Malik Willis ran for a touchdown in his first start for the Dolphins.

Pressure Point: Dolphins need more production from Willis for breakthrough win

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There was a brief moment Sunday when the impossible seemed almost within reach for the Miami Dolphins.

Chop Robinson’s long-awaited first sack of the season late in the third quarter set up the Dolphins offense for its most productive drive of the game—one of its best of the season.
Malik Willis had two 17-yard completions to the other Malik, Washington, and Ollie Gordon II ran the final 12 yards of a four-play, 55-yard touchdown drive.

After being stifled up until then by Brian Flores’ blitz-happy defense, the Dolphins trailed the unbeaten Vikings by a mere 12-10.

Willis’ first real chance to lead a comeback win in the fourth quarter turned into an epic fail. Willis and the offense went three-and-out on their only possession of the fourth quarter.

Veteran Kyler Murray, trying to gain footing as the Vikings starter was unable to produce a touchdown all day. But he led Minnesota to its fifth field goal and had some key completions, mostly to tight end T.J. Hockenson, to play keep-away throughout the fourth quarter and seal a 15-10 win against the not-ready-for-prime-time Dolphins.

Rookie’s toe on sideline negates long touchdown

Imagine if rookie Chris Bell had managed to avoid stepping in the sideline— barely, but that’s all it takes — to negate what should have been a 68-yard touchdown reception from Willis in the first half.
Certainly, Willis’ stats would have looked a lot better than he ended up with: 9 for 17 for 85 yards and a 67.0 passer rating.

In what figures to be a season-long quest to determine whether Willis can be the future at quarterback for the Dolphins, so far the case in his favor is rather flimsy.

His biggest asset is mobility. It’s a good thing because he spends much of his time running for his life. He has yet to show prowess as a passer to suggest he is a long-term solution.

This was a difficult game to assess Willis because the offensive line was overmatched by the Vikings’ pass rush. Defenders who weren’t chasing Willis around the pocket were blanketing his receivers downfield.

One of these weeks, Willis going to have to find a rhythm in the passing game, hit some throws down field and put some points on the board.

I’m not writing Willis off, but not sold on him either.

This rebuilding team is still at the stage of looking for progress and determining who has a future in the Jeff Hafley era. That they got to the fourth quarter Sunday with a genuine chance to win was a credit to improvement by the defense.

Dolphins record first four sacks of season

A unit with no sacks in the first three games, recorded three in the first half. Zach Sieler broke the spell on the first offensive play of the game and added another in the final minute of the half. Josh Uche also put Kyler Murray on the ground.

Robinson’s was the team’s fourth of the day. He did it in impressive fashion driving tackle Brian O’Neill back into Murray. Robinson had three hits on Murray in his best performance of the season.

Meanwhile, rookie defenders continue to make a strong case, led by Jacob Rodriguez with a game-high 18 tackles, nine of them solo. Safety Michael Taaffe had five tackles, including a solid run stop in the open field on a sweep. Cornerback Chris Johnson is showing improvement.

If only the defense had found a way to cover Hockenson, who caught all 13 passes thrown to him for 119 yards.

Overall, a good day for the defense. The Vikings, though, are having their own struggles on offense and were missing their top receiver.

Much of the game seemed tailored to those who delight in watching officials throw yellow flags and identifying miscreants for rules infractions.

The two teams combined for 20 penalties — 11 for 85 yards for the Vikings; nine for 55 yards for the Dolphins.

Left tackle Patrick Paul got flagged for holding three times in the first half.

Best showing by the Miami offense was tailback Gordon with nine carries for 100 yards, including a 53-yarder. Another potential long-gainer was stopped on a down-by-contact call that was not apparent on replay.

Similarly, a roughing the punter penalty was overturned by a ruling that the rusher deflected the ball which also defied the naked eye.

Between those two calls and Bell’s toe brushing the sideline, the message to the Dolphins was: closer but you’re not yet ready for the win column.

They showed enough to suggest that the breakthrough will come one of these weeks. They will need more from Willis and the offense than we’ve seen so far to make it happen.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Chop Robinson's hit on Patrick Mahomes brought a controversial roughing penalty on the Dolphins pass rusher.

Pressure Point: Injury to Achane sours encouraging performance by Dolphins

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As if the rebuilding Miami Dolphins weren’t burdened with enough adversity. Five plays into Sunday’s home opener against Kansas City they lost their best player.

After offering scant resistance on back-to-back touchdown drives by the Chiefs, it looked like another rollover for the overmatched Dolphins.

