Miami Dolphins
American Football Conference · AFC East
ESPN standings data retrieved October 6, 2026. 2026 season totals at this snapshot.
Team snapshot
Miami Dolphins through our lens
ESPN’s 2026 standings snapshot, checked October 6, puts Miami Dolphins at 0-4. That profile contains 11.5 points scored and 25.2 conceded per game, a -13.8 average margin. The scoring average is 32 of 32 in this league snapshot. The negative margin makes the record a starting question. The team needs to show how it can produce more useful possessions than it allows.
The most recent checked result is Miami Dolphins 10 · Minnesota Vikings 15 on 2026-10-04. The next scheduled test is 
Cincinnati Bengals on 2026-10-11. Our test starts with successful early downs. Separate consistent gains from one explosive play, then check starting field position, points per threatening drive and turnover margin. The record cannot tell us which of those advantages will survive the next matchup.
Read our full 2026-10-06 article assessment
Our team assessment
Article cutoff 2026-10-06
Dolphins | 0-4
Read the table as text
| Season evidence | Dolphins | Opponents |
|---|---|---|
| Plays keeping pace | 30.5% | 48.0% |
| Long gains | 20 | 24 |
| Points / threatening drives | 46 / 14 | 101 / 22 |
| Defensive takeaways | 3 | 5 |
| Special-teams recoveries | 0 | 0 |
Miami has been the most consistently unsuccessful offense in this season window. Its weekly useful-play shares have stayed in a narrow band from 27.0 to 32.0 percent. That consistency is a problem, not reassurance. Scores of 13, 13, 10 and 10 show the same limitation from another angle. The offense has generated only 14 threatening drives and 46 points from them, while opponents have created 22 and returned 101. Its 20 long gains have not become a regular supply of completed scoring possessions.
Malik Willis said “we’re going out there and competing”. Sunday's 15-10 loss was closer than the previous defeats, but the offense reached threatening territory only twice and lost a fumble. A 53-yard run supplied a shortcut to one scoring chance; the ordinary progress remained weakest in the league's season window. Four sacks were welcome after none in the first three games, though a defense allowing useful gains on 48.0 percent of season plays has more to prove. Competition has become visible. Sustained offense has not.
After opponent punts or failed fourth downs, Dolphins possessions have begun at their own 20.2, on average, across 11 competitive drives. The weekly average has varied widely, from their own 15.3 to their own 27.2. The latest game averaged their own 27.2. The resulting possession started at midfield or closer to the end zone in 0 of those 11 cases. These are actual starting spots, including punt returns, rather than a measure of the defense alone. The return unit has added 24 punt-return yards over the season. Pre-snap changes before the first run or pass affected 1 of these drives; those changes are excluded from the listed starting spots. Starts following turnovers are counted separately: 3 competitive possessions at their opponent 49.7 on average.
Upcoming matchups
| Date / time | Sport | Matchup | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-11 12:00 PM CT | NFL | Cincinnati Bengals @ Miami DolphinsStats & matchup analysis → | Scheduled |
| 2026-10-25 12:00 PM CT | NFL | Miami Dolphins @ New York JetsStats & matchup analysis → | Scheduled |
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