Defense Finally Showing Signs of Life

Originally posted on Dolphins Talk | By Jackson Buhler | Last updated Nov 10, 2025 9:53 AM ET

Defense Finally Showing Signs of Life

Through the middle of October, it seemed like the Dolphins might have a historically bad defense.

What a difference the last three weeks have made.

Miami shut down Atlanta on the road, before they played better than the stats showed at home against the Ravens.

The Dolphins then made huge plays in crucial situations in the win over Buffalo, a team that has tormented Miami since the 2020 season.

It feels pretty similar to last year for the defensive side of the ball.

In 2024, the Dolphins’ defense struggled to find its footing early in the year after blowing a couple of late leads.

Sound familiar?

Once the calendar hit late October, the group turned a corner and became drastically better.

That defensive turnaround also keyed the team’s success in the second half of the year.

No, the game against the Bills was not perfect defensively.

Yet, Miami showed up when it mattered most, both in the red zone and on third downs.

Jack Jones forced a fumble on James Cook, similar to the one he had against the Jets earlier in the year, deep inside the Dolphins’ territory, while Ifeatu Melifonwu picked off a Josh Allen pass in the end zone.

Jordyn Brooks, Miami’s best defensive player, sealed the game later in the fourth quarter with a forced fumble on Josh Allen.

The Dolphins kept Mike McDaniel with the intention of the team fighting hard till the season’s end to build momentum for 2026.

If they can build off today, Miami might even go on a winning streak and fight their way back into playoff contention, similar to what they did last year.

But like 2024, the turnaround has to start with the defense and specifically, the run defense.

Miami lost Calais Campbell to free agency, and for the first seven weeks, it looked like the Dolphins’ youth movement up front was not paying dividends. Austin Clark‘s unit hadn’t been great.

However, the group has come a long way and improved drastically since the Cleveland Browns.

Against the Falcons, they only allowed 45 yards, while they held Buffalo to just 87 yards on the ground.

Coming into the game, Buffalo led the NFL in rushing with 161 yards per contest.

I would say Miami has found its footing defensively, and Anthony Weaver should be given a ton of credit.

If he can have this group playing well consistently, the Dolphins can be competitive, and maybe McDaniel will get to keep his job.

The Dolphins might also find themselves back in the playoff race.

This article first appeared on Dolphins Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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