But then for the first time in three games, the NFL’s youngest team showed a backbone and made a game of it until the final minutes.

Unfortunately, star running back De’Von Achane exited with a knee injury on their opening possession. Coach Jeff Hafley delivered a grim prognosis afterward: “To be very honest with you, it does not sound very optimistic at this moment.”

The outcome never seemed in doubt, but the 24-10 final score is somewhat misleading. It was a one-score game with six minutes remaining when the Dolphins failed to convert on fourth-and-5 and turned the ball over near midfield.

It was the first time in three games the outcome remained in question in the fourth quarter.

Young Dolphins show progress in loss

In some ways, the rookie-laden Dolphins outplayed one of the top teams in the league.

Miami had a sizable advantage in time of possession, 34:21 to 25: 39, ran 18 more plays and had an edge in first downs, 19-18. Total yards were nearly even, 334 to 329 in favor of Kansas City; the Chiefs dominated in yards per play, 6.8 to 4.9.

Notably, the Dolphins were competitive and showed measurable growth.

Granted, it is a small step. Like when the temperature in South Florida stays below 90 for the first time in months, but still mid-80s.

For the Dolphins, there were positive signs to build on. They made some big plays on offense and defense.

“There was a lot of improvement today as opposed to last week,” Hafley said. “A lot of our guys are starting to believe.”

Rookies make impact for Dolphins

Among the rookies, standouts were linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and wide receiver Chris Bell.

Rodriguez had a diving interception off a deflection and also planted Kenneth Walker, the NFL’s leading rusher, for a loss.

Bell had his best day as a pro with four receptions for 67 yards, including a 44-yard catch and run off a short in-route.

Left guard Kadyn Proctor had a key block on Ollie Gordon II’s 3-yard touchdown run, and gave the running back a push across the goal line.

That capped a 91-yard drive which spanned 17 plays and consumed 9 ½ minutes. They converted three third downs on the drive.

In what may have been the most impactful moment of the season for the defense so far, they stuffed Walker on third- and fourth-and-1 to stall a Chiefs drive at the Miami 11.

Those were significant positives. But they were tempered by inconsistency—costly penalties and mistakes, both mental and physical.

The game film will be a fertile field for teaching moments. There is so much that needs improvement.

Pass coverage continued to be abysmal. Patrick Mahomes completed 20 of 24 passes with an average of 10.3 yards per pass.

The defense still has not recorded a sack this season. Jordyn Brooks had one in the second quarter, but it was negated by an illegal contact call on rookie safety Michael Taaffe. The penalty gifted the Chiefs a first down at the Miami 9 and a touchdown two plays later.

Chop Robinson finally got to a quarterback, but his hit on Mahomes brought a controversial roughing-the-passer penalty. It sparked outrage from a Dolphins point of view. Especially considering Robinson tried to cushion the landing with his hands.

Meanwhile, there was no penalty called on Chiefs safety Alohi Gilman, who grabbed Achane’s helmet and spun him to the ground on the play that put the Dolphins star’s season in jeopardy.

QB Willis remains inconsistent

After Achane averaged 5.7 yards on three carries, Gordon managed only 2.4 yards on 17 attempts. Run blocking remains in need of improvement.

The Dolphins outgained the Chiefs on the ground. But scrambles by quarterback Malik Willis accounted for 56 of their 119 yards rushing.

As a passer, Willis continues to be erratic. He hit some key third-down throws, as the Dolphins converted eight of 16 third downs.

His touch on deep throws was mostly off, except for a 42-yard completion to Greg Dulcich between two safeties.

Willis completed 20 of 35 for 210 yards and a 61.1 passer rating. It should be noted that his receivers are struggling to get open, unlike the opposition against the Dolphins defense.

Ultimately, the net result was a predictable loss with encouraging signs that one of these weeks this Dolphins team will find a way to win one.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

 

Chop Robinson's hit on Patrick Mahomes brought a controversial roughing penalty on the Dolphins pass rusher.

Pressure Point: Injury to Achane sours encouraging performance by Dolphins

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As if the rebuilding Miami Dolphins weren’t burdened with enough adversity. Five plays into Sunday’s home opener against Kansas City they lost their best player.

After offering scant resistance on back-to-back touchdown drives by the Chiefs, it looked like another rollover for the overmatched Dolphins.

But then for the first time in three games, the NFL’s youngest team showed a backbone and made a game of it until the final minutes.

Unfortunately, star running back De’Von Achane exited with a knee injury on their opening possession. Coach Jeff Hafley delivered a grim prognosis afterward: “To be very honest with you, it does not sound very optimistic at this moment.”

