Dolphins’ defensive surge got a boost against the Jets, and the upward trend in two key spots suggests Miami’s breakout on that side will stick
A pair of standouts in Miami are playing like themselves again.
The Miami Dolphins‘ defense has been rolling in recent weeks. Their most recent showing, a 34-10 victory over the New York Jets, got a little extra boost as Miami’s divisional rival was forced to turn to a young, inexperienced quarterback in Brady Cook early in the game. The raw numbers for such a development would be what you’d expect. Cook finished the game with a passer rating of 35.8 after taking six sacks and throwing two interceptions against Miami.
The Dolphins will face stiffer opponents in the weeks to come. But as they do, the re-emergence of several members of their front seven as pass rush threats should be a major boost to trying to sustain their leap in play.
Dolphins’ Chop Robinson, Zach Sieler appear to be returning to form
Dolphins second-year pass rusher Chop Robinson was one of the team’s biggest disappointments of the first half of the 2025 season. After logging more than 50 pressures as a rookie, Robinson managed just one game with more than a single pressure in the first seven weeks of the season. But the troubling downturn appears to be mirroring Robinson’s rookie season. Omitting Miami’s Week 9 contest versus Baltimore, in which Robinson played just 5 snaps, Robinson has posted 11 pressures in his last four full games played, plus 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in his last two games against the Jets and Saints combined.
He’s not alone in turning a corner. Defensive tackle Zach Sieler was the recipient of Miami’s long big contract this offseason and he struggled mightily out of the blocks, too. Sieler, a veteran staple of Miami’s line, was charged with rallying a group of young rookies alongside him on Miami’s interior. And it showed. Sieler managed just two pressures in the first three games combined and just two tackles for loss in the first six weeks combined. Sieler has posted a tackle for loss in five of Miami’s last seven games and has 2.5 sacks, 3 QB hits, a fumble recovery and two tackles for loss in the last two weeks.
If Miami is going to sustain this defensive breakout, they’ll need these performances to be stable. The Dolphins will have a stationary opponent to rush this week upcoming with a date looming in Pittsburgh. Should they perform well in this contest, too, Miami could be finding themselves in a position of relevance for the AFC standings over the final three weeks.
Miami Dolphins pressure leaders since Week 8
- EDGE Bradley Chubb – 25 pressures
- IDL Zach Sieler – 13 pressures
- EDGE Chop Robinson – 11 pressures
- IDL Kenneth Grant – 10 pressures
Miami Dolphins News
The Dolphins appear to have avoided the absolute worst in one of the few negatives from Sunday’s 34-10 win over Jets
The Dolphins appear to have avoided the worst.
