Miami Blows a 17-0 Lead in Carolina: Change is Imminent

The Miami Dolphins started Sunday’s outing against the Panthers looking like a team ready to dominate. Tua Tagovailoa and the offense moved the ball with ease, the defense forced two early turnovers, and the scoreboard read 17-0 in Miami’s favor. Then, the wheels came off. The Dolphins surrendered 239 rushing yards while producing just 19 of their own, and what should have been a comfortable win turned into another gut-punching collapse.

This wasn’t just a bad game. It was a familiar story. Another inferior opponent, another blown lead, another sign that change is not only needed, it’s inevitable. The only question now is when.

The problems are the same ones that have plagued Miami for years. The offensive line remains one of the NFL’s worst. The run defense has been historically bad. Over the past five seasons, among the league’s very bottom tier. In 2025, through five weeks, the Dolphins’ run defense ranks:

• Rush Yards Allowed: T-2nd worst (871)
• Rush EPA/Play: T-2nd worst
• Yards Per Carry: T-6th worst (5.6)
• Yards After Contact/Rush: 15th worst
  (via TruMedia, compiled by @HussamPatel)

The lone bright spots in Carolina were Jaylen Waddle (6 catches, 110 yards, 1 TD), Darren Waller (5 catches, 78 yards, 1 TD), and Tagovailoa himself, who was efficient with 27 completions on 36 attempts for 256 yards and 3 touchdowns. But even those performances couldn’t cover up the deeper issues.

Where does the blame fall? It starts at the top, with the construction of this team. The trenches are abysmal, the cornerbacks have been a liability, and the coaching staff continues to look unprepared and out-schemed. The Dolphins’ first two draft picks, expected to be instant starters, are already grading among the league’s worst at their positions. That’s a failure in talent evaluation and player development.

So, where does this leave Miami? At 1–4and slipping further behind in the AFC playoff race, the frustration is boiling over. Fans see wasted years of elite skill talent, saddled by fundamental flaws in the roster. They hear the general manager tell them not to worry while the same cracks widen every Sunday.

Change is imminent. Whether it’s the GM, the coaching staff, or both, this franchise cannot keep wasting opportunities. The Dolphins aren’t just losing games, they’re losing faith, and the window to fix it may already be closed.