The outcome never seemed in doubt, but the 24-10 final score is somewhat misleading. It was a one-score game with six minutes remaining when the Dolphins failed to convert on fourth-and-5 and turned the ball over near midfield.

It was the first time in three games the outcome remained in question in the fourth quarter.

Young Dolphins show progress in loss

In some ways, the rookie-laden Dolphins outplayed one of the top teams in the league.

Miami had a sizable advantage in time of possession, 34:21 to 25: 39, ran 18 more plays and had an edge in first downs, 19-18. Total yards were nearly even, 334 to 329 in favor of Kansas City; the Chiefs dominated in yards per play, 6.8 to 4.9.

Notably, the Dolphins were competitive and showed measurable growth.

Granted, it is a small step. Like when the temperature in South Florida stays below 90 for the first time in months.

For the Dolphins, there were positive signs to build on. They made some big plays on offense and defense.

“There was a lot of improvement today as opposed to last week,” Hafley said. “A lot of our guys are starting to believe.”

Rookies make impact for Dolphins

Among the rookies, standouts were linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and wide receiver Chris Bell.

Rodriguez had a diving interception off a deflection and also planted Kenneth Walker, the NFL’s leading rusher, for a loss.

Bell had his best day as a pro with four receptions for 67 yards, including a 44-yard catch and run off a short in route.

Left guard Kadyn Proctor had a key block on Ollie Gordon II’s 3-yard touchdown run, and gave the running back a push across the goal line.

That capped a 91-yard drive which spanned 17 plays and consumed 9 ½ minutes. They converted three third downs on the drive.

In what may have been the most impactful moment of the season for the defense so far, they stuffed Walker on third- and fourth-and-1 to stall a Chiefs drive at the Miami 11.

Those were significant positives. But they were tempered by inconsistency—costly penalties and mistakes, both mental and physical.

The game film will be a fertile field for teaching moments. There is so much that needs improvement.

Pass coverage continued to be abysmal. Patrick Mahomes completed 20 of 24 passes with an average of 10.3 yards per pass.

The defense still has not recorded a sack this season. Jordyn Brooks had one in the second quarter, but it was negated by an illegal contact call on rookie safety Michael Taaffe. The penalty gifted the Chiefs a first down at the Miami 9 and a touchdown two plays later.

Chop Robinson finally got to a quarterback, but his hit on Mahomes brought a controversial roughing-the-passer penalty. It sparked outrage from a Dolphins point of view. Especially considering Robinson tried to cushion the landing with his hands.

Meanwhile, there was no penalty called on Chiefs safety Alohi Gilman, who grabbed Achane’s helmet and spun him to the ground on the play that put the Dolphins star’s season in jeopardy.

QB Willis remains inconsistent

After Achane averaged 5.7 yards on three carries, Gordon managed only 2.4 yards on 17 attempts. Run blocking remains in need of improvement.

The Dolphins outgained the Chiefs on the ground. But scrambles by quarterback Malik Willis accounted for 56 of their 119 yards rushing.

As a passer, Willis continues to be erratic. He hit some key third-down throws, as the Dolphins converted eight of 16 third downs.

His touch on deep throws was mostly off, except for a 42-yard completion to Greg Dulcich between two safeties.

Willis completed 20 of 35 for 210 yards and a 61.1 passer rating. It should be noted that his receivers are struggling to get open, unlike the opposition against the Dolphins defense.

Ultimately, the net result was a predictable loss with encouraging signs that one of these weeks this Dolphins team will find a way to win one.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Jeff Hafley discusses Dolphins' 35-13 defeat against the 49ers.

Pressure Point: Hafley faces steep challenge to overhaul Dolphins’ porous defense

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The first reaction to the Miami Dolphins’ first two games: What are the odds on a NFL team going through an entire season without ever leading in a game?

After seeing them outscored 62-26 in two blowouts on the West Coast, no one would hire their defense as crossing guards.

These guys can’t stop anyone.

They couldn’t and didn’t Sunday in a 35-13 shellacking by the 49ers. Brock Purdy led the Niners to touchdowns on five consecutive possessions.

Of course, it is salt in the wound to recall that former Dolphins general manager Chris Grier somehow thought it was a better idea to pick Skylar Thompson in the seventh round of the 2022 draft than Purdy, who went from Mr. Irrelevant to a standout pro quarterback.

That was but one of many bad choice by the previous regime that led the Dolphins to the current mess. To begin to swing momentum in the opposite direction, these Dolphins must find a way to stop an opponent from advancing and scoring at will.

