The Dolphins are staring at a brutal 2026 slate, and even a 14-point loss to the Chiefs in Week 3 is being framed as a small win. That’s how thin the margin is in Miami right now. Nobody around this team wants to talk about a winless season, but that’s the reality hanging over a roster built for little immediate success.
Jeff Hafley’s group has young talent, sure, but a lot of it is still learning how to survive an NFL season. Even Miami’s better players have the kind of flaws a deeper, more complete team could cover up.
This roster can’t. So if the Dolphins are going to find a win, it probably has to come in one of the few spots where the matchup breaks their way.
The easiest path, oddly enough, might come late against Buffalo in Week 17. That game only makes the list because the Bills could be in a strange spot by then.
They’re already two games ahead in the AFC East, and they might clinch by Thanksgiving. Josh Allen can drag Buffalo through almost anything, even when the turnovers pile up or the defense gets sloppy, but the setup is at least a little messy.
The Bills would be coming off a huge Christmas Day Week 16 game at Denver, then closing the regular season against the Jets in Buffalo. That has trap-game energy written all over it.
Miami, meanwhile, would treat the finale like its Super Bowl, with the young core having a full season under its belt and one last home game together at Hard Rock Stadium. Last year’s Week 17 home upset over the Bucs, when Quinn Ewers led the Fins to a 20-17 win, is the kind of thing that keeps this possibility alive.
Week 15 at Green Bay also stands out. The Packers are apparently signing players off the street just to get through their offensive line problems, and that’s exactly the kind of weakness Miami can at least hope to exploit.
Hafley knows Green Bay well after serving as its defensive coordinator before taking over in Miami, so he should have a clear feel for where the holes are. The Packers’ defense doesn’t exactly scare anyone either, even with Micah Parsons expected back by then.
Miami rookie Chris Bell should be settled in by that point and could become a dangerous target for Malik Willis, while fellow rookie Caleb Douglas should also be in position to help form a solid tandem. Lambeau Field doesn’t carry the same fear factor it once did, and with Jordan Love taking a beating behind that line, the Dolphins would have one of their better chances to get after the quarterback.
Still, the most winnable game on the board looks like Week 8 at home against New England. There’s an argument for the Jets in Week 12, and that was the first instinct, but the Patriots’ current profile makes them hard to trust.
Miami’s pass defense has been a mess, especially over the last two games, but Drake Maye hasn’t shown much ability to take advantage. He has one touchdown and six interceptions through three games, and that production lines up more with the version of Maye some people expected out of North Carolina.
The Jets, by contrast, have Geno Smith playing clean football, with a 110.0 passer rating and no interceptions at the time of writing.
If Maye stays on this track, Miami could be in position to force a couple of ugly mistakes. The whole thing might even get stranger if the off-field noise around New England keeps building and A.J.
Brown is back by then. Of course, the Dolphins could also get steamrolled anyway.
That would fit the season just fine.
In Other News...
Dolphins Have A Marvin Harrison Jr. Chance They Cant Ignore
Marvin Harrison Jr.s NFL start has been quieter than many expected, but the possibility of a change in scenery is now drawing attention across the league. The Cardinals wide receiver has reportedly landed on the trade radar, and ESPN insiders say teams are keeping tabs on his situation as Arizona weighs its options. For a Dolphins team always looking for more explosive playmakers, the fit is easy to see.
Miamis receiver room could use another high-ceiling target, and Harrison would bring the kind of upside that can change the complexion of an offense. The question is how far the Cardinals are willing to go, since some around the league believe a mid-to-late draft pick could be enough to get a deal done. For the Dolphins, it is the kind of opportunity that does not come around often, even if the price and timing still have to line up. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins May Face A Risky Receiver Decision They Can't Ignore
The Dolphins are at least keeping tabs on a wide receiver situation that could shape their next move, with ESPNs Jeremy Fowler reporting that teams are monitoring Arizona for a possible trade involving Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The former No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 draft has not matched the early expectation that came with his selection, but his name is now circulating as a potential buy-low option for clubs that believe a change of scenery could help.
For Miami, the intrigue is obvious because the team has enough salary-cap flexibility to take on his contract if it decides the upside is worth the risk. The price tag being discussed is manageable, too, which puts the Dolphins in a familiar roster-building lane, but any real pursuit would still hinge on a careful look at why things have stalled in Arizona before they commit draft capital to a receiver with clear talent and equally clear questions. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Rodriguez Is Giving Dolphins Fans A New Reason To Believe
The Dolphins have found an early defensive anchor in rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who has already moved into a starting role and taken on the responsibility of relaying the calls. Through three games, he has piled up 28 tackles and an interception, production that has quickly pushed him toward the top of the league conversation for first-year defenders. For a Miami defense looking for stability and playmaking, Rodriguez has given the unit both.
The buzz has followed him beyond the locker room, with betting markets now treating him like a serious Defensive Rookie of the Year contender. Rodriguez has welcomed the attention, but he has kept the focus on the bigger picture and the kind of team success Miami needs if his early rise is going to mean anything in the long run. For the Dolphins, the encouraging part is not just the numbers, but how quickly he has become someone they can trust in the middle of it all. [Read more 🡒]