{"id":372065,"date":"2026-08-15T07:10:27","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T07:10:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/372065\/"},"modified":"2026-08-15T07:10:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T07:10:27","slug":"dolphins-commanders-top-takeaways-from-miamis-preseason-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/372065\/","title":{"rendered":"Dolphins-Commanders: Top takeaways from Miami’s preseason opener"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Miami Dolphins\u2019 preseason opener at the Washington Commanders<\/a> marked the unofficial debut for the new trio of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, coach Jeff Hafley and quarterback Malik Willis, and it got off to a relatively good start before ending in a 20-7 loss.<\/p>\n

Willis led the starting offense to a touchdown drive on the game\u2019s opening possession while showing promise as a passer and runner. Running back De\u2019Von Achane had success on the ground behind a strong effort by the offensive line. Most of the offensive starters only played one possession.<\/p>\n

The defense struggled a bit in the first half with the reserves on the field even after producing a second-quarter interception, and the offense also gasped and wheezed with the reserves on the field.<\/p>\n

Among the things that Sullivan and Hafley have preached are physicality, being tough in the trenches and running the ball, and those traits surfaced at times. Miami\u2019s offense totaled 157 yards in the first half (87 rushing, 70 passing) but the defense allowed 207 yards, including 112 rushing. Washington\u2019s offense ended with 334 yards (174 yards rushing) compared to 226 yards for Miami\u2019s offense.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what we learned Friday:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Willis shines in preseason debut<\/p>\n

Willis played the opening possession before leaving the game, but it was a strong appearance.<\/p>\n

Willis showed good composure, arm strength, accuracy and decision-making, going 4-for-5 passing for 43 yards while leading the Dolphins on a 14-play, 93-yard touchdown drive. Willis also had two carries for 9 yards.<\/p>\n

Willis initially showed his legs when he slid after a 6-yard gain to the Washington 20-yard line and he later added a 3-yard gain.<\/p>\n

Willis has been solid in training camp and Friday\u2019s appearance supported what he\u2019s displayed so far.<\/p>\n

Douglas shows his skills and inexperience<\/p>\n

Rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas, the third-round pick, flashed some good and bad Friday, which has been his story in training camp. Douglas, who has displayed enough talent to overtake Malik Washington as the so-called \u201cWR1\u201d, the team\u2019s top wide receiver, stepped out of bounds on a potential first down reception when he was wide open but didn\u2019t know where he was on the field, negating a potential 23-yard gain to the Commanders\u2019 39-yard line.<\/p>\n

A few plays later, however, Douglas went up and showed his skills with a one-handed reception for a 28-yard gain. Overall, Douglas (one reception, 28 yards) has been an early success but he needs consistency.<\/p>\n

Robinson sets the edge<\/p>\n

Edge rusher Chop Robinson offered a sign of progress setting the edge in the first quarter by turning a run by Washington running back Kaytron Allen back to the inside on a 1-yard gain. Hafley has said he wants Robinson, the 2024 first-round pick who has just 10 sacks in two seasons, to be a complete player, meaning playing the run and pass. Robinson is making gradual progress in both areas.<\/p>\n

Physicality shows on offense through run game<\/p>\n

The starting offensive line of center Aaron Brewer, left guard Kadyn Proctor, left tackle Patrick Paul, right guard Jonah Savaiinaea and right tackle Austin Jackson did good work on the opening possession with punishing run blocking and decent protection for the pass.<\/p>\n

Achane, who only played the first possession, had seven carries for 39 yards and a touchdown, and the Dolphins\u2019 starters didn\u2019t have any negative runs by mostly running between the tackles.<\/p>\n

Achane had a 14-yard gain running in a hole created by Brewer and Savaiinaea on his second carry and the ground game kept going from there.<\/p>\n

Guards Savaiinaea and Proctor stayed in the game past the first possession but Brewer, Paul and Jackson went to the sideline.<\/p>\n

Rodriguez enters game on second possession<\/p>\n

Rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, the second-round pick who has had a hot start to training camp, didn\u2019t start but he took the field on the second possession in relief of veteran Tyrel Dodson, the returning starter. Rodriguez has been disruptive in training camp with pass deflections and sideline-to-sideline speed along with good awareness.<\/p>\n

Rodriguez (one tackle) appeared to overrun the play on a 15-yard run by Commanders running back Robert Henry Jr. but he remains a threat to take Dodson\u2019s starting job for the season opener.<\/p>\n

