Final Score: Chiefs 24 – 10 Dolphins
Immediate Winner: Jacob Rodriguez
Immediate Loser: De’Von Achane
Immediate Reactions
De’Von Achane Goes Down
After a week of promising more involvement for running back De’Von Achane, the first quarter couldn’t have gone worse for the Dolphins. On just his third carry of the game, Achane awkwardly went down after a tackle. He limped off the field, and was soon taken to the locker room for additional testing. He did not return to the field, and was later ruled out due to a knee injury.
Arguably Miami’s best player, the Dolphins offense will continue to struggle without his presence. The team has yet to put
more than 13 points across three games, and I don’t see that getting easier without Achane. It’s currently unclear how serious the injury is, and if Achane will miss an extended period of time.
Jacob Rodriguez Shows Promise
Like many, I had high hopes for linebacker Jacob Rodriguez entering this season. The Dolphins selected Rodriguez in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft, and so far, he’s been promising. He currently leads all rookies in tackles, and looks to be a future stalwart of Miami’s defense. He also wears the “green dot” for the Dolphins on defense, which means he is able to communicate with coaches and receives the play calls—very impressive for a rookie.
Against the Chiefs, Rodriguez recorded his first career NFL interception, diving to catch a tipped pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He also recored six total tackles, three of which were for a loss. Though allowing 24 points is far from ideal, Rodriguez looks to be a stud, and is getting better every week.
No Rush, No Dice
Through three games, the Miami Dolphins have zero sacks, ranked dead last in the NFL. This was an area of concern for the team in the offseason, and not much has changed after three weeks.
The Dolphins managed five quarterback hits against the Chiefs, but none of them resulted in a sack. Third year edge rusher Chop Robinson managed a big hit on Mahomes, but was flagged for roughing the passer. Robinson is still chasing the numbers and success from his rookie year, where he looked to be one of the league’s best young pass rushers. Alongside him, veteran defensive tackle Zach Sieler was once again disappointing against the Chiefs.
The Dolphins must improve at getting to the quarterback, or their defense won’t be able to a nosebleed.
Young Receiving Core Has Something
The Dolphins spent significant draft capital on wide receivers this offseason, and so far, they’ve looked decent.
Although rookie Caleb Douglas (Round 3, Pick 75) missed this game through injury, his fellow rookie Chris Bell (Round 3, Pick 94) snagged four catches for 67 yards against the Chiefs, including a 44-yard catch-and-run. Third year wideout Malik Washington looked good as well, catching five catches for 56 yards.
It’s a long way from the days of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but Miami’s young receiving core seems to be getting better each week. The touchdowns haven’t come yet, but they surely will with time.
Kicking Must Improve
Miami’s special teams unit was abysmal in Week 2, and not much has changed in. Though no major mistakes were made, it’s increasingly clear that the Dolphins don’t trust kicker Riley Patterson from distance. Faced with an opportunity to kick a 55-yard field goal at the end of the first half, the Dolphins opted to take a delay-of-game penalty and punt.
While accurate, Patterson does not have the leg required for long field goals. He made 27 of 29 field goal attempts in 2025, but his longest was just 54 yards. In 2026, kickers have never been better. In a league where kickers can regularly hit 60+ yard field goals, the Dolphins cannot persist with a kicker if they do not trust his leg from distance.
