Imagine a defense that knows every assignment but still gets gashed. That has been the Miami Dolphins’ case this season: knowing the playbook but losing the physical battle. Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver called for a change in tone after the Buffalo Bills exploited them on the outside zone run. And by change in tone, we mean something that can be as drastic as it can be useful to assert dominance over the NFL’s other 31 franchises.

“All of our problems that we need to solve can be solved through violence,” Weaver said during Friday morning’s media session. “We play defensive football. And in defensive football, at some point, you draw a line in the sand and you say, ‘I’m gonna set the edge. I’m gonna stick my helmet under this guy’s chin and I’m gonna set the edge. I’m gonna violently take the ball away’. And that’s what we need to do with a steely focus, with resolve, with resiliency, and we’re going to stop people. And I’m determined. We’re all determined for that to happen.”

“We know where guys are supposed to be and all those things…But at some point, again, it comes down to changing the math through violence,” he further said. “I need you to do more than your job. I need you to whoop that guy’s a** in front of you, and then fall off and make a play…I guess coming out of the Colts game, the storyline or the theme was, ‘Okay, everybody do their assignment’. But now you’re saying, ‘Okay, well, you still got to do your assignment violently.’ You still got to do your assignment. I’m not asking anybody to come out of structure, right? Excuses change nothing. Execution solves everything, but you can do those same things with violence.”

Dropping the finesse is the need of the hour for Mike McDaniel’s team. Truth be told, their offseason additions provided them with every means to take on a new identity. To break it down, the team added four defensive linemen weighing more than 340 pounds. Then there were the receivers; all but two stood 6-foot-2 or taller. Plus, tight end Pharaoh Brown cannot be forgotten for knowing his way around in-line blocking.

Yet, the Dolphins have struggled. Their biggest highlight, an unwanted one, remains that the team hasn’t forced a single turnover across three weeks. Further, their defense ranks 26th in total yards allowed (370.3 yards per game), 31st in third-down defense, and last in scoring defense. They’ve allowed third-down conversions over 52% of the time, choking Miami’s ability to sustain stops. But the lapses truly stand out in their attempted blitz.

A stat shared by NFL analyst Brett Kollmann says that the Dolphins blitz more than any other team, but when it comes to creating pressure, everyone else is above them. Over three games, they have resorted to the tactic on 40% of the dropbacks, as per Next Gen Stats. What’s more, as per Pro Football Focus, the pressure generated by the team is less than 20%. There’s aggression, just not enough of it, and that’s where Weaver’s nudging his roster.

The defensive coordinator knows the taste of having it all tick the right boxes. Last season, the Dolphins finished fourth in overall defense. He has the formula, he has the lineup in the likes of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, and Weaver also admits that the locker room shares his mindset. So, what the team now needs is execution.

So far, Chubb seems to have been the lone hope with three sacks, while the secondary is gutted with new additions and injuries. Against the Bills, a few even seemed lost with communication lapses. Needless to say, it has become the anchor weighing down Miami’s playoff hopes. Weaver’s sharp rebuke is a drastic measure against all NFL teams; a challenge to show Miami’s defense can turn brutality into victory.

If Miami’s defense pushes a more violent form of football, they might rise through the ranks and get their first win of the season. But Miami’s troubles go beyond defense. A more personal drama on offense has enveloped quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the coach who once elevated him.

Mike McDaniel’s growing frustration with Tua

Mike McDaniel had once crafted a rise for Tua Tagovailoa from promising prospect to franchise cornerstone. Now, that narrative shadows uncertainty. McDaniel’s recent candor regarding Tua’s room for improvement reveals cracks: “There’s a ton of things based on my experience with him.” Signaling mounting pressure, the coach had further added, “I think that all things throwing the football he’s capable of, and there’s opportunities that he needs to take advantage of. There’s also a ton of opportunities to turn the ball over that he hasn’t taken. He’s really answered the bell 99 percent of the time.” 

Tua’s slide is tangible. He’s thrown 4 picks through three games and taken eight sacks already. His yards per attempt (6.5) are down from last season (7.2), and there are fewer explosive throws. As a whole, Miami’s offense ranks 23rd in yards per game (281.7) and 25th in points per game (18.7). Off-field pressures, like questions about Tua’s durability, compound the storm further. But the quarterback himself hasn’t shied away from the blame.

As Tua confessed recently, “I’m not playing up to the standard that I’ve played in years past, and knowing the standard that I can play to. … It starts with me. Offensively, I have to get out [offense] going, and the defense has to feed off that.” The Dolphins now face a balancing act. On one hand, Tua Tagovailoa has to take fewer hits and make better plays. On the other side of the ball, Anthony Weaver’s squad has to present a more physical brand of football. Together, can they finally get their first win? All eyes will be on the Hard Rock Stadium for their Week 4 clash against the New York Jets, who are also going 0-3.