The Miami Dolphins faced the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday as part of the NFL’s 2026 Week 4 schedule. The game was ugly, but in a way different than some of Miami’s previous games. This one never felt like a blowout. Instead, it was a sloppy game marred by penalties and mistakes.
In the end, however, the Dolphins could not get it done. They had a chance in the fourth quarter to take the lead – which would have marked the first time in the season they led a game – but a three-and-out gave the ball back
to the Vikings. The defense could not get a stop, letting Minnesota run out the final 5:41 in the game.
The Dolphins look much better than they did in Week 1. They look like a team that can compete and keep up with a team that is positioning itself for a playoff run. Miami falls to 0-4, but they are continuing to grow as a team, gain experience, and work their way toward a victory.
Teams have to learn not to take the Dolphins for granted because this team is not going to just roll over.
Final Score
Dolphins 10 – 15 Vikings
Snap Winners and Losers
Winners
Zach Sieler, defensive tackle: The Dolphins’ veteran defensive tackle got the game started the right way for the Dolphins – recording the team’s first sack of the year on the opening snap of the contest. He then recorded another at the end of the first half. Miami would add two more sacks from other players, but it was Sieler who set the tone. He is starting to look the like the dominant player of a couple years ago – and the Dolphins need him to fill that role.
Ollie Gordon, running back: The loss of De’Von Achane to an ACL tear was a massive blow to the Dolphins’ offensive system. Gordon took the reins and led the team on Sunday. He ran for 100 yards with a touchdown on just nine carries.
Losers
Note: “Losers” is not a judgment on the talent or character of any individual. It is simply a categorization of the play in one game – no disrespect is intended or should be inferred.
Special teams: The game opened with the Vikings returning the opening kickoff 47 yards. After holding Minnesota to a three-and-out, the Dolphins muffed the punt return and (luckily) fell on the ball in the endzone for a touchback (with a penalty then enforced). On Miami’s following punt, they allowed a 36-yard return, leading to a Vikings field goal. Then on the kickoff, the Dolphins could not field the ball cleanly and were flagged for an illegal formation.
Austin Jackson, right tackle: I have said many times that Jackson is a solid right tackle when he is healthy – he is someone you can choose to upgrade when you have the opportunity, but he will be fine if you choose to have him as your starter. I may have to move off that stance. Jackson has been bad against speed rushers this year. He is constantly being pushed backward and off balance. We have seen way too many times – including multiple times today – when Jackson bites on the initial move, then struggles to react when the rusher cuts back the other direction. Jackson is a liability right now.
Immediate Reactions
Pass rush finally getting home: Miami entered the game as the only team that had not recorded a sack this season. The pass rush showed life against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3 but could not finish the job. This week, it took one snap to end the storyline. Defensive tackle Zach Sieler burst through the line on the Vikings’ first snap and brought down quarterback Kyler Murray.
The second quarter started with Josh Uche adding a sack of his own on Murray before Sieler picked up his second in the final minute of the half. Chop Robinson got in on the fun in the third quarter to force a Vikings punt.
If nothing else, this Dolphins team plays with heart: The 2026 season is not about wins and losses for the Dolphins, but do not tell them that. This team is out there fighting on every snap, playing hard and trying to push through the mistakes and misplays that come with a young team.
Penalties, penalties, and penalties: Wow, was that rough. This referee crew was very flag-happy. Some of the penalties were deserved. Some of them were extremely light. It made it hard to watch at times, with every play seeming to have some penalty being called. The good news is, the penalty calls were balanced, with both teams getting flagged throughout the game. The game ended with 20 enforced penalties – nine for Miami, 11 for the Vikings – for 140 yards.
Tight end coverage issues: The Dolphins have struggled for years to cover tight ends, and on Sunday, that storyline was back. T.J. Hockenson caught 13 passes for 119 yards. He should have had 120 yards and a touchdown, but he chose to slide down at the one-yard line in the fourth quarter to allow the team to kneel out the clock rather than take an easy score. The Dolphins had no answer to Hockenson, no matter who they had in coverage.
