{"id":399309,"date":"2026-09-14T09:46:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T09:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/399309\/"},"modified":"2026-09-14T09:46:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T09:46:26","slug":"dolphins-error-plagued-play-dooms-young-team-in-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/399309\/","title":{"rendered":"Dolphins\u2019 error-plagued play dooms young team in opener"},"content":{"rendered":"

LAS VEGAS \"Miami Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis (2) fumbles the ball knocked out of his hands by Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) in the second half at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, September 13, 2026. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n

Errors have a way of adding up like change placed in a jar.<\/p>\n

Gather enough of them and eventually, in time, we can make something of the collection.<\/p>\n

At least that\u2019s Jeff Hafley\u2019s hope.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately for South Florida\u2019s NFL franchise, games like Sunday\u2019s 27-13 season-opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders will likely be the norm because of the full-fledged youth movement the Dolphins have embarked on.<\/p>\n

At least early. But hopefully not late because the goal of this season is to invest in their team\u2019s youth hoping it will produce a favorable return in the second half of this season, and further down the line.<\/p>\n

Hopefully that return shows up everywhere because that\u2019s where this 2026 team needs help based on Sunday\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n

An indicator of how bad Miami\u2019s defense was is the fact Raiders punter A.J. Cole made his first punt of the game with 14:07 left in the contest, which wasn\u2019t much of a contest if we\u2019re being honest.<\/p>\n

Malik Willis, the Dolphins\u2019 new starting quarterback, lost as many cleats (2) as his offense converted third downs the entire game (2 of 10).<\/p>\n

Sloppy play from the special teams coverage units led to three touchdown-saving tackles from the Dolphins punter and kicker. But all it took was one bad angle and we\u2019re probably adding 21 points to the final score.<\/p>\n

Pair a 14-point deficit with a nonexistent rushing attack, which eventually had to be abandoned, and it delivered the Raiders\u2019 defense an opportunity to tee off on Willis in the fourth quarter. And they did, creating 17 pressures and five sacks.<\/p>\n

However, it wasn\u2019t just Miami\u2019s offensive line that struggled. The defensive front did as well.<\/p>\n

Getting pummeled at the line of scrimmage allowed Ashton Jeanty to produce his third 100-yard rushing performance of his young career.<\/p>\n

Before the Raiders took possession up 27-13 with 10:23 left in the game Las Vegas averaged 4.9 yards per carry, which means they produced half a first down on every attempt.<\/p>\n

And run-game success fed into Las Vegas\u2019 play-action game, which Kirk Cousins feasted on, with Michae Taaffe and Dante Trader Jr. two interceptions being the lone exception.<\/p>\n

The two turnovers the safeties created was one of a few positives Miami\u2019s coaches can scavenge from Sunday\u2019s road game.<\/p>\n

Like Caleb Douglas\u2019 five receptions for 94 yards was another, and Willis rushing for a 14-yard touchdown that closed the deficit to four points early in the third was one of the few bright spots.<\/p>\n

And things might look dim for a while.<\/p>\n

The margin for error is going to be razor-thin when the football team\u2019s roster is filled with first-, second- and third-year players, and Sunday\u2019s game was a good sampling of this.<\/p>\n

The team put together by new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coached by Hafley looked young, inexperienced and disjointed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to coach better, and we need to play better,\u201d Hafley said. \u201cWe\u2019ll watch the film, coach it really hard and get better.<\/p>\n

\u201cInconsistent. That\u2019s how we played the game today.\u201d<\/p>\n

If Miami had given more of a spunky effort against the Raiders, which also changed coaches this offseason after firing Pete Carroll, whose team was so bad Las Vegas held the worst record in the NFL last season, we could at least say talent wasn\u2019t the issue.<\/p>\n

But Sunday\u2019s game might just be a passing of the torch from one lackluster team to another.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to learn from these types of games. Not take all the negatives out of it and \u2018Woe is me,\u2019\u201d said Willis, who had a 66.9 passer rating in his first start for the Dolphins, and seventh of his NFL career. \u201cIt\u2019s a long season and one game shouldn\u2019t direct the path we want to go on.\u201d<\/p>\n

This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 7:46 PM.<\/p>\n


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