This season has been an absolute disaster for the Miami Dolphins. Coming into the season, there were tempered expectations for the team. They might not make the playoffs, but many expected them to at least be half-decent at best. Unfortunately for them, the Dolphins are arguably the worst team in the NFL through three games.
One of the Dolphins' many weaknesses this season is their defense. They have the sixth-worst defense in the NFL in terms of total yardage allowed, and they've allowed the most points with 32.3 points through three games. There are many reasons for their struggles, but analyst Brett Kollman pointed out a stat that highlights what's going wrong with their defense.
“I don't think I've ever seen this before but the Dolphins have the highest blitz rate in the NFL while also being 32nd in pressure rate,” Kollman wrote on X.
A team that's lacking in defensive line firepower will often turn to blitzing to generate pressure. While blitzes are an effective deterrent at times, they leave the team susceptible to big plays from the offense, hitting the right man in time. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, their blitzes aren't getting home in time, which leads to them getting burned in coverage.
Some teams are able to win games despite having a bad defense. However, that requires said team to have a high-powered and efficient offense. The Dolphins' offense is none of those things. Once hailed as one of the most innovative and impressive attacks in the league, Miami's offense has regressed significantly. Between the spotty playcalling and Tua Tagovailoa's penchant for turnovers, the Dolphins are not able to keep up with the other team's offense.
The Dolphins have a chance to get right this week against another struggling team in the New York Jets. After a longer break, this game is a must-win for Miami in order to save their season.
