Austin Jackson didn’t need a flawless afternoon to change the feel of the Dolphins’ offense. He just needed to hold up on the right side long enough for Miami to get the kind of performance it was hunting in Week 7, and for the most part, that’s exactly what happened.
The assignment was clear: keep rookie edge rusher David Bailey from wrecking the backfield. Jackson wasn’t spotless, but he got the job done more often than not. Bailey, who has been viewed as a frontrunner for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, finished with just a half-sack and four tackles.
That mattered because Miami’s line, as a group, needed a steady day against a Jets defense that came in knowing the Dolphins wanted to run. Even with that edge, New York couldn’t shut it down when it counted.
Ollie Gordon II powered his way to more than 100 rushing yards, the first 100-yard game of his NFL career. Willis chipped in 37 yards on eight carries, and both players found the end zone.
Willis also had time to work downfield in Week 7, and Jackson was part of the reason that could happen. He was not perfect, but he was close enough to what Miami needed.
For Jackson, that meant shaking off a season that has been uneven at best and delivering his best game of the year, even with a few mistakes and some pressure allowed. It wasn’t a clean performance, but it was a useful one, and those aren’t the same thing.
The Dolphins’ first win served as a statement for Jeff Hafley’s group, a sign that the coaching staff’s message has finally started to show up on game day. Miami kept at it, and on Sunday, it paid off.
Jackson wasn’t the only lineman who stood out. Jonah Savaiinaea also turned in a strong outing and continues to improve. Unlike Jackson, who will be gone after the season, the second-year guard appears to be absorbing the new coaching well.
The two still have plenty of ground to cover before they’re as settled as teammates Kadyn Proctor and Patrick Paul, but Miami only needs Savaiinaea to keep taking steps forward. A new right tackle next year will help, too.
In Other News...
Dolphins May Have Finally Found A Coach Worth Trusting
Jeff Hafleys first season in Miami has already given the Dolphins something they badly needed, a little proof that the reset might be headed in the right direction. After the team picked up its first win of the season against the New York Jets, NFL insider Peter Schrager offered a pointed endorsement of the first-year coach, crediting Hafley for keeping a young roster competitive even as the organization works through a rebuilding phase.
For a franchise that has spent too much time searching for steadiness, that kind of early confidence matters. The Dolphins are trying to build something sustainable, and the next chance to keep it moving comes in Week 8 at home against the New England Patriots. How Miami handles the stretch ahead will say plenty about whether this start was a one-off or the beginning of a much more stable run. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Got A QB Spark But The Bigger Question Just Changed
A new quarterback spark arrived in Miami in Week 8, and it came at a time when the Dolphins badly needed something to stabilize a season that had been drifting. Malik Willis stepped in and gave the offense a cleaner rhythm than it had shown for much of the year, enough to put Miami back in the win column and give the roster a little breathing room as the season moves deeper into the schedule.
The larger question now is what comes next for a team that has been searching for answers under center and still has to decide what kind of trajectory this season can realistically have. Week 8s quarterback chatter across the league only sharpened that conversation, because the Dolphins suddenly have a live option to evaluate while other clubs keep sorting through injured starters, uneven play and backup plans that are working better than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Greg Dulcich Just Gave Dolphins Fans A Real Offensive Debate
Miamis offense finally looked like it had some rhythm in Week 7, and a big part of that came from Greg Dulcich. In the win over the Jets, the tight end was active early and often, finishing with five catches for 86 yards as the Dolphins put up their highest point total of the season. For a unit that has spent much of the year searching for reliable answers, Dulcich gave the passing game a different kind of presence.
The part that stands out for Miami is how much of that impact came before halftime, when the offense was piling up scoring drives and Dulcich was a featured piece of the plan. He was clearly one of the most productive options on the field, which is why his role figures to be a real talking point moving forward. The Dolphins have reason to want more of that version of the offense, even if the next step is still waiting to be seen. [Read more 🡒]