5 Biggest Reasons for Optimism That Dolphins Finish Strong

The Miami Dolphins have a real chance to put a run together down the stretch of the 2025 season. The team has won its last two games and has two games it should win against the New Orleans Saints in Week 13 and the New York Jets in Week 14 coming up. 

Wins in those games would push the Dolphins to 6-7. Although their playoff chances would remain relatively small at that point, a few wins against better teams after Week 14 could change the odds. 

We’re here to give you five reasons for optimism that the Dolphins can actually pull it off. 

1. Miami Should Be Getting Healthy 

The Dolphins have a bunch of players on injured reserve, but three likely will have a greater impact than the others: James Daniels, Darren Waller and Austin Jackson. 

They are all expected starters, and Daniels and Jackson account for the entire starting right side of the offensive line. Both players were hurt in Week 1, and while Larry Borom and Cole Strange have done their best, they’ve mostly been a below league-average duo. 

Jackson’s 21-day practice window was opened before the team’s game against the Commanders, so he should be ready to go next week against the Saints. We haven’t gotten a clear update on Daniels yet, but head coach Mike McDaniel seemed optimistic the team would return a bunch of players soon. 

As for Waller, he was placed on IR following the team’s loss against Cleveland and is eligible to return after missing four games. 

Hayden Rucci and Greg Dulcich have played well in his absence, but there is no doubt that Waller could add another dynamic player to the offense. 

If all three players return in a timely fashion, we can get the best look at what the Dolphins offense was supposed to be since Week 1.

It’s also fair to point out that the team should get back starting cornerback Rasul Douglas, who missed the last two games with an ankle/foot injury. 

2. Miami Is Finally Adapting on Offense 

Sticking with the offense, it's finally adapted to become a unit that wants to run the football. It took almost four years, with Tyrel Dodson, who is also having a solid enough season.&nbsp. 

The team has used a lot more 22 personnel (two running backs, two tight ends) recently and has had a ton of success, whether that includes extra offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill as a tight end or not. 

Miami has also diversified its run scheme a lot. It still runs outside zone, but the team has worked in more power and counter concepts to give defenses something else to think about. Add in Ollie Gordon II, the team’s biggest back, and you’ve got an excellent complement to De’Von Achane. 

The Dolphins’ passing game can benefit from all these changes, as well. When the team uses the bigger formations, defenses tend to answer with heavy looks of their own. 

That leads to one-on-one matchups on the outside for Jaylen Waddle, which he took advantage of on his long touchdowns against the Panthers and Bills. 

Miami was forced to evolve due to injuries (Tyreek Hill, Julian Hill), but this is something it needed to do last season.

3. Dolphins’ Rookie Class Is Improving

One of the biggest storylines coming into the 2025 season was how much the Dolphins were going to rely on their rookie class. 

Kenneth Grant and Jonah Savaiinaea were starters, while players like Jordan Phillips, Jason Marshall, Dante Trader and Gordon were expected to have significant roles on their side of the ball. 

It’s been a bumpy ride for the group, but they’ve mostly gotten better as the season has progressed. Grant and Phillips are doing a much better job holding down the middle, while Trader has become a versatile chess piece at safety. 

Marshall has dealt with injury, but he had some of his best coverage reps of the season against the Commanders. 

The last holdout was Savaiinaea, who has struggled a ton in his rookie season. That said, he had the best game of his career against Washington. The rookie guard needs to build on that, but it’s the best sign the Dolphins have gotten on him all year. 

4. Miami’s Run Defense Is Getting Into the Backfield

The Dolphins’ run defense is far from perfect, but it has done a much better job getting to running backs early in reps the past few weeks. 

Since Week 7, Miami’s defense ranks eighth in the NFL in yards before contact per rush (1.18). That’s a big improvement from the team’s 2.06 yards before contact allowed in the first six weeks of the season. 

A significant reason for this improvement has been the play of the defensive line. We mentioned the rookie defensive tackles earlier, but even edge players like Bradley Chubb and Matthew Judon have played better in recent weeks. 

The Miami Dolphins need a big run to make the playoffs. Here are some reasons they could do it also has Jordyn Brooks roaming the middle of the field with Tyrel Dodson, who is also having a solid enough season. 

Run defense is really a team effort, though. It takes strong play from the front seven, but it also needs support from the secondary. Jack Jones, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Marshall have all made tackles behind or near the line in recent weeks. 

5. Dolphins’ Defense Can Force Turnovers 

Turnovers are a volatile stat, but Miami has made it a point to sacrifice other things to create more, and it’s worked. The Dolphins’ 12 turnovers tie them for 13th in the NFL, and all of them have come since Week 4. 

Miami has created five turnovers in the last two weeks, punching out multiple fumbles against the Bills and then forcing another against Washington. Of course, there was also Jones’ overtime interception of Mariota. 

The Dolphins are playing opportunistic defense, something they have to do because they can’t line up and win every snap with talent. They have to take chances to create negative plays. 

It’s a small sample size of success, but it’s a step in the right direction for sure.

with Tyrel Dodson, who is also having a solid enough season.&nbsp