Miami Dolphins Defensive Line Must Fix Issues Fast

Miami Dolphins Defensive Line Must Fix Issues Fast

Early in 2025, the Dolphins defense had a similar problem to what they experienced in the team’s season-opening loss today against Las Vegas.

They couldn’t stop the run, whether it was up the middle with their young defensive tackles or on the edge, where both their defensive ends and support players like their cornerbacks and off-ball linebackers couldn’t make a play.

While Miami eventually turned a corner a season ago, the Raiders clearly came in with a game plan to test Miami’s run defense after losing their two best edge defenders, Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips.

Their plan worked: star running back Ashton Jeanty got around the corner whenever he pleased as new edge additions Josh Uche and Robert Beal Jr. couldn’t hold up, and Miami’s cornerbacks were no match for the second-year back.

Jeanty also exploited Miami on the edge, as the former Boise State Bronco consistently faced little resistance when rushing between the tackles.

After losing 2025 first-round pick Kenneth Grant, Miami’s other interior linemen couldn’t fill in for him as Jeanty ran for 102 yards on 23 carries.

Miami was pushed around, especially between the A & B gaps, and even when they got to Jeanty, they were still no match, as he had 73 of his 102 yards after contact.

Dolphins Must Get Better Against the Run

New head coach Jeff Hafley wanted his team to be more physical in his first year at the helm and shed the soft label that had plagued them for the last few years.

On Sunday against the Raiders, the Dolphins did no favors to anyone trying to make them forget that label.

It won’t get any easier for Hafley and company next week, as they face a powerful ground game in San Francisco.

The Dolphins also have New England, Green Bay, Detroit, Chicago, and Buffalo on the schedule, all of whom feature great rushing attacks.

Miami slowly figured out how to contain opposing rushing offenses in 2025 after a slow start.

They will need to do that again in 2026.

Otherwise, there will be many more games like this going forward where teams simply bully the Dolphins up front.