Kirk Cousins had a few encouraging words waiting at midfield for a trio of Dolphins after Miami’s loss to the Raiders, and the exchange offered a rare quiet snapshot from a league that usually only shows the collisions.
The moment, captured after the game, came as Jacob Rodriguez, Malik Willis, and rookie safety Michael Taaffe greeted the longtime NFL veteran. Cousins didn’t hold back on the compliments, and the Dolphins and Cousins were shown trading praise in the aftermath of Sunday’s game.
On tape, Miami’s performance looked better than it did in real time. The Dolphins still had missed tackles, missed assignments, and points they left on the field, but there was also evidence of the kind of traits Jeff Hafley is trying to build into the roster: leadership, physicality, and determination.
Hafley said this week that the edge rushers needed to be more violent off the snap, and he also pointed to special teams as a problem area that left the defense in rough spots. The Raiders were able to begin the game at or near midfield on at least two kickoffs.
Cousins was impressed by what he saw. He called Rodriguez a “great player” and said he was impressed that the linebacker earned the “green dot” in his first NFL start.
Willis drew praise too, with Cousins recognizing his continued effort to improve. Cousins told Willis.
Taaffe’s exchange with Cousins had its own personal note. The rookie safety met the quarterback at midfield and told him he had always looked up to him. Cousins thanked him and congratulated Taaffe on earning the start in his first game.
Those kinds of moments can disappear once the final score is in the books, but they stick with players. Cousins has spent 15 years in the league and has been through four different teams, still pushing forward through it all.
Miami’s next challenge comes this week against a quarterback who is much younger than the one it just faced. Brock Purdy, the Mr. Irrelevant pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, has become San Francisco’s franchise signal caller, and the Dolphins will have their hands full trying to slow him and the 49ers down.
In Other News...
How Much Of Florida Gets The Dolphins Game This Week
The Dolphins trip to face the 49ers on Sunday comes with the kind of broadcast wrinkle that still matters to fans who plan their weekend around kickoff. This one will be shown regionally on FOX, with the Miami market and much of southern Florida among the areas carrying the game, alongside selected markets in the West that will also get the matchup.
For Dolphins fans elsewhere in Florida, the bigger question is whether their local FOX station will be tied up with another game in the same window. The broadcast maps for Sundays afternoon slate always create a patchwork feel, and this week is no different, with some parts of the state seeing Miami-San Francisco while others are assigned to a different NFL pairing depending on market and time slot. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Already Look Like A Team That Needs More Help
The Dolphins have already spent the early stretch of roster work looking like a team that is still trying to find its shape. Under new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, Miami claimed seven players off waivers after the initial cuts, a clear sign that the front office is willing to keep turning over the bottom of the roster in search of useful pieces. It is the kind of activity that usually says more about need than comfort, especially when a team is trying to shore up depth in multiple places at once.
Miamis biggest concerns still seem to sit on the offensive line and on defense, where the margin for error can disappear quickly if injuries hit or development stalls. That is why the Dolphins are being linked, at least in a speculative sense, to former high draft picks such as Evan Neal, Cody Ford, Azeez Ojulari and Jeff Okudah. None of those names comes with a clean solution attached, but they do fit the profile of players a team in Miamis position might circle while continuing to sort through a roster that does not feel finished yet. [Read more 🡒]
Malik Willis May Be Holding Back What Miami's Offense Needs Most
DeVon Achane has noticed something Miami can certainly appreciate: Malik Willis has the kind of mobility that can change a game if he leans into it. The Dolphins running back recently encouraged Willis to trust his legs more in live action, a reminder that the quarterbacks athleticism is part of what makes him an intriguing fit whenever hes on the field. Even with the toe injury he dealt with, Willis was a full participant in practice on Sept. 16, keeping him in the conversation as Miami looks at how his skill set might translate into something more useful for the offense.
Jeff Hafley also made it clear that Willis using his legs is not just a nice add-on, but part of the broader progression Miami wants to see in games. That leaves the Dolphins watching for how aggressively he incorporates that side of his game, especially if the injury concern fades and the staff gets a cleaner read on what he can offer. For a team always searching for ways to add stress to a defense, the question is whether Willis will actually unlock that element when the lights come on. [Read more 🡒]