Five takeaways from the Dolphins’ devastating 33-8 loss to the Colts
One team looked primed and ready to play. The other team did not.
That certainly looked to be the case as the Indianapolis Colts stomped the Miami Dolphins 33-8 in the regular-season opener. The Colts’ defense swarmed the offense, forcing three Tua Tagovailoa turnovers — two interceptions and a fumble — and allowing just under 215 yards.
“It’s part of the game,” Tagovailoa said of his turnovers on Sunday. “You obviously don’t want to turn it over. I turned the ball over in bunches. That’s crazy. It was what it was. Can’t make those same mistakes. Got to move on from it.”
Meanwhile, the Colts’ offense couldn’t be stopped, scoring on all seven possessions and finishing with more than 400 yards.
“It’s a young team having to learn some very hard lessons,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “It was not the way our team wanted it to look. We got some strong humility today. The taste is terrible. They are eager to fix it.”
After a tumultuous start to his career as a New York Giant, Colts quarterback Daniel Jones looked sharp in Indianapolis, completing roughly 76% of his passes for 272 yards and a touchdown. Tagovailoa, meanwhile, had a rather forgettable game with just 114 yards passing and a late touchdown.
The game wasn’t close from the beginning. For a Dolphins offense that returned much of its core, including Tagovailoa, tailback De’Von Achane and the dynamic wide receiver duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, that performance has to sting. Even worse: the Colts had a little bit more uncertainty on offense due to training camp battle saw Jones edge out Anthony Richardson, the Colts’ 2023 No. 4 overall pick, yet still managed to dominate.
“As an offense, we’ve got to get going,” Tagovailoa said Sunday. “Once you get in that groove and rhythm, things start happening for us. We couldn’t find that today.”
IS THE DOLPHINS OFFENSE FIGURED OUT?
It took more than 53 minutes for the Dolphins to score their first touchdown.
53 minutes.
For a team that’s supposed to have a high-powered offense, that was unacceptable.
The Dolphins finished with 211 total yards, 168 of which came in the second half. Tyreek Hill (four catches, 40 yards) and Jaylen Waddle (four catches, 30 yards) had lackluster offerings — in large part due to the offensive line’s inability to protect Tagovailoa.
De’Von Achane, who rushed for 55 yards on seven carries and added three catches for 20 yards and a touchdown, was the lone bright spot on offense.
For the second straight season, the Dolphins offense has looked middling, not a good sign to start the season.
WILL 2025 BE THE DANIEL JONES REVENGE TOUR?
Let’s not forget what happened to Jones during the last two seasons.
Two teams (the Giants and Minnesota Vikings). More interceptions than touchdown passes. And then a quarterback battle with Richardson.
Jones heard the disrespect. And you better believe he let the Dolphins feel it.
The seven-year veteran became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 250 yards and run for two touchdowns in a season opener. Only Otto Graham, Jim McMahon, John Elway and Troy Aikman have reached this achievement.
THE INJURY BUG IS REAL
If it’s not one thing, it’s another.
The Dolphins lost two starters — right guard James Daniels and cornerback Storm Duck — to injury in the first half.
Daniels went down with a pectoral injury after just three offensive plays, while Duck hurt his ankle in the second quarter.
The loss of Daniels is particularly worrisome considering his signing was thought to solve some of the Dolphins’ initial issues in the interior. What that means for the rushing attack — as well as the pass— in 2025 will ultimately depend on how long Daniels remains out.
FINS’ PASS RUSH STRUGGLES
The Dolphins pass rush was thought to be the calling card of the defense.
Just think about it. Edge rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips back from injury. Year 2 of Chop Robinson. Zach Sieler’s pressure from the middle. Kenneth Grant taken with the 13th overall pick in the NFL Draft.
They were supposed to help alleviate the lack of experience at cornerback.
Well, that did not happen.
The only sack came courtesy of Chubb right at the end of the first quarter. Jones, meanwhile, had all day and carved up the Dolphins in the process.
DO THE DOLPHINS ONCE AGAIN HAVE A TIGHT END PROBLEM?
The Dolphins struggled with elite tight ends in 2024.
Two of the best at the position — Brock Bowers and Trey McBride — both went for more than 100 yards in their 2024 matchups against the Dolphins.
After Tyler Warren grabbed a team-high seven catches for 76 yards, it looks like the Dolphins might want to pay extra attention to tight ends in the future.
This story was originally published September 7, 2025 at 4:17 PM.