Purdy, 49ers overwhelm Dolphins defense

First-year coach Jeff Hafley’s specialty is defense. So far his methods are having no positive effect.

For the second week in a row, his defense didn’t record a sack and didn’t force a punt until the fourth quarter.

They barely got a hand on Purdy all day.

“We’ve tried a lot of different things. We rushed four, we rushed six, we rushed five, we zero pressured them,” Hafley said in his postgame media session. “So as we go and take a look, we’ve got to figure out ways to do that.”

Sunday, the Dolphins were without Chop Robinson (concussion), who is touted to be their best pass rusher.

Robinson was Grier’s first selection in the 2022 draft, 21st overall. So far, he has produced 10 sacks in 33 games. Which to this point in his career screams underachiever.

He is a prime example of the questions surrounding the Dolphins defense as a whole. How many of these guys are legitimate building blocks?

Linebacker Jordyn Brooks, first-team All-Pro in 2025, is the real deal. But at 28, he’s getting long in the tooth for a long-term rebuilding project.

Dolphins rookies Taaffe, Rodriguez show potential

Defensive tackle Zach Sieler, the highest-paid player currently on the active roster with a cap hit of $11.4 million, had little impact in the first two games. He’s 31.

Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, first-round pick in Grier’s final draft, had an undistinguished rookie season and is currently on injured reserve.

Among the first rookie crop under Hafley and new GM Jon-Erik Sullivan, linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and safety Michael Taaffe look like keepers.

Taaffe had an interception in the opener and led the Dolphins with nine tackles (five solo). It’s not a good sign for a defense, though, when a safety is the leading tackler.

So far cornerback Chris Johnson, the second of two first-round picks in Sullivan’s first draft, is notable for being fined $17,911 by the league for unnecessary roughness on a sideline tackle in the opener.

That is not to write off Johnson, who according to Hafley played better in his first game against the Raiders than generally perceived.

Dolphins face long, painful trek to respectability

The stark reality of the very ugly beginning to the Hafley-Sullivan era is that this rebuild is going to be more painstaking and drawn out than even anticipated.

The premise of building through the draft makes absolute sense. But this nightmare is tough to endure for a long-suffering fan base.

For now, any sign of progress would be welcomed. It needs to start with Hafley’s defense finding a way to make an actual stop.

It doesn’t get easier with the Chiefs coming to Hard Rock Stadium next week.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Sasha Barkov, left, and Brady Tkachuck were paired on the Panthers' top line when training camp opened Thursday in Fort Lauderdale. (courtesy of Florida Panthers)

Pressure Point: Panthers pairing of Brady Tkachuk with Barkov loaded with potential

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Much of the talk about the Florida Panthers opening training camp this week centers around the Tkachuk brothers.

Rightfully so. The trade that brought Brady Tkachuk to join brother Matthew in South Florida was one of the biggest moves of the offseason in the NHL.

While Brady Tkachuk’s first team practice was highly anticipated, there was a more eagerly awaited presence Thursday at the Baptist Health IcePlex.

Sasha Barkov is finally back at 100 percent and ready to resume leadership that led to three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances including back-to-back titles.

It was within the first 20 minutes of the first practice last September that the captain took a seemingly innocuous tumble which doomed the Panthers’ season from the start. The injury to Barkov’s right knee, which required reconstructive surgery, was the first of an uncanny string of injuries that resulted in the defending champions missing the playoffs.

While Brady Tkachuk – former captain of the Ottawa Senators – is a major addition, Panthers ambitions revolve around Barkov.

Healthy Barkov fuels Panthers’ ambitions

Seeing his wall-to-wall smile at the podium on media day, and leading a rush with Brady Tkachuk on one wing in the initial practice, immediately shoved the sour memory of last season farther into the past.

“We all know who Barky is and what he can do on the ice,” defenseman Aaron Eckblad said.

“He makes you a better coach, so I missed being able to call his name,” Paul Maurice said.

Any concerns about a long-term effect of Barkov’s injury were erased when he led his native Finland to the IIHF world championship this past spring.

The intrigue now is about how Brady Tkachuk will meld into the first line with Barkov and sharpshooter Sam Reinhart.

Maurice anticipates Brady’s abilities benefiting Barkov, a three-time Selke Trophy winner as the league’s best defensive forward.

Brady Tkachuk’s presence could boost Barkov

“It could be great for Sasha, [skating with another] big man that can control the puck,” Maurice said on media day. “He’s never actually played with a big man that could control the puck; he’s played with speed.

“So, between two big guys that you can’t get the puck off easily, and [Reinhart] who can find the hole and shoot the puck, [it] could be really good.”

