MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins played their first five games of the 2026 and suffered five defeats.
Now, an opportunity to look back on that stretch and evaluate.
The Dolphins have an early bye this season, coming Week 6, and a young team that was largely thrown together over the past offseason is afforded time for self-reflection before returning to action Oct. 25 against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
“I think it will be a good time for us to look hard and evaluate the players, evaluate the scheme, evaluate how we’re coaching, evaluate what certain guys can do,” Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said after Sunday’s 31-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. “Take a hard look and then come back and go back to work. It’s going to be who we are. We’re going to roll up our sleeves, and this group’s going to work.”
While Miami lost by a touchdown for the final score, it felt like a significant step back Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium the way the team trailed by three scores for much of the second half before making a last-gasp effort with two late touchdowns.
It exhibited that these Dolphins will continue to fight and play with effort under Hafley until the final snap, regardless of the score, but they were certainly more in it the previous two games, against the Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings, a pair of unbeaten teams.
Hafley believes that setback in inching closer to a first victory won’t translate into his players easing up on their work ethic.
“This is not going to be a group that starts going backward and pointing fingers,” Hafley said. “It’s not who they are. They’re going to work and they’re going to get better and they’re going to compete, and we need to do the same thing as coaches.”
That last part is particularly important. Players were shouldering blame for Sunday’s performance against the Bengals, but Hafley said the coaching staff needs to analyze its own operation, as well.
“They’re putting it on themselves, and I think the coaches need to put it on themselves, too,” Hafley said. “Everybody in that locker room needs to put it on themselves. I think that shows a lot with the guys saying that the plan was right. Clearly, it’s both. The plan needs to be better and the execution needs to be better. There’s some good execution and there’s some poor execution, but it’s just not good enough to win.”
The bye week can also benefit the Dolphins to heal up after Miami had four players suffer injuries against the Bengals. Three of them returned to Sunday’s game — linebacker Jordyn Brooks (foot), safety Michael Taaffe (chest) and cornerback JuJu Brents (stinger) — but guard Jonah Savaiinaea (ankle) did not. The Dolphins also had wide receiver Caleb Douglas among four players who were inactive due to injury.
“We need the time to get healthy,” Hafley said. “We got pretty beat up out there. A lot of guys, give them credit, they came back and finished out the game.”
This story will be updated.