CB Marco Wilson makes another play for playmaking defense<\/p>\n

Cornerback Marco Wilson, the five-year veteran who is fighting for a roster spot, had an interception near the Washington 5-yard line on the final play of the first quarter, holding up a pattern of playmaking for the defense. It was third and 10 play at the Dolphins\u2019 30-yard line and Wilson secured an errant throw by quarterback Sam Hartman, who was relieving Marcus Mariota, who left with an apparent leg injury a few plays earlier.<\/p>\n

Miami\u2019s defense, led by the secondary, which was without two starters Friday \u2014 cornerback JuJu Brents and safety Dante Trader Jr. \u2014 has had good success producing interceptions and fumbles in training camp. Rookie cornerback Chris Johnson (two tackles in first half) had a chance at an interception in the end zone on a low pass in the second quarter but couldn\u2019t come up with the ball.<\/p>\n

\"MiamiDolphins QB Quinn Ewers (14) aims a pass during a preseason football game vs. the Commanders on Friday in Landover, MD. (AP Photo\/Nick Wass)
\nQuinn Ewers has an INT, continues up and down camp<\/p>\n

Backup quarterback Quinn Ewers (1 for 8 for 27 yards, one interception) threw a second-quarter interception, continuing a trend of inconsistency that might see him losing his previously firm grip on the No. 2 job. Ewers has probably thrown more interceptions in training camp by himself than Willis and third-team quarterback Cam Miller have combined.<\/p>\n

And while Ewers has been victmized by receivers bobbling or mishandliung catchable passes on a few of those interceptions, that wasn\u2019t the case Friday when there wasn\u2019t a receiver near the pass. It should be pointed out it\u2019s unclear whether Ewers or the receiver was at fault for the interception. However, this is becoming a theme for Ewers, who started the final three games last season as a rookie seventh-round draft pick but has been spotty in camp.<\/p>\n

QB Miller has two interceptions<\/p>\n

Miller ended 3 of 11 for 39 yards with two interceptions, meaning neither reserve quarterback played well. Miller hasn\u2019t stood out during training camp. He had a chance to gain ground on Ewers on Friday but wasn\u2019t able to show he should be the No. 2 quarterback.<\/p>\n

Dolphins reserves struggle<\/p>\n

Miami\u2019s backups had a rough night, generally speaking. The Dolphins\u2019 53-man regular-season roster could be competitive at Nos. 1-15 or 20. But after that, the talent begins to take a dive, something that was apparent against the Commanders.<\/p>\n

Other observations<\/p>\n

\u2014 Edge rushers David Ojabo, the veteran, and Max Llewellyn, the rookie seventh-round pick, combined for a second-quarter sack on a play that both needed to make the 53-man roster.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Edge rusher Cameron Goode, who has consistently pressured backup quarterbacks in training camp, had a sack in the third quarter.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Running back Jaylen Wright muffed the opening kickoff. Wright, who has been so-so from scrimmage and is battling Washington for the No. 1 kickoff returner job, rushed for 22 yards on six carries.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Fullback D.J. Herman, a linebacker at San Diego State, got lots of work, which is significant because the Dolphins might not carry a fullback and might opt for a tight end to handle those duties. Herman had a holding penalty in the fourth quarter that negated an 11-yard gain by running back Ollie Gordon II.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Veteran linebacker Willie Gay Jr., who might be fighting for a roster spot, had four tackles, all in the first half.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Rookie linebackers Kyle Louis (four tackles) and Trey Moore (two tackles) had solid debuts.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Cornerback Miles Battle, who had a two-interception day in camp last week, had a third-down pass break up in the third quarter.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Newly-acquired offensive lineman Caedan Wallace entered the game at right tackle in the third quarter. Wallace is likely battling for the No, 2 job at tackle and guard.<\/p>\n

\u2014 The Commanders came close to blocking two punts, which will be something special teams coach Chris Tabor watches moving forward.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Miami Dolphins\u2019 preseason opener at the Washington Commanders marked the unofficial debut for the new trio of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":372066,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[123,1763,125,124,10829],"class_list":["post-372065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-miami","tag-miami","tag-miami-dolphins","tag-miami-headlines","tag-miami-news","tag-washington-commanders"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=372065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372065\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/372066"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=372065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=372065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=372065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}