Maurice, meanwhile, fired off a quip heard round the NHL regarding why he is not eager to match the Tkachuk brothers on the same line.

Riffing off the rough-and-tumble reputation of the Tkachuks, the coach said, “I don’t want to give everybody what they want with the two Tkachuk brothers together with Sam Bennett in the middle. They’ll be in jail before the puck drops.”

An indication of how the new-look Panthers will fare with a Tkachuk brother on each of the top two lines will come soon enough in games that count.

Due to the NHL’s new collective bargaining agreement, the preseason will be limited to two weeks and four preseason games. The Panthers will open the regular season at the Stanley Cup defending champion Carolina Hurricanes on Sept. 29.

Bobrovsky’s departure creates void for Panthers

Brady Tkachuk appeared all business in his media session following the first practice with his new team.

“I mean, I was definitely really nervous. I’m not going to lie to you. A lot of nervous energy,” he said. “It’s a short camp, so every moment means so much. I thought that was a great first day. Everyone pushed themselves to the limits and pushed the guys around them.”

After taking their lumps last season, there is more eagerness about the start of the season than has been evident from the Panthers in recent years.

Thanks to an extended offseason, they go into camp as a mostly healthy team. The notable exceptions are forwards Brad Marchand, who had surgery for a lower-body injury and will be out at least through October, Maurice said, and Jonah Gadjovich, who remains out indefinitely since surgery in November 2025.

“I’m excited about the regular season this year, and I haven’t said that for three or four years,” Maurice said. “I can’t imagine how much different it is for the players to actually be excited about a game in November. We haven’t felt that way in a long time.”

While the Panthers gained a Tkachuk, the notable departure of veteran goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was also significant.

That is one reason the Panthers are ranked only 10th in the NHL power rankings by Sportsnet, which stated: “So much of this season for the Cats will come down to how Jacob Markstrom fares as Sergei Bobrovsky’s replacement.”

That means that for the first time in a few years the Panthers are cast in an underdog role. Perhaps they will have a chance to sneak up on some teams, at least initially.

“Just look what’s happened in the East,” Maurice said. “There’s a whole bunch of Stanley Cup champions coming out of the East over the last 10 years. A whole bunch of teams got better over the summer.

“So, it’s on.”

Fan Fest set for Saturday

Public viewing sessions of the Panthers training camp at Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale are:

Friday, Sept. 18 – Free and open to the public: Group 1 on ice at 10 a.m.; Group 2 at 1 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 19 – Training Camp Fan Fest Presented by Baptist Health:

Group 1 at 10 a.m., Group 2 at 1 p.m.

Preseason schedule

Sept. 20 vs. Carolina at Amerant Bank Arena, 7 p.m.

The Florida Panthers home preseason game schedule is as follows:

Sept. 22 at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Sept. 24 at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

Sept. 26 vs. Tampa Bay at Amerant Bank Arena, 6 p.m.

TV: South Florida Scripps stations will broadcast all four of the Panthers preseason contests.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Florida Panthers, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

 

Malik Willis ran for a touchdown in his first start for the Dolphins.

Pressure Point: Rebuilding Dolphins stumble in opener, face rough road to respectability

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This Miami Dolphins season of low expectations, which began with a 27-13 defeat Sunday at Las Vegas, is somewhat of a misnomer.

Certainly, it applies to matters of wins and any talk of playoff potential. Neither on the radar.

But there is every reason to begin looking for indications this woebegone franchise may have finally gotten it right with the latest general manager, coach and quarterback after so many swings and misses.

Sunday provided the first real opportunity to assess the approach of GM Jon-Erik Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley for turning this mess around. Specifically, regarding initial decisions on quarterback and the draft.

To seize on a positive, third-round wide receiver Caleb Douglas impressed the most with five catches for 94 yards. He had receptions of 25 and 30 yards to set up two field goals in the first half.

On defense, inside linebacker Jacob Rodriguez led the team with 14 tackles, five solo including an emphatic rodeo-style takedown.

Malik Willis’ debut brings mixed results

In his first start, Malik Willis showed mobility that has been lacking in Dolphins quarterbacks on a 14-yard touchdown scramble that cut the deficit to 17-13 early in the third quarter.

As a passer, Willis was pedestrian: 15 of 27 for 220 yards and a 66.9 passer rating. He was sacked five times, some of them due to inability to find an open receiver.

Willis’ touchdown run cashed in a turnover after rookie safety Michael Taaffe intercepted Kirk Cousins on the first possession of the second half.

