The Dolphins walked out of their home opener with a 14-point loss, but that number doesn’t tell the whole story. Miami showed real signs of life against the Chiefs, even if the final result still made the gap between the two teams impossible to ignore.
That was the push-and-pull of the afternoon: a game that had enough encouraging pieces to feel like a step forward, while still ending in a score that reflected the talent difference on the field. Miami’s 2026 season is about progress, and this was progress - just not the kind that closes the distance all at once.
The early moments could have sent the game spiraling the way the San Francisco matchup did. Kansas City opened with a 48-yard completion to Travis Kelce and reached the end zone within the first two minutes, which had all the makings of a defensive avalanche. Instead, the Dolphins settled in and gave themselves a chance to compete.
A lot of that came from the defense. Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez made his presence felt, especially with his interception, and Miami managed to keep the Chiefs off the board in the third quarter.
By the middle of the fourth, the Dolphins still had the ball near midfield and were only down seven points. That alone marked a meaningful shift.
The pass rush still hasn’t produced a sack, but it was at least visible this time. Jordyn Brooks would have had the team’s first one if not for the illegal contact penalty on rookie safety Michael Taaffe, and Chop Robinson also flashed in the fourth quarter.
Robinson’s roughing-the-passer penalty came on a play where the NFL’s rule was clear: defenders are not supposed to land on quarterbacks with their whole body. Even if his arms fell to the side of Patrick Mahomes, the call stood. And even without that penalty, the Chiefs still would have had a first down because Zach Sieler was flagged for defensive holding on the play.
Sieler was part of a defensive effort that looked like the best of the season for a number of Miami players. He may have stood out more than most, too, because of the flags he drew and the plays he made.
Jeff Hafley’s approach on fourth down also left no mystery. Miami went for it three times and came up empty on all three tries.
The aggressiveness is easy to understand, especially with Riley Patterson having missed a kick in each of the first two games. But the final one - fourth-and-5 from the Miami 48 with the Dolphins trailing 17-10 - is the one that invites the biggest question.
By then, the defense had tightened up, and a punt to pin Kansas City deep would have made sense.
Still, even that conservative choice might not have changed much. Mahomes is built for those moments.
Miami’s offense had its own bright spots. For the first time this season, the Dolphins cleared 300 yards, and they were sharp on third down, converting 8 of 16. That came without wide receiver Caleb Douglas for the entire game and without De'Von Achane for most of it.
The catch, of course, is that the Dolphins were working with a group that lacked big-play punch by the end, which made moving the ball harder. Even so, this was their best yardage output, their best third-down performance and their fewest punts of the season.
Malik Willis also ran more than he had earlier this season, mostly because the offense needed it. That brought a reminder of the risk, too, on the final play of the game, when he took a high hit from linebacker Nick Bolton and appeared upset and/or shaken up.
Willis’ scrambling should be a bonus. It can’t become the whole plan.
But when he does turn third-and-1 into a first down, that part of the offense is awfully hard not to appreciate.
In Other News...
Dolphins Fans Have Another Reason To Be Furious With Chiefs Officiating
A controversial no-call in the Chiefs-Dolphins game is adding more fuel to a grievance Miami fans already know well. On a recent tackle, a Kansas City defender was seen pulling on Malik Willis helmet, yet officials let the play stand without a flag, turning a routine snap into another flashpoint in a rivalry that seems to bring out every officiating complaint imaginable.
For Dolphins supporters, the frustration was immediate because the contact looked obvious enough to invite a penalty and the silence from the officials only deepened the suspicion. Plays like that tend to linger long after the game ends, especially when they feed the larger belief around the league that Kansas City gets the benefit of the doubt more often than most teams. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Suddenly Have A Good Problem Up Front
Through three weeks, Miami has managed to keep its run defense sturdy even without Kenneth Grant, who is on injured reserve and could be back after Week 4. The Dolphins have patched the interior with Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers and Keith Cooper Jr., while rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and veteran Jordyn Brooks have helped keep the front seven organized and active against the run.
Grants return would give the Dolphins another option up front, but it also raises a real personnel question for a defense that has found a workable rhythm without him. His rookie season was uneven, and the bigger issue now is figuring out where he fits if the current group keeps holding its own once he is cleared to rejoin the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Fans Had Every Reason To Hate This Chiefs Break
When the Dolphins were trying to claw their way back into the game against Kansas City in Week 3, a roughing-the-passer call on Chop Robinson changed the feel of the moment in an instant. The hit on Patrick Mahomes extended the Chiefs drive, and Miami watched the sequence end with three points instead of a stop that could have helped shift momentum.
It was the sort of break that left Dolphins fans grinding their teeth, especially in a game Kansas City controlled from there. The Chiefs won 24-10, with Mahomes completing 20 of 24 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns, and Miami was left to wonder how different things might have felt without one costly flag in a key spot. [Read more 🡒]