The Phinsider
The Miami Dolphins have said a lot of the right things this year. They have discussed addressing their issues. They have spoken about watching the film and holding each other accountable. They have held meetings and they have met with the media. They have said all the things a struggling team should say as they look to turn around what has moved from a disappointing start to a long year into being a complete embarrassment of a season.
The problem is all they seem to be doing is talking. The film work, the adjustments, the practices, and the performances on game day are not getting it done. At this point, the Dolphins’ words are louder than their actions.
Sunday’s performance against the Carolina Panthers should be more than just an embarrassment. This should be the humiliation that either wakes up this team or sends it into oblivion. This was a game that either turns a team into a storybook climb from the depths of despair or into a team that is already looking toward next year.
Based on the actions we have seen so far, the preparation for 2026 may be the only answer remaining for the Dolphins.
Before the season, national pundits all projected Miami to fall apart. They were looking at the loss of players like Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith, and Calais Campbell as to why the 2025 Dolphins would not be playoff contenders. The players missing have not had the impact the analysts expected.
Instead, it is the players on the roster and the coaches on the sideline that have caused an implosion of galactic proportions. And Miami is about to be swept into the black hole of their own making.
Miami gained 150 yards on its first three possessions, scoring a field goal and two touchdowns on Sunday. Over that same span, Carolina tallied 33 yards with a fumble and an interception.
After jumping out to a 17-0 lead, Miami tallied just 88 more yards on seven possessions – and 46 of those yards came on one pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle for a touchdown.
The Panthers gashed Miami for 418 yards over the rest of the game.
Miami held a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter. They lost 27-24.
“I’m going to say last year, we were lying honestly. Point blank, period,” linebacker Bradley Chubb, who recorded two tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery on Sunday, said back in June of the player-accountability culture the Dolphins were supposed to instill last year. “ I would say this year, we’re doing that. I’m not sure how it’s going to turn out for us, but we are putting forth that foot to change it because last year, like I said, we said we wanted to change, yeah, we’re doing this, we’re doing that; but it’s not going exactly how we want to.”
It is not going to turn out well if the Dolphins continue to have their...
