Dolphins-Lions practice tagged as ‘lopsided’: ‘Lions dominated both sides’

The Miami Dolphins had a joint practice with the Detroit Lions on Wednesday, and according to multiple Lions reporters, it was a rough day for the Dolphins.

The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy claimed that it was the most “lopsided” joint practice that he’s ever seen, saying that Detroit “dominated.”

Earlier in the practice, fellow Lions reporter Mike Payton offered a similar sentiment.

The reports from the practice come after a Lions linebacker called out the Dolphins, questioning if the team was ready to face off.

While Wednesday’s practice session shouldn’t scare Dolphins fans too much since the NFL’s regular season is still a few weeks away, it’s still a little concerning that Miami struggled so much against one of the top teams in the league. The Dolphins will need to prove that they can compete against strong opponents this season.

Detroit was the No. 1 seed in the NFC last season, and it is expected to be in the mix for a playoff spot again in the 2025 campaign. Miami, on the other hand, missed the playoffs in the 2024 season and finished under .500 for the first time in the Mike McDaniel era.

Now, part of the reason that the Dolphins struggled in the 2024 campaign was due to injuries to Tua Tagovailoa, as the star quarterback missed six games. The Dolphins went just 2-4 in the games that he missed, putting them in a tough spot to make the playoffs in a crowded AFC. The hope is that he will stay healthy in the coming season.

Miami has another joint practice with the Lions on Thursday, so hopefully it can turn things around. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that the Dolphins will be a playoff team in the AFC this season, even though they nearly won the AFC East division in the 2023 season.

Then, on Saturday, the Dolphins and Lions will play in a preseason game — the second of three for the Dolphins in August. Miami tied the Chicago Bears this past weekend in its first preseason game.

Detroit has played two games so far in the preseason since it was one of the teams that played in the Hall of Fame Game in late July. The Lions are 1-1 in their two matchups, and they’d love to pick up another win to build some momentum heading into the regular season. They have two preseason games remaining.