The Miami Dolphins got handled in Northern California on Sunday, falling 35-13 to the San Francisco 49ers in a game that never really tilted in Miami’s favor after halftime.
There was a brief stretch where the Dolphins looked like they might make something of it. In the first half, they moved the ball well against a tough Niners defense and went into the break down by just 8 points.
That was close enough to imagine a real game if Miami could have turned one drive into a touchdown and two-point conversion. Instead, the second half went sideways on both sides of the ball, and the 49ers pulled away in a hurry.
That made the weekly Most Valuable Dolphin selection a messy assignment. There wasn’t much to choose from, and the performance as a whole didn’t offer many clean answers. Still, somebody had to get the nod.
This week, that player was rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez. After piling up 14 combined tackles in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders, Rodriguez followed it up with another strong outing against San Francisco, finishing with 8 combined tackles. That was good for second on the team behind safety Michael Taaffe.
It’s the second straight week a rookie has earned the weekly MVP recognition, and that says plenty about where this Dolphins season is right now. The team needs young players to lay a foundation first. If Miami’s rookies keep stepping up, and Rodriguez keeps looking like one of the guys who can carry real weight, that will matter more down the road than it does in any one rough Sunday like this one.
In Other News...
Dolphins Could Turn Useful Depth Into Something Bigger At The Deadline
With the NFL trade deadline approaching, the Dolphins suddenly find themselves in a familiar spot for a team trying to juggle present needs and future flexibility. Miamis roster has enough useful depth that a few names are now drawing attention around the league, and that kind of interest can turn a quietly sturdy depth chart into real deadline leverage if the front office decides it wants to chase draft picks instead of just holding serve.
Austin Jackson, Chop Robinson, Kenneth Grant and Jaylen Wright all fit into that broader conversation in different ways, whether because of contract status, recent production or simple market appeal. The bigger question for Miami is not just who other teams might call about, but how willing the Dolphins are to listen if a reasonable offer turns one of those pieces into more draft capital for a team that has to keep balancing the now against what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Have One Bigger Problem Than Their 0-2 Start
The AFC East picture through two games has already started to separate, and Miami is the one team feeling the pressure. The Dolphins sit at the bottom of the division after an 0-2 start, with the offense still searching for the kind of rhythm that would make them look like a contender instead of a team trying to steady itself in September.
At the top, Buffalo has done the opposite, opening 2-0 behind strong play from Josh Allen and a defense that has helped set the pace in the division. The Jets and Patriots are hanging in the middle at 1-1, which only sharpens the contrast for Miami, where the early struggles are about more than the record and leave a lot of questions still hanging over the season. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Suddenly Have A Caleb Douglas Question Heading Into Week 3
Caleb Douglas left Miamis game against the San Francisco 49ers with an ankle injury in the second half, then was spotted in a walking boot afterward, turning what had been a routine injury note into a Week 3 concern for the Dolphins. Jeff Hafley didnt have an update on Douglas when asked ahead of the next game, which leaves the team waiting for more clarity on whether the receiver will be available.
If Douglas cant go, Miami may have to adjust quickly at receiver, with Jalen Tolbert a candidate to be elevated from the practice squad. The Dolphins would also need to lean more on options such as Chris Bell and Malik Washington, which would make Douglas status one of the more important roster questions to watch as the week unfolds. [Read more 🡒]