFF rated him best among Miami’s corners Sunday (eighth overall).
Duck played the first 29 snaps before leaving on a cart with an ankle injury. He yielded four completions in five targets for 72 yards, with PFF holding him responsible for the Pittman touchdown.
Rasul Douglas played the remaining 44 snaps after Duck left and yielded three completions in five targets for 56 yards.
Rookie Jason Marshall Jr. played 34 snaps and was the team’s primary nickel cornerback. He permitted two completions in two targets for 20 yards.
Cornerback JuJu Brents (and offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill) were the only active players who did not enter the game.
This story was originally published September 8, 2025 at 11:18 AM.
