MIAMI GARDENS — Amid all the disappointments through two games of this young Dolphins’ season, the defense, under the direction of coordinator Anthony Weaver and led by its supposedly fearsome front seven, might rate as No. 1.
The big problem is the defense was notably neglected in the offseason. The neglect at cornerback was especially egregious.
Weaver’s unit sustained heavy losses in the offseason, losing players such as defensive tackle Calais Campbell and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, a pair of likely Hall of Famers. The Dolphins carelessly replaced them with defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, the first-round pick who is a part-time starter, a few lower-round draft picks and a few veterans who were castoffs from their former teams.
Now, the neglect is surfacing.
The defense has been an unmitigated disaster.
If the defense is disastrous Thursday at Buffalo, it’s probably all over for coach Mike McDaniel. And it’ll make it tough to whole-heartedly endorse Weaver to become interim head coach. Weaver, a hot prospect for head coach jobs after interviewing with Chicago, Atlanta, Washington and New Orleans in recent years, remains the odds-on favorite for interim coach if McDaniel is fired.
But if you’re one of those who think this team has lost faith in McDaniel, don’t you have to consider that same opinion for the defense under Weaver? I’m a Weaver fan, but there’s room for questioning. Linebacker Willie Gay, perhaps the most impressive player in training camp. rarely sees the field. Safety Iffy Melifonwu has already lost his starting job. They’ve consistently had blown assignments, missed tackles and seemed low on energy. The defense appears uninspired and unprepared.
The Dolphins’ defense allowed Indianapolis to score on all seven of its possessions in a 33-8 loss in the opener, and then allowed New England to score on its first three possessions in last week’s 33-27 loss. That’s 10 consecutive scoring possessions to open the season.
You knew the offense would take a few games to find its groove. They hardly spent any time together during training camp and preseason because of injuries. The defense was supposed to be the anchor, the thing they could count on to win games. The defense has been worse than the offense.
Granted, I overrated the front seven. I declared them game-changers and possibly game-winners, thinking edge rushers Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, Chop Robinson and Matthew Judon would start hot and stay hot.
They’ve been ice cold. The defensive front seven could still have a blockbuster season, but they clearly haven’t started hot, with just four sacks.
They lead a defense that allows 139 rushing yards per game, which ranks No. 25 in the league. They were No. 9 against the run last year. The problem? They play undisciplined football.
“Everybody’s got to do their job, not trying to be a hero or anything like that,” Robinson said.
You want another bad defensive number?
The defense hasn’t forced any turnovers. None. Zero.
You want one more bad defensive number?
The Dolphins are tied for 31st on third downs, allowing opponents to convert them into first downs 51.9 percent of the time.
“Getting off (the field) on third down, you’ve just got to execute at a high level,” Dodson said. “That’s just as simple as that — executing.”
Perhaps worst of all, the Dolphins’ defense heads into Buffalo ranked 31st in points allowed, Weaver’s most cherished stat, at 33 points per game. Going back to last year’s 32-30 loss in the finale to the New York Jets, they’ve allowed at least 30 points in three consecutive games.
And they’re almost guaranteed to allow at least 30 points Thursday.
Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen has put at least 30 points on the Dolphins in all four games at Highmark Stadium in the McDaniel era. The Dolphins’ offense only scored more than 30 points three times last season, and it was against three of the worst teams in the league — Las Vegas, New England and the New York Jets, teams that combined for 13 wins.
The challenge for the Dolphins offense (scoring 31 or more points) is exceeded only by the challenge for the Dolphins defense (holding Allen and the Bills offense to fewer than 30 points). Through two games we’ve seen no evidence the defense is up to that challenge.
Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver speaks to reporters Nov. 14, 2024, at the Baptist Health Training Center in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
