The Miami Dolphins played another unbeaten team close on Sunday in Minnesota but once again could not pull off the upset.
The Vikings defeated the Dolphins 15-10 on Oct. 4 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis behind five field goals from kicker Will Reichard.
Minnesota (4-0) relied heavily on the connection between quarterback Kyler Murray and tight end T.J. Hockenson to overcome uneven offensive play and see off the underdog Dolphins (0-4).
Hockenson tied a career high with 13 catches for 119 yards, including a late third-down conversion where he slid down short of the end zone to burn the final two minutes.
The Dolphins return to South Florida next week to host the Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) on Oct. 11 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Here are four instant takeaways
from the Dolphins' loss to the Vikings:
Dolphins pass rush comes alive
When it comes to judging the 2026 Dolphins, everything has to be considered relative to expectations. In that light, the Dolphins pass rush was impressive against the Vikings.
Miami entered Sunday's contest with no sacks this season yet Zach Sieler grabbed one on the Vikings' first offensive snap. Josh Uche bagged another later in the quarter as the Dolphins defense often harried Murray when the Minnesota offense dropped back to pass in the first half.
Late in the second quarter, Sieler blasted Murray on an interior pass rush for his second sack, helping the Dolphins defense limit the Vikings to another field goal and a 9-0 halftime deficit.
Chop Robinson recorded his first sack of the season in the third quarter for Miami's fourth and final sack.
Ollie Gordon flashes more than Jaylen Wright
In De'Von Achane's absence, Ollie Gordon II was the more productive Dolphins running back against the Vikings.
Gordon broke a 53-yard run, the Dolphins' longest offensive play so far this season, in the third quarter to set up a Riley Patterson field goal for Miami's first points. He then scored the Dolphins' only touchdown on a 12-yard carry in the final seconds of the third quarter.
The second-year back rushed 9 times for 100 yards and a score. Wright, meanwhile, found little daylight on the ground, rushing 5 times for just 7 yards.
Dolphins offense struggles in De'Von Achane's absence
Despite Gordon's promising performance, it was another meager afternoon for Malik Willis and the Dolphins offense, who are averaging just a single touchdown per game.
The Dolphins managed just 76 yards of offense in the first half as Willis was sacked twice and lost a fumble in a strange sequence that was decided by a booth review.
There were missed opportunities in the passing game. Willis hit rookie wide receiver Chris Bell for a long touchdown pass that would've been Miami's longest offensive play of the season. Bell stepped out of bounds during his route, however, and the play was negated due to penalty.
Gordon's second-half emergence did not really open things up in the passing game for Willis, who completed 9 of 17 passes for 85 yards overall.
Special teams continue to be a liability
Miami has not been able to count on its special teams unit in 2026 and that did not improve on Sunday.
The Dolphins allowed Vikings return man Myles Price to get loose for a long return on the game's opening kickoff, though Miami's defense bailed out the unit with a good series. On the ensuing Vikings punt, Malik Washington muffed the return inside his 10-yard line and was luckily able to escape with a touchback by falling on the ball in his end zone.
Miami's offense went three-and-out and the shambolic special teams performance continued. Price returned Miami's punt deep into Dolphins territory, allowing Minnesota to kick a field goal without gaining a first down. On the ensuing kickoff, Jaylen Wright muffed the kick and the Dolphins were penalized for lining up illegally.
Later in the first half, the Vikings punt return unit narrowly got a piece of a Bradley Pinion punt, overturning a potential roughing call that would've extended the Dolphins' drive.
Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins vs. Vikings revealed these 4 important developments
