Through three weeks of the 2025 NFL season, opposing teams have carved up the Miami Dolphins’ defensive unit. No team in the league is allowing more points per game at this time than Miami at 32.3 per contest, and every one of the Dolphins’ opening three opponents have scored at least 30.
With the Dolphins’ defense giving fans nothing to write home about thus far, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver sent a message to his unit and emphasized that it needs to play with a much greater level of physicality on that side of the ball. Weaver used some strong language to get his point across.
Impassioned speech by Weaver about how defense needs be more physical consistently: "At some point, it comes down to violence. We want the offense to feel like we are playing with 12, 13. I need you to do more than your job. I need you to whip that guy’s ass."
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) September 26, 2025
Some of Miami’s defensive woes can be blamed on its secondary. The entirety of the Dolphins’ starting secondary from a season ago is no longer suiting up for the team. Elsewhere defensively, the team has also struggled to stop the run and hasn’t gotten enough pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Miami’s defensive unit will look to make a statement in Week 4 against the New York Jets. The Jets have gotten off to about as woeful a start as the Dolphins have, as they are also winless through three contests played. The two teams will play on a national stage for Monday Night Football.
Here’s to hoping that the Dolphins’ defense will play with an additional level of physicality compared to weeks past and prove that the unit has heeded Weaver’s advice loud and clear. A loss to a lowly Jets squad would drop Miami to 0-4 and essentially shut the door on any possibility that the team can rally back from its slow start to make the playoffs.
Conversely, a victory would give Dolphins fans some hope with a manageable schedule for the team in many of the weeks ahead. If Miami can beat up on some bad teams in the coming weeks, it could be back in the playoff race before people know it.