It took only five plays following a 50-yard kickoff return for the Raiders to respond and push the lead to 24-13.

Willis was then intercepted on an overthrow, and hope for a competitive second half quickly vanished.

That sequence showcased major shortcomings of the NFL’s youngest team, which has 13 rookies.

Most concerning was abysmal run defense and the absence of a pass rush. Raiders backs were getting to the second level untouched. The recurring image was white Dolphins jerseys being pushed backward.

Las Vegas had an advantage in rushing yards of 130 to 74. Ashton Jeanty had 102 yards for Las Vegas.

The physicality that coach Jeff Hafley has stressed was conspicuously lacking.

Top pass-rusher Chop Robinson was a nonfactor as Miami failed to record a sack.

In addition, Miami’s kick coverage was awful, repeatedly giving the Raiders favorable field position to begin possessions.

Dolphins dominated at line of scrimmage

The Raiders’ dominance in every phase of the game was stunning, considering the Raiders are another rebuilding team with a new coach that is coming off a league-worst 3-14 season.

This was one of very few apparently winnable games for a young, rebuilding Miami team saddled with the second-toughest schedule based on last year’s records.

The road ahead is inhabited by far scarier beasts. The young Dolphins made the Raiders look like Super Bowl contenders.

Miami’s veterans didn’t distinguish themselves either. The three most experienced offensive linemen, Aaron Brewer, Austin Jackson and Patrick Paul, were each flagged for a major penalty.

Jaylen Wright provided a bright moment for Dolphins special teams with a 79-yard kickoff return. Hope for a rally vanished quickly in discouraging fashion. De’Von Achane was held to two short gains, Willis took a sack, and Riley Patterson missed a 41-yard field goal attempt.

Achane finds little running room

I started out focusing on the offensive line, specifically the guards: No. 1 draft pick Kadyn Proctor on the left and second-year Jonah Savaiinaea back at his college position on the right.

Beefing up the offensive line to lead a run-first offense was the offseason objective. There wasn’t much running room for Achane, who averaged 3.3 yards on 11 carries.

Safety Dante Trader Jr. also had a pick in the second half. Safety has been regarded as a trouble spot. So good work by Taffee and Trader.

Rookie cornerback Chris Johnson, second of two Dolphins 2026 first-round picks, was beaten for two touchdowns, though.

Overall, it was tough to find much encouraging from the debut of the Hafley-Sullivan era.

I am grateful for change, though. I couldn’t have watched another season of the Mike McDaniel, Chris Grier, Tua Tagovailoa triumvirate. They never failed to disappoint.

The obvious conclusion is growth for the new regime is going to be slow and painful. Unfortunately, it figures to be difficult to watch.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Ryan Garcia wipes out Conor Benn, retaining his WBC welterweight championship

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The WBC welterweight championship did not change hands, and the fans were spared a late night. The outcome should have been seen a mile away when comparing the differences in talent and how the inferior man had made a huge mistake making matters personal — yet the main event did not fail to entertain.

 

Ryan Garcia had a career night plus put other champions and worthy pugilists on notice that he is more than a one-trick pony. He had said he would take out Conor Benn in under five rounds and he delivered a stoppage in two.  

 

Benn’s footwork and upper body movement were not good enough to close the distance, as he was getting bombarded with left hooks as he lunged and chased. He had absorbed nine power shots in round one, per CompuBox, and bruising was visible under his right eye at the end of the round. 

 

He was more effective at punching air in the following interval, but his mouth hung open and the shots he didn’t see coming — a right uppercut to the jaw followed up by a left hook — staggered him and made it obvious an execution was quickly approaching. 

 

Then Garcia, who has been known for his swift and powerful left hook, landed a murderous right hand, dropping the challenger onto the canvas. He stood up, but was quickly backed into the ropes, where the champion bashed him with both hands until the referee, Thomas Taylor, stepped in between them. 

 

The stoppage was premature, but there isn’t anything to complain about because Benn likely would’ve had his lights put out in the next 30 seconds — an image that would have been devastating for him and his father, former champion Nigel Benn, who was standing close by. Benn didn’t protest Taylor’s call, either. 

 

It was Garcia’s first title defense after becoming champion in February, and it was his easiest significant payday. Benn said he was more Mexican than Garcia in the lead up to the fight, which undoubtedly pissed off the champ, and did not have the effect probably intended of making him fight emotionally. 

