Miami Dolphins Face Early Season Gut Check vs. New England

The Miami Dolphins open up their 2025 home games this Sunday against the New England Patriots, one week after getting embarrassed by the Daniel Jones led Colts. This loss has caused an immense ripple effect from the national/local media and fans. Mike McDaniel is now a huge betting favorite to be the first coach fired, Tyreek Hill trade rumors are swirling, and their entire identity is once again being questioned.

Now for Dolphins fans this shouldn’t be anything new, 25 years of the same story, the same finish, and the disrespect regarding their favorite team. But the Dolphins must do something to change this and it starts Sunday, otherwise the most exciting build in recent Dolphins history, the Super Bowl window, Mike McDaniel, Tua, Grier, Tyreek, all of that, is over; and the reset button will once again be hit for a team that sports the second longest playoff win drought (advancing to the next round) in the four major U.S sports.

But what can the Dolphins do to try and get back on track this Sunday.

1. It starts with showing up ready to play. The Dolphins got punched in the mouth last week, and if it weren’t for Devon Achane they would have been shut out. They played without energy, lacked the will to win, and were unprepared, which is quite unacceptable for the first game of the season, a game that McDaniel had yet to lose. So, this week, with another perfect record on the line (Tua is 7-0 vs New England) the Dolphins must start fast, get the fans behind them before Hard Rock Stadium lets out relentless chants that will be hard for the team to ignore.
2. Play Together. This sound silly but it’s true. The Miami Dolphins must be a team, the team of 2023 played together, had fun, and most importantly had each other’s backs. After a loss like last week, it’s easy to get off track, try and pin the blame on another teammate and lose belief but the Dolphins have to play complementary team football. From communication to accountability, it all needs to be on display this Sunday vs their rival (Let Jordyn Brooks Explain).
3. Tua must play well. Quarterback one has been acting quite defensive with the media recently (My Observation). Tua is under heavy scrutiny from both the fan base and the national media, even though he insists he is not on social media. Many critics question whether he is truly a franchise quarterback, and after what might have been the worst performance of his career, he needs to respond. The talent is there, the intangibles are there, but the only way to silence the noise is to bounce back and prove it on the field.
4. Get Tyreek Involved.This has to happen for several reasons. First, Tyreek Hill is Miami’s best offensive weapon, and since 2023 the team is 11-0 when he records 100 or more yards. Second, keeping him engaged is crucial. He has started the season focused and seemingly free of distractions, but if the Dolphins keep losing and fail to feature him, frustration could build and eventually lead to trade demands. The irony is that proving he is still one of the league’s most dangerous weapons also boosts his trade value. Getting Hill involved keeps the offense explosive while also giving Miami leverage for the future.
5. Win. Miami has to win, if they lose, they are staring 0-3 right in the face as they have a Thursday Night Football matchup with the Bills next Thursday. To make matters worse the noise will be even louder from fans and media alike. Winning builds culture as much as coaches and captains, keep losing and the “players only meeting” will be all for not.

The Dolphins have no margin for error. They need to show up Sunday, play with urgency, and remind fans why this was supposed to be their time. If they fail, McDaniel and the entire leadership core could find themselves on the hottest of hot seats and Miami will once again be forced to hit reset on a franchise stuck in a 25-year cycle of disappointment.

Austin Dobbins – Sports Illustrated