MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Throughout the offseason, Miami Dolphins coaches and players spoke about a renewed culture of discipline, focus and accountability that could set them up for on-field success.
“This is probably the closest team that I’ve been on since I’ve been in Miami,” star receiver Tyreek Hill said just last week. “And as far as offensive chemistry, I feel like this is the best version of what I’ve seen the Miami Dolphins offense (look like).”
None of that was evident in Miami’s season opener against the Colts on Sunday.
The Dolphins unraveled in a 33-8 rout at Indianapolis, undone by a slew of mistakes and operational miscues. It was Miami's first season-opening loss under Mike McDaniel.
Overreactions are common when a team puts forth a Week 1 dud. And the reminders come quickly: It's one of 17 games in the regular season. There's time to turn things around.
But the Dolphins haven't won a playoff game in more than two decades. The margin for error seems thin, especially after a 2024 season in which Miami started 2-6, went 6-3 down the stretch and missed the playoffs.
“You never want to look at it as, ‘Well, this is just Week 1.’ We’re going to take our loss,” said Tua Tagovailoa, who threw two interceptions and lost a fumble on Sunday.
“The way we lost?” Tagovailoa added. "None of the fans pay to watch the Miami Dolphins go put up eight points and watch the other team drop 30 on them. That’s just not what they do. There’s a lot of things we need to look at. We need to look in the mirror. We need to continue to hold each other accountable for what it is.
"I would definitely say it starts with me, and I think as a team collectively, this was something we were trying to avoid. But could this be good for us? I don’t know. We’ll see how we respond next week.”
McDaniel called Sunday's performance embarrassing and acknowledged fans who have expressed frustration with the state of the franchise, which is six years into its latest rebuild but hasn't lived up to the expectations of success that began when Tagovailoa was drafted fifth overall in 2020.
“We have to improve from the last performance,” McDaniel said. "But we have to improve in general like every other team does or you get left in the dust. So I think one of 17 is one of 17. And if that type of game doesn’t show up ever again, that’s the only way you can make it worth it, because otherwise it’s just miserable for miserable’s sake.”
What’s working
Nothing worked particularly well on Sunday, and when asked Monday about positives from the game, McDaniel named only one.
“I think the positive is that that was a miserable experience,” he said.
What needs help
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McDaniel said Monday that many of the team's errors weren't a product of bad intentions, but that too often players abandoned their responsibilities and the techniques that they'd been taught in practice.
“There was one play that ultimately led to being an explosive (gain) that the utmost dependable player, (defensive tackle) Zach Sieler, in an attempt to get a sack at the final stage of the pass rush kind of voids his pass-rush lane,” McDaniel said. “Well-intentioned, trying to make a play. But the dropping of rush lanes allows for an explosive.”
Stock up
RB De'Von Achane scored the Dolphins' only touchdown on an 11-yard screen play in which he muscled his way through would-be tacklers on fourth-and-goal with 6:21 left.
Stock down
The defensive front was unable to generate much pressure on quarterback Daniel Jones. That unit was heralded during the offseason as one of the team's strongest but recorded just one sack.
Injuries
RG James Daniels will not play in Week 2 after suffering a pectoral injury on Miami's first drive. McDaniel said the injury isn't season-ending. ... CB Storm Duck will miss several weeks because of an ankle injury. The team is still gathering information on RT Austin Jackson, who left with a toe injury. ... TE Darren Waller, who missed the game with a hip strain, will try to play in Week 2.
Key number
0 — The amount of stops the Dolphins' defense recorded on Sunday. The Colts scored on each of their seven possessions, the first time since at least 1978 that an NFL team has scored every time it held the ball. The only time Miami forced a punt, veteran linebacker Matthew Judon ran into punter Rigoberto Sanchez, which extended the Colts' drive and allowed them to close out the first half with a field goal for a 20-0 lead.
Next steps
The Dolphins host the New England Patriots, who are also coming off a season-opening loss, on Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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