Dolphins set to face murderer’s row of backs. And Robinson, final injury report
The Dolphins, over the past three weeks, have been gashed by two third-string running backs (the Chargers’ Kimani Vidal and the Panthers’ Rico Dowdle) who combined for a stunning 430 rushing yards against them.
So one shudders to think what might happen when the Dolphins now face a murderer’s row of elite running backs and mobile quarterbacks.
On Sunday in Atlanta, the Dolphins will be asked to slow Falcons star Bijan Robinson, who is sixth in the NFL in rushing yards (524) and second in yards per carry at 5.4 (minimum 80 carries).
Five days later against Baltimore, they’ll face perennial Pro Bowler Derrick Henry, who is 15th in rushing yards (439) and tied for eighth in yards per carry at 5.0.
Then, on Nov. 8, they’ll have a second meeting with Buffalo’s James Cook, who is fourth in rushing yards (537) and tied for eighth in yards per carry at 5.0. He ran 19 times for 108 yards (5.7 per carry) against them earlier this season.
What’s more, they’ll also be facing dual-threat quarterbacks in Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (who practiced fully this week after missing time with a hamstring injury) and Josh Allen, who has averaged 7.3 yards on 93 carries in his career against the Dolphins, with five touchdown runs.
The quarterback rushing dynamic is not as much of a concern with Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr., who has 17 carries for 43 yards, after rushing 7 times for 11 yards as a rookie. Penix was limited this week with a bone bruise in his knee and is listed as questionable for the game; Kirk Cousins is his backup.
Against the best rushing quarterbacks they’ve faced this season, the Dolphins held Allen in check for a change (four carries, 25 yards) but allowed the Jets’ Justin Fields to run seven times for 81 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown.
The Dolphins remain last in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (159.3) but have improved to 29th in yards allowed per game, at 5.2. Though the Browns’ running game was effective in the first half last week, Miami ended up limiting Cleveland to 3.2 yards per carry (33 for 104).
Robinson might be their biggest challenge this season. Mike McDaniel said slowing him will require a “pack mentality. You don’t have this one special guru tackler. You have to be sound and urgent. Multiple players in his vicinity. You better wrap up.”
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said “there’s nothing that [Robinson] can’t do. He can run the ball downhill. He can run the ball outside, he can make you miss in the open field, he can run routes.”
For what it’s worth, here’s where Dolphins’ prominent defenders rank among their peers only against the run, per Pro Football Focus:
▪ Among 124 NFL interior defenders: Zach Sieler is 35th, Matthew Butler 60th, Jordan Phillips 86th, Benito Jones 89th and Kenneth Grant 122nd.
▪ Among 77 inside linebackers: Jordyn Brooks stands 18th and Tyrel Dodson 20th.
▪ Among 113 edge players: Bradley Chubb ranks 51st, Chop Robinson 85th, Matthew Judon 101st and Jaelan Phillips 104th.
▪ Among 83 safeties: Fitzpatrick grades out 26th and Ashtyn Davis 79th.
▪ Among 112 cornerbacks: Jack Jones ranks 21st and Rasul Douglas 48th.
Injury report
▪ The Dolphins listed tight end Julian Hill as out for Sunday; everyone else on the 53-man roster is available Sunday.
Cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., who spent the past four weeks on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury, began practicing this week and is listed as questionable. The Dolphins have four others on IR who are eligible to return (offensive linemen Austin Jackson, James Daniels and Andrew Meyer) and kicker Jason Sanders, but none were healthy enough to begin practicing this week.
Receiver Jaylen Waddle, who has been dealing with hamstring issues, practiced fully on Friday and will play Sunday. Safety Elijah Campbell will return Sunday after missing two games with a quadriceps injury.
▪ Robinson, who has had a disappointing second season (one sack, two tackles for loss, subpar against the run), conceded that not playing as much as a year ago, has made it more challenging as a pass rusher. (Robinson was merely answering a question and not complaining about this.)
Last season, with Chubb sidelined all season and Jaelan Phillips sidelined most of the season, Robinson played 53 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. This season, it’s 39 percent.
“During the game you get a rhythm of the tackle, how he’s setting against you,” Robinson said. “What you see on tape is different from how they’re setting against you.” He also said that opposing offenses now “have a full year of tape on me.”
Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said Thursday that “Chop has had an up-and-down year. Not the production you want from a pass rush standpoint. He’s had some inconsistencies in the run game [that] you have to clean up.”
Weaver said there have been some good plays from Robinson but also “times [where you say], ‘Ah man, you have to do better.’ I still love the kid. We’ve got to get it fixed. Sometimes he wants to do right so bad that he puts himself in vulnerable positions.”
Here’s my Friday piece on the Dolphins’ situation at tight end and news from Mike McDaniel.
This story was originally published October 24, 2025 at 3:51 PM.
