The Dolphins 2026 season is underway. Despite a hard-fought effort, the team fell to 0-1 after a 27-13 loss in Las Vegas. Miami first- and second-year players totaled 610 snaps on offense and defense. Despite some flashes across the board, this young Dolphins team came away with plenty of things to clean up for the Week 2 matchup in San Francisco.
1. Getting to third-and-pass
The Raiders ran the football 37 times for 130 yards in Sunday's win over Miami. The 3.5 yards per carry clip is a win for the Miami defense, but it was the early-down success for Las Vegas that kept the Dolphins behind the eight ball early. The Raiders built a 17-3 halftime lead thanks in large part to facing third-and-long (third-and-7-plus) only three times in the opening two quarters.
Those manageable third down situations allowed running back Ashton Jeanty to get into advantageous pass-game matchups, which led to a pair of receiving touchdowns. Jeanty and rookie running back Mike Washington ran the ball a combined 11 times for 76 yards in the first half, helping Las Vegas score two touchdowns and a field goal on their three first-half possessions.
"They're really physical," rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez said. "They know what they like to do and they do it well. A lot of it was self-inflicted. We got to set the edge; we got to play with good pad level. A lot of stuff like that, just basic football, kind of the theme through the whole game. We've got to be able to stop the run to get into third and pass."
2. Highs and lows of a young team
Rodriguez spearheaded a rookie-led Dolphins team that started 10 first- or second-year players in the opener to the tune of 610 total snaps (not including special teams). Rodriguez and rookie cornerback Chris Johnson were the only Dolphins defenders to play all 68 snaps. Rodriguez made 14 combined tackles while Johnson had 11, including one for loss, and two passes defensed. Wide receiver Caleb Douglas went off for five catches and 94 yards in his NFL debut.
The story with Rodriguez and Johnson was the same as it was for the entirety of Miami's rookie class. Offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor had some dominant reps and some he'd like back. Safety Michael Taaffe had an interception but also took accountability for one of the Raiders' passing touchdowns.
Despite the flashes, the Dolphins, at times, looked like the youngest team in the league. The Raiders' average starting field position, following kickoffs, was the 44-yard line. Miami was penalized eight times for 61 yards, including a third-down unsportsmanlike foul that extended a Raiders drive that had been halted. That drive was sandwiched by offensive possessions that were bogged down by penalties.
"Part of the plan to win was to keep the ball moving forward," Head Coach Jeff Hafley said. "I thought the penalties killed us. It forced us into a lot of passing situations that were crucial that you really don't want to be in against that team. Because we really didn't stay on track, and we had a chance to capitalize on the interception. We had a chance to capitalize on the big kick return. Just like most of the units today, I thought it was inconsistent. That's how we kind of played the game today."
3. Fight to the finish
The big kick return Hafley referred to was a 79-yard scamper from running back Jaylen Wright. Trailing by 14, Wright set up the Dolphins offense at the Las Vegas 18-yard line with two minutes left in the third quarter. The result was a missed 41-yard field goal from Riley Patterson, but the Miami defense got the ball back to the offense on the ensuing four possessions.
"No one is sitting in there feeling good right now, and I'm certainly not feeling good right now," Hafley said. "I am proud of the way the guys fought. I mean, if you look at that game down two possessions, we had the big return, and then we didn't get in. It would have been a one possession game there. We had the interception, and then we got momentum again, and then it was a one possession game there, so we had opportunities. They fought."
For more analysis, takeaways and breakdowns, download the Drive Time Podcast with Travis Wingfield, available wherever you get your podcasts.
For more analysis, takeaways and breakdowns, download the Drive Time Podcast with Travis Wingfield, available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