 

Still, this was the type of wipeout that may change a man. We’ll see if Benn is willing to take the same risks in the ring and if he is eager to get into a nasty war of words. He had said before the fight that it would be his last at welterweight and would be looking to go up to 160 or 168 pounds. Middleweight, being far away from Garcia and other top dogs like Devin Haney and Teófimo López, or the champs at 154 pounds, is a good place to move to.

 

Garcia wants to fight López next and eventually Haney for the undisputed title. Notably, López had stopped by his locker room before the fight, but was not allowed into the ring by security. On top of that, Garcia went from trying to call him into the ring to saying he’d whoop him right there. It was probably staged. 

 

Still, the champ now has three wins, one loss and one no contest (versus Haney for PEDs) since getting knocked out by Gervonta “Tank” Davis at lightweight in 2023. He’s on the path to boxing redemption and making the most out of it.



Filip Hrgović stuns the world, stopping Moses Itauma in nine rounds to become the IBF heavyweight champion

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The upset of the year happened in Greenwich, London, denying the young emerging superstar southpaw the chance to be the second-youngest heavyweight champ of all time behind Mike Tyson.

 

Filip Hrgović (21-1, 15 KOs) made the 21 year-old Moses Itauma leave on a stretcher. He’s now the first Croatian heavyweight champ (IBF), and he had lost the first eight rounds, taking heavy artillery to the head and body. He then pounced on his young opponent in the ninth, leaving the overwhelming majority of spectators inside The O2 Arena stunned.

 

He had said that he’d send the younger man back to high school, and on Friday at the last face off, tensions boiled when Itauma pushed Hrgović in the back, causing him to drop off the stage. Hrgović turned around, stepped to him and slapped him with a swift right that further set the stage for Saturday. 

 

Itauma had even dropped him with a check right hook in the second round and nearly decapitated him with an uppercut later in the bout. Additionally, Hrgović’s trainer, Abel Sanchez, had instructed him that he needed to land one good shot earlier in the clash when nothing was going right for him. But Hrgović sensed him slowing down after the first, and went for it when Itauma looked like he downed 15 shots of Don Julio as he stumbled through the ring. 

 

Referee Howard Foster stopped the fight as Hrgović landed a piercing right to the body and a left hook upstairs as Itauma was gasping for air, using the ropes to stand.

 

Hrgović had suffered one previous loss — a stoppage in June 2024 against Daniel Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) as both sides of his face were badly cut up — but has now won four in a row and wants a unification next, which would mean step-aside money for Frank Sánchez (26-1, 19 KOs). Hrgović also said he wants another go at Dubois, the WBO champ who left humiliated and thinking about quitting boxing, if he defeats Fabio Warley in his rematch. He mentioned the undefeated Agit Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs) as well. 

 

He also gave props to Itauma (14-1) in his post-fight interview, calling him the best fighter he’s faced, but that his gas stank plus experience weren’t enough, as he had never been past six rounds. He didn’t fail to give credit to wife, Marinela, for her support, and dedicated the win to his daughter and the memory of his father, who died four years ago. 

 

“It was not me tonight, it was Jesus Christ in me,” the champion said. 

 

Queensberry Promotions founder, Frank Warren, claimed Itauma has a leg injury, and said the young contender needs to go back to the drawing board. He also said he would do his best to deliver a fight for Hrgović in Croatia.

 

Dubois stuck around for an interview with the DAZN broadcast. He said he would “100 percent” fight Hrgović again.



There’s not enough action in boxing’s welterweight division, despite nice names

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The welterweight division is somewhat alluring, but that won’t mean anything if the best guys aren’t fighting each other. Some of them are talking a big game but not backing it up. 

 

Recently, Richardson Hitchins posted a video calling out Brian Norman Jr., and then backed off saying “the higher ups” wouldn’t grant the fight their blessing, after the former champion responded that he wanted it. 

 

Who could forget that shameful waste of time Keyshawn Davis pulled, being offered the biggest payday of his life against Devin Haney only to back out and leave the public questioning his desire for greatness?

 

Ryan Garcia, who was gifted a championship fight versus Mario Barrios, taking the WBC strap, is saying he’d “beat the brakes” off Teófimo López, the latest WBA champ who seized the belt from  Rolando “Rolly” Romero on Aug. 22. Notably, López beat the man Garcia could not and who left him distraught after his second loss. 

 

The next intriguing fight at 147 is Garcia’s clash with Conor Benn on Sept. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas that many expect him to win, considering Benn’s inferior footwork, subordinate talent and the picture posted recently of him looking like a POW.

 

Benn saying it will be his last fight at welterweight has Garcia believing he is suffering to lose weight. Intentional or not, that revelation is also a built-in excuse in case he loses and it has thrown a little bit of cold water on the event.

