After a dismal season opener, Colin Cowherd delivers a blunt assessment of the Dolphins’ direction-and a warning to owner Stephen Ross.
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The Miami Dolphins didn’t just stumble out of the gate to start the 2025 NFL season – they got steamrolled. A 33-8 loss to the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium was a tough watch for fans hoping to see signs of progress. Instead, it was a performance that raised serious questions about where this team is headed.
Let’s start with the quarterback play, because that’s often the barometer for everything else. Daniel Jones, now suiting up for the Colts after his run with the Giants, looked like the best version of himself.
He was in complete command, completing 22 of 29 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown. But it wasn’t just what he did through the air – Jones also flashed his mobility, adding 26 rushing yards and punching in two touchdowns on the ground.
That dual-threat element kept Miami’s defense off balance all afternoon.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, didn’t have nearly the same rhythm or spark. Tua Tagovailoa had a rough outing, finishing 14-of-23 for just 114 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
The offense lacked cohesion, and the turnovers didn’t help. It was the kind of day where nothing seemed to click – not the passing game, not the protection, and certainly not the execution in key moments.
And while it’s only Week 1, the reaction from around the league – and particularly from national analysts – has been swift. FS1’s Colin Cowherd didn’t hold back in his assessment, suggesting that Miami’s issues go well beyond a bad game. On his podcast, Cowherd pointed to systemic problems within the organization, calling for a complete overhaul.
“You have to clean out the building,” he said. “Tua has a lot of character, and I like him, but there’s nothing about this team I like.”
That’s a strong statement, but it speaks to a growing sentiment that Miami’s struggles aren’t just about one player or one game. Cowherd also took aim at the team’s roster-building approach, questioning the front office’s decision-making in both the draft and free agency.
“They don’t draft well, and they overspend in free agency,” he said, using the Tyreek Hill trade as an example. “When Andy Reid moves on from somebody and you have [Patrick] Mahomes, it’s a pretty good sign. But it comes with baggage.”
Cowherd alluded to off-field issues surrounding Hill and implied that Miami may have overlooked some red flags when making that move. He acknowledged Tua’s leadership and character but made it clear he sees little else to be optimistic about in the current makeup of the franchise.
Now, let’s be clear – it’s Week 1. The season is long, and teams have rebounded from worse starts.
But it’s also fair to say that if Miami wants to be taken seriously in a loaded AFC, they can’t afford many more performances like this. The margin for error is razor-thin, especially in a conference stacked with elite quarterbacks and battle-tested coaching staffs.
For now, the Dolphins are left to regroup. The talent is there in pockets – Hill, Jaylen Waddle, a defense with playmakers – but the cohesion and consistency that mark great teams? That was nowhere to be found in Indianapolis.
Next week offers a chance to reset. But if this team wants to quiet the noise and prove the doubters wrong, it’s going to take more than a bounce-back win. It’s going to take a fundamental shift in how they execute – on both sides of the ball.
The clock’s already ticking.