5 Things I Think I Think About The Miami Dolphins After Week 7

Wait what? Did the Miami Dolphins respond to arguably their worst loss of the season with their first win? On the road?

You bet your sweet bippy they did. And also against the Jets – if you told me the Dolphins were 2-15 this season but the Jets were going to be eliminated, I’d say, “You know, not too bad.” Here are five more things I find myself thinking about following the Dolphins’ first win.

They Did Something Winning Teams Do

If there’s one ultimate flex in professional football, it’s this: Run the ball to run out the clock and close out a close game. Everyone in the stadium knew exactly what was coming: The defense knew, the crowd knew, the broadcast team knew, everyone knew. And it doesn’t matter – the winning team lines up and closes out the game anyway.

On Sunday, that’s what the Dolphins unexpectedly did against the Jets.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Jets scored a touchdown (Mason Taylor?! Again?!) to pull within three points. Then they set off, hoping to force a stop and get the ball back to tie or win it. The old Dolphins would have played conservatively, forcing the Jets to burn their timeouts but giving Gang Green the ball and a chance to win. But what did the new Dolphins do?

I mean, it’s not pure dominance: They need a two-yard pickup on fourth down to secure the win, whereas ideally you’d lock that down on second or third down. However, if you want to talk about the growth of a young team, this is Exhibit A with a gold star.

Malik Willis Shows Tangible Growth

What’s the difference with a bye week, eh? Let’s have fun with the stat line:

So what caused the change? A good night’s sleep? Frank Thomas testosterone supplements?*

Yes and yes. But also, perhaps better decision making and resource utilization. Instead of taking deep shot after deep shot, against the Jets, Willis threw more passes short of the sticks, completing a season-high 67% of his passes and keeping the offense on schedule. He’s also the most involved tight end, with TE Greg Dulcich leading the team in targets and a season-high 86 yards, and he’s clearly benefited from having the No. 1 receiver Caleb Douglas. Willis still has more questions than answers right now, of course. But after opening the season with just two touchdown passes against seven turnovers, Sunday felt like the first game that gave legitimate cause for optimism. I’m eager to see how he performs against the Patriots.

*And he’ll love it too!

Caleb Douglas Continues to Transform the Offense

I’m old enough to remember when Jon-Eric Sullivan and Co. got a lot of flak. for selecting Caleb Douglas in the third round and 75th overall. And who knows, maybe time will prove the doubters right. But man, the Dolphins seem like a different team with Douglas on the field.

It’s not just the attributes and production – it’s the game-day savvy you might not expect from a rookie playing his third game. His biggest play was the long catch-and-run touchdown in the fourth quarter. Douglas recognized a blitz, adjusted his route, caught Willis’ pass, broke a tackle attempt from Minkah Fitzpatrick and raced into the end zone. He also refused to cower when Fitzpatrick got to his face, which is exactly what you want to see from a young receiver.

OK, well, Douglas only has 9 receptions on the season. But when averaging over 20 yards per catch, it’s fair to say he gives this offense a much-needed boost.

The Offensive Line and Running Game Deserve Real Credit

When was the last time we had a truly physical offensive line and running game? The Ricky Williams era? I’m not discounting De’Von Achane’s impressive season last year, but that felt more due to his own speed and elusiveness than a dominant offensive line. Sunday’s performance wasn’t just productive. It is physical.

For years, Dolphins fans have begged for an offense that could impose its will instead of relying solely on speed and technique. Against the Jets, we finally got a glimpse of that blueprint. Consider:

Gordon ran with toughness and attitude, but let’s not forget that the offensive line actually brought their lunch pails and got to work. The closing sequence mentioned above won’t happen without a tough, committed offensive line. The Proctor injury may be a setback, but if the o-line is starting to gel, it’s not unreasonable to think we could have more games like this in store this season.

Defense Delivers When It Matters Most

OK, it’s not perfect. You don’t give up two touchdowns to Mason Taylor and 100 yards and a touchdown to Omar Cooper (side note: Does anyone else think Cooper could be a thorn in our side for years to come?) and say the defense is exactly on point.

That said, when the game hung in the balance, the defense stepped in. We talk about:

There’s a lot to clean up, and the team definitely needs more defensive talent as a whole, but they showed up when it counted. This is a beginning.

So it’s worth appreciating the moment for what it is:

So: Have the Dolphins arrived? Ha! Nope.

The team still had busted coverages, dumb mistakes and an offense that mysteriously disappeared for most of the second half. But for the first time all season, the Dolphins started fast, protected the football, made explosive plays, responded to adversity, controlled the line of scrimmage and closed out a close game. You know, the things that winning teams do. In short, they spent an afternoon looking like the kind of team they’re trying to be. It is worth celebrating.