Kelly: This time Dolphins defense can’t be blamed for season’s second loss | Opinion
We can officially welcome the Miami Dolphins’ defense to the 2025 season at 2:45 p.m. Sunday afternoon, two quarters and 3:19 into game No. 2 of the regular season.
That’s when Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks sacked New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye for an 11-yard loss on third-and-7 from the 20-yard line, forcing a punt that turned into Miami’s first third down stop of the season.
That’s right, a streak of futility ended with a run of 11 straight offensive possessions without the Dolphins forcing a punt.
Unfortunately, despite the defense’s late arrival to this critical season, Miami’s special teams collapsed late in the fourth quarter, allowing a go-ahead touchdown on a kickoff return in Miami’s 33-27 loss to the Patriots, which puts Mike McDaniel’s team at 0-2 in this critical win-or-walk season.
Miami’s opponents had scored on 10 straight possessions, going back to last week’s 33-8 season-opening loss to the Indianapolis Colts, then the Patriots took a knee to end the half.
Considering that wasn’t a defensive stop, it’s hard to count that as the Dolphins defensive arrival.
That’s why Brooks’ sack was so significanct. It was the first time in two games the Dolphins defense made an impactful play that potentially helped the Dolphins turned the tide on a game, and one of two third-down stops all game.
“We just have to find our rhythm as a defense,” Brooks said, who finished the game with eight tackles and one of the game’s three sacks. “Can’t play defense with individuals. Find our rhythm, play our technique, execute the calls and getting off to a good start. That’s why we’re not getting off the field on third downs.”
After two games the Dolphins are allowing 51.9% of third down opportunities to be converted. Miami’s opponents are also 4 for 4 on fourth-down conversions.
Miami allowed all seven of the Colts possessions to turn into points last Sunday, setting an NFL record for futility, and all three of the Patriots’ first-half possessions resulted in points (two touchdowns with missed extra points and a field goal).
Miami’s defense closed out Sunday’s loss by getting a stop that forced a 53-yard field goal from Patriots kicker Andy Borregales, and Miami’s offense drove to the 36-yard line before Tua Tagovailoa was sacked on two straight plays that ended the game instead of allowing Miami to tie it, and potentially take it to overtime in the final minute.
While Miami’s defense isn’t at fault for this loss, their late arrival to the season is problematic because defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s unit, which finished the 2024 season as a top-five defense in total yards and points allowed, was supposed to be this team’s backbone.
What happened?
Miami lost Calais Campbell, a grizzled veteran who not only is still a forceful trench player, but a coach on the field who helped his teammates narrow down what was coming before the snap.
As talented as the rookie defensive linemen Miami drafted — Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers — are, they don’t have the ability to make the players around them better yet, like a 19-year veteran does, and it’s showing.
“We have to play better as a unit up front,” said defensive lineman Zach Sieler. “We’re playing good together. We’re growing together. We have a young crew and new guys. They are stepping up and playing well. We’re moving along in our progressions, game plans and play. We just need to lock in the details to get better as a unit.”
Sieler’s likely referring to Sunday being the second straight week the Dolphins allowed more than 100 rushing yards, giving up 122 rushing yards and one touchdown on 29 carries.
A defense that can’t stop the run doesn’t get to pin its ears back for difficult down and distances on obvious passing downs.
“We have to get them out of manageable third downs,” Brooks added. “And if they do have manageable third, stop them on third down. To get upfield on third downs we have to execute our calls.”
Miami’s defense also isn’t benefitting from experience cover corners such as Jalen Ramsey and Kendall Fuller, who bought the defensive front a little extra time to get to the quarterback.
Miami’s new cornerback trio of Jack Jones, Rasul Douglas and rookie Jason Marshall Jr. didn’t embarrass itself against the Patriots, but the performance wasn’t anything to write home about, which follows up a disappointing performance against the Colts.
As a result, the strength of Miami’s defense — the edge rushers — have been muted.
Bradley Chubb got his second sack of the season, and Chop Robinson delivered his first of the year against the Patriots. But outside of Brooks’ takedown the Dolphins defense was far too generous with Drake Maye, a second-year quarterback, who finished the game with a career-high 137.3 passer rating after completing 19 of 23 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns.
Especially when playing behind a Patriots offensive line that came into the game with some troublesome injuries.
Miami’s supposed to have better pass rushing and improved safety play this season, but the improvements made to the defense hasn’t helped Weaver’s unit be good at what the Dolphins defense excelled at last season, which was playing situational ball.
Last year’s defense tightened on third downs, and when Miami’s opponents approached the red zone. That’s the only aspect of a top five defense that shined last season.
However, this season the Dolphins resemble a leaky facet when it comes to playing situational ball.
The Patriots converted 7 of 12 third-down opportunities, its lone fourth down conversion, and only punted the ball twice.
Based on the outcome of the first two games, not having the defense carry its weight is a recipe for disaster, considering the Dolphins were expected to be the backbone for the 2025 team.
But according to many of the Dolphins defenders, these are growing pains, not proof that the entire unit is flawed. Only time, and Miami’s performance in Thursday night’s nationally televised game against the Buffalo Bills, will help us determine that.
“We need to start faster and everything will take care of itself,” pass rusher Bradley Chubb said. “[We’re] not the best. Not the worst. We got to make sure we clean things up, communicate, and move from there.”
This story was originally published September 14, 2025 at 4:22 PM.
