The Miami Dolphins were moving into the 2025 NFL season with multiple concerns. Last season, they just had 19 plays that generated 25 or more yards. They no longer have a Pro Bowl cornerback, a position they’ve had for the past decade. And not to forget- the durability concern of front-end players. Now all these concerns have been summed up in the team’s first week’s humiliating defeat against the Indianapolis Colts. Although the entire team has underperformed, most of the criticism was directed towards Mike McDaniel and Tua Tagovailoa. 

After the Dolphins’ 33-8 loss against the Colts, the scrutiny has zeroed in on the HC and the Quarterback. The Dolphin’s QB had a poor outing in the match, completing only 13 out of 24 passes for 114 yards. He even committed two costly mistakes, including a fumble and two interceptions. On the other hand, fans questioned Mike’s offensive strategy as the team failed to find the end zone until the fourth quarter. But according to a CBS insider, Tua and Mike are not the real villains. 

“I know we are talking about the entirety of the Miami Dolphins, right? And there is plenty of fault and blame that should be at the feet of GM Chris Greer, whose seat is probably warmer than head coach Mike MacDaneils when you know, consider everything,” Jonathan Jones said at the NFL on CBS show.

 Now that the team has underperformed, the roster build-up has again been questioned. That has brought Greer into the spotlight. During the draft, Greer recognized the need for a cornerback, yet he kept the position in question until the 5th round. Even his decisions, such as picking Kenneth Grant too early and selecting Jonah Savaiinaea with many options still available, will now be questioned.

Dolphin’s GM has seen the team transition from Adam Gase to Brian Flores and then Mike McDaniel as HC. Greer has been on the job since 2016, and yet the fans are still waiting for that elusive playoff victory.  Although the team has qualified for the playoffs back-to-back in the last two seasons under Greer, all of that is in the past. The new wounds of the 33-8 loss against the Colts are fresh and painful for the fans. But even in such a humiliating defeat, there are different aspects to observe. 

Dolphins’ week one had bright spots, struggles, and everything in between 

The only bright spot of the match that the team can take back home is “it was only week 1”. Even though it was a one-sided loss, it is still counted as one loss on the boards. Also, De’Von Achane completed the game with seven carries for 55 yards. It might look like scrambling for positives, but there isn’t much to carry forward for the Dolphins.

Although there are many loose ends to tie up for the Dolphins, they should be disappointed with the team’s pass rush. The team managed only one sack and only eight QB pressures. This helped Daniel Jones easily find a gap and sit in the pocket. If the Dolphins’ pass rush can’t protect the secondary in the upcoming matches, the team can be in big trouble. 

Talking about the struggle, the Dolphins’ offense looks like something the fans have become accustomed to. Despite the team spending the entire offseason overcoming the issues with the offense, it’s still clearly visible in the game. Players were again lined up at the wrong positions, and undersized players like Tanner Conner were getting run over. All of these issues need to be addressed before the team again steps onto the gridiron against the New England Patriots this Sunday.