The Dolphins Season Comes Down to Three Things

With all of the excitement surrounding the Miami Dolphins’ Schedule release on Wednesday now behind us, the cold, hard reality of the 2025 Miami Dolphins season is still smacking the Dolphins in the face.

That is, they have a huge uphill battle in 2025.

At the end of the day, the Dolphins will have to answer three major questions in 2025 for them to succeed and make the playoffs.

CAN TUA STAY HEALTHY?

If Tua Tagovalioa cannot play close to 17 games, we are just spinning our wheels in the mud. This franchise will only go as far as Tua takes them. Do I think Zach Wilson and Quinn Ewers are better backup quarterbacks than Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson, and Mike White? YES. But do I trust Zach Wilson in a prominent spot to win a game or two? NO!

I know with a 17-game schedule, asking any player to play all 17 is asking a lot. It’s a dangerous and violent sport, and players get injured. But Tua must start and play in 15 games minimum. Can he miss a game or two? Sure, that isn’t unreasonable. But he can’t miss 5 or 6, that is a death sentence for this team.

Tua has to protect his body and stay on the field. Dolphins fans often say Tua gets injured because Miami has a poor offensive line. That is 100% FALSE!

None, yes NONE of Tua’s injuries have been caused by the offensive line. Tua gets hurt because he plays recklessly and doesn’t protect himself like most, if not all, NFL quarterbacks do.

If Tua can’t stay healthy, this team is done before the season starts.

WILL THE DOLPHINS’ SECONDARY BE EVEN AVERAGE?

The Dolphins lost all four starters in their secondary. While I know nobody is sad to see some players go (*cough* Jordan Poyer) it is still asking a lot to replace all four starters.

And as we sit here in mid-May, the Dolphins have done little to replace anyone.

Some of you will say Ashytn Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu were signed, and I will say both are career backups, and if either is starting, that is a bad sign.

There are still some free-agent cornerbacks out there. None are anything to write home about, but Miami should add at least one. Honestly, sign two.

Same with the safety position, some veterans are out there still, sign one.

There was a Miami Herald report that the Dolphins are counting on Cam Smith to be better this year, which is laughable, as the guy is always injured and has never played well.

If the Dolphins’ secondary is below average, in this pass-happy modern NFL, this season will be a long one.

Anthony Weaver is a good coordinator, but he isn’t that good. He needs players, and right now, the secondary has no players.

MIKE MCDANIEL MUST BE RESPECTED AND A BETTER GAMEDAY COACH

I have been saying for two seasons that Mike McDaniel is bad at his job. For the past six months, all we have heard is how bad things are behind the scenes with the Dolphins.

Players showing up late to meetings and fining the players didn’t work.

Players refer to the Dolphins as the “Miami Country Club.”

Veteran players are leaving the Dolphins because they don’t respect the head coach.

It’s a mess; McDaniel has to win back the locker room. If he doesn’t, again, this season is over before it starts.

You cannot overcome a team that has little respect for its head coach.

Also, on game days, when McDaniel is walking the sideline, he must be better. Win a challenge, be better at play-calling, get back to being one of the top rushing teams in the league, and have the deep passing game as part of this offense.

If Mike McDaniel isn’t respected by his team and if he can’t fix his offense, again, it will be a long season.

CONCLUSION

These are the three most significant problems the Dolphins are facing, and an easy schedule or a difficult schedule doesn’t change that.