 

But after their fight, the buzz in the division fizzles while the public waits for a big-time fade. Maybe López, who wants to be undisputed,  steps up, taking on the winner of Garcia- Benn. There’s also the Australian IBF champ, Liam Paro, who said he believes he’d beat Lopez. 

 

If talk is cheap and the other sides stall on a unification, Norman is always a worthy and dangerous opponent for López, and so is the Englishman, Jack Catterall, the lesser champion of the WBA, who wants a piece of him, too.

 

Other Notes:

 

  • Gervonta Davis is a lowlife fraud, pissing away his talent because he can’t keep his hands off women. On top of that, one gets secondhand embarrassment watching the body-cam footage from his July 2025 arrest as it proves he’s as dumb as they say.  He recently insulted the memory of Haney’s dead mother in an instagram post, and one wonders how that and all his recent misdeeds are in accordance with his Islamic faith, which he converted to a few years ago. 

 

  • Of course, much of the boxing world wants to see Naoya Inoue defend his undisputed titles at 122 pounds against Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, but Junto Nakatani should be calling dibs against the pugilist from San Antonio. It’s hard to see Rodriguez risking the massive payday with Inoue by taking on Nakatani first, but if he loses to Inoue he should move on to the former Japanese champion for another enormous fight. 

 

  • Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) hasn’t shown public interest in fighting José “ El Rayo” Valenzuela (16-3, 10 KOs), but beating him would be a nice name on his résumé. Valenzuela just got revenge, knocking out Edwin De Los Santos in three rounds, who Stevenson got a unanimous decision against in November 2023. There are worse ways to stay busy. 



Defining a Successful 2026 Season For the Miami Dolphins

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For the Miami Dolphins, defining a successful 2026 season is not as simple as looking at the win-loss record. Miami is entering a new era under Jeff Hafley, and the biggest question facing the franchise goes far beyond whether it can compete on Sundays.

The only true answer is whether the Dolphins finally figure out the most important position in sports: quarterback.

Everything else comes after that.

Is QB1 in Miami?

The biggest objective for Miami in 2026 should be determining whether it has its long-term answer at quarterback. If the Dolphins can confidently walk away from this season believing they have QB1, the year should be considered a success regardless of the final record.

Ideally, Miami finds that answer while still landing a top-five pick. That would give the franchise an opportunity to evaluate its quarterback situation without sacrificing the chance to add another elite prospect to the roster.

If Miami does not have its quarterback, the 2027 offseason becomes about finding one, in which case they would likely draft one with this selection.

Who Becomes Part of the Hafley Build?

Jeff Hafley is tasked with establishing a new identity in Miami, one built on accountability, toughness, and discipline. 2026 should provide the first real look at which players fit that vision.

Not every player currently on the roster will be part of the long-term plan. Some will emerge as foundational pieces, while others will prove they are better suited as short-term contributors.

The Dolphins need to identify those building blocks.

That includes finding players who can become leaders in the locker room. Miami has lacked stability and consistency for far too long, and this season should reveal who is willing to take ownership of the team and become the faces of the Hafley era.

Perhaps the biggest non-quarterback question is whether Miami can finally establish a foundation along the offensive line.

For years, the Dolphins have struggled to create consistency up front. A successful 2026 season should provide evidence that the team is finally building an offensive line capable of protecting its quarterback and creating opportunities in the run game. Miami already has one stable long term piece in Aaron Brewer, Patrick Paul’s rookie year looked promising, and Kaydyn Proctor and Jonah Savaiinea have has a good camp. Austin Jackson is potentially the odd man out at right tackle.

The offense does not need to become one of the league’s best overnight. It needs to become structurally sound.

Two receivers emerging as legitimate long-term pieces would also be a major win for the offense and give Willis a foundation to work with, enabling his full development.

Defensive Players Emerging

On defense, Miami needs at least three players to emerge as legitimate pieces of the future. They already have two key pieces in Jordyn Brooks and Zach Sieler, but them alone is simply not enough.

The Dolphins will need some young talent to begin separating themselves from the rest, and preferably across each room. Miami has two rookies who look to make an impact right away in Chris Johnson and Jacob Rodriguez, while players like Chop Robinson, Kenneth Grant, and more need to take that next step.

That is ultimately what this 2026 season should be about, finding out who belongs.

If Miami can identify its quarterback, build a competent offensive line, develop two receivers, establish leaders and see at least three defensive players emerge, then 2026 can be viewed as a successful season.

The wins will matter, but the real success will be knowing exactly what Miami has and what it still needs heading into 2027.