The Phinsider Mailbag returns this morning to answer your Week 3 questions about the Dolphins. Yes, the Dolphins have already played their Week 3 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, losing 24-10 Sunday afternoon. This should have been posted before the game, but it got lost in a busy weekend and I apologize for that. We will make sure the Week 4 mailbag is posted before the team’s Week 4 game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Since it is already late, we should probably just dive on in. Thanks to Marek
Brave for again joining me in this discussion:
KN: No, I do not think Walker reaches 200 yards, but I understand the point of the question. Miami’s defense has…struggled…this year. They are allowing 112.5 yards per game on the ground right now, and they are facing the number two rushing offense in the league, with the Chiefs picking up an average of 186.0 yards on the ground. Walker leads the league with 145.0 yards per game – nearly 40 yards a game more than second-place Derrick Henry. Miami is going to be facing an incredibly difficult task on Sunday, but I do not think it gets to 200-yards bad.
I would not expect Swift to be at the game. The MTA Video Music Awards are Sunday in Los Angeles. I would anticipate her being there.
And, no, I do not think 70 is in play this weekend for the Chiefs.
MB: Ken Walker III has been amazing this season, but the Chiefs know he can’t sustain his touches rate through an entire season considering his injury history. Look for rookie running back Emmett Johnson to get some run in this game to keep Walker fresh.
Taylor Swift probably won’t be there, but if she is, look for her to mix in for a couple carries too. Anyone can run on this Dolphins defense.
No, I don’t think Kansas City scores 70 points against Miami on Sunday. A nice 69 points will suffice.
KN: I think Willis, for whatever reason, is trying to be a pocket passer and prove he can hold on to the Dolphins’ starting position. He seems like he is trying to stand tall and wait for a player to come open, sometimes longer than he should. They have to get him playing instinctually, running when he feels the pressure and get out of the pocket.
They also need to convince him to throw the ball away when he does get out of the pocket. He ran himself out of bounds multiple times last week, taking a sack rather than throwing an incomplete pass. The coaches need to make him realize an incomplete pass is much better than a sack.
I think we saw some of the RPO play calling show up last week. I would expect more of it this week. At the end of the day, however, the offense should run through running back De’Von Achane. Willis keeping the ball instead of handing it to Achane takes touches away from the runner. I do not know that there should be an emphasis on not giving the ball to Achane.
No, the Dolphins pass rush is not “historically” bad. Are they having a rough time rushing the passer right now? Absolutely. They are the only team without a sack this season, but the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys, two teams expected to compete for a deep playoff run, have only recorded two sacks this season. Does Miami need to fix this and find a way to get after the quarterback? Of course. But, the sacks will come. Just like everything with this team, they just have to grow into them.
MB: Malik Willis is still growing into the starter role. He has just a little over half a season of starting experience in the National Football League, so expect him to get better in all facets of his game as the season rolls on — including knowing when to tuck the ball and use his legs to help this offense.\
Miami’s pass rush is non-existent right now. Chop Robinson missing last week’s game didn’t help matters. He’s back for this week’s game and Patrick Mahomes likes to hold onto the ball and run a bit behind his offensive line. I expect the Dolphins to get their first sack this weekend.
KN: I really hope it is the Jets. First, Miami needs to get their pass rush working. But, it is just hysterical to think that the last time the Jets intercepted a pass was Week 18 of 2024. It really does not mean anything in the long run, but the longer it lasts, the funnier it is.
MB: I think Miami gets a sack this week against the Chiefs (see above), so can the Jets match that with an interception against Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions this weekend? I’m guessing no. Fins up!
KN: I think it is both. We all watched them tear down the roster, so it is not a surprise that they are having a rough start to the year. The massive turnover alone could cause some of the problems we are seeing – a bunch of players who have not played together in a new system still being established struggling with communication and responsibilities is not unexpected. Miami has had rookies play 841 snaps this season, which is over 100 more than any other team has had through the first two games in a season since at least 2006 (via the AP’s Josh Dubow). Over a quarter of the snaps Miami has played this year have been from rookies:
The rookies are gaining experience, but they are making rookie mistakes as they grow. The key for them, and for the Dolphins this year, is to get better. If the Dolphins look better in Week 18 than they did in Week 1 and Week 2, then they are headed in the right direction.
MB: I think the Dolphins are really bad right now. But that’s okay. There’s still plenty of season left. As bad as it has been, it hasn’t been nearly as bad as the start to the 2019 season — Brian Flores’ first year as the team’s head coach. That year, they started their first three games with a 59-10 loss at home to the Ravens, a 43-0 loss at home to the Patriots, and a 31-6 loss on the road to the Cowboys. Things looked absolutely broken — yet, they finished the final nine games that season with a 5-4 record. Do I think Miami has that in them this year? It’s not looking great so far, but stranger things have happened.
