Dolphins Stumble Out of the Gate, Offense Struggles in Season Opener
The Miami Dolphins entered the 2025 season with sky-high expectations under head coach Mike McDaniel. Known for their explosive offense featuring Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and De’Von Achane, the Dolphins looked like one of the NFL’s most dangerous units on paper. However, as their Week One matchup against the Indianapolis Colts proved, none of that matters if quarterback Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t deliver. Tagovailoa turned in a nightmare first half, and “terrible” might not even capture how poorly Miami played. The scoreboard did, though: Colts 20, Dolphins zero at halftime. Tagovailoa was directly responsible for two costly turnovers in the opening 30 minutes. His first was an overthrow that floated into the arms of a waiting Colts defender. His second came on a careless fumble while scrambling, with no real effort made to protect the football.
The problems weren’t limited to the offense. Miami’s defense made Daniel Jones look like a franchise quarterback. Jones carved them up for 197 yards and a touchdown on 17-of-22 passing before halftime. The Colts racked up more first downs than Miami even had offensive plays. Special teams joined the collapse when a running-into-the-kicker penalty on fourth-and-three extended a Colts drive that ended in a field goal. This wasn’t just sloppy—it was embarrassing. To make matters worse, this came against a Colts team that hadn’t won a Week One game since 2013.
For Dolphins fans, the frustration is compounded by how sharp Tagovailoa looked in camp and preseason. Reports out of Miami touted his accuracy, with some stretches of practice nearly interception-free. Yet, just two plays into the new season, Tua’s first pass attempt set the tone with a costly pick. His inconsistency continues to divide fans, many of whom are growing impatient with the lack of growth from their franchise quarterback.
Injuries also piled on the misery. Free-agent offensive line addition James Daniels, already banged up coming in, exited after four snaps with a pec injury. Dee Eskridge also limped off following a kickoff return. It was a disastrous start to the season—sloppy, uninspired, and flat-out concerning. For Miami to contend in a loaded AFC, Tagovailoa and the offense can’t just be better—they need to be elite. Week One showed the exact opposite.
