‘There’s nobody there!’ — NFL analyst does not hold back with scathing review of Dolphins’ defensive performance against the run

Tell us how you REALLY feel, Baldy!

Kyle Crabbs — NFL National Writer
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There’s teams that are struggling in certain phases of the game, and then there’s the 2025 Miami Dolphins against the run. Miami has been woeful in the box so far in 2025. And perhaps the most alarming piece of the puzzle is that it isn’t just one thing when you turn on the tape.

One of the best tape grinders in the business, Brian Baldinger, took a look at the Dolphins’ run defense from this past weekend against the Chargers. Four runs in particular — and he did not hold back.

Brian Baldinger doesn’t hold back on the Dolphins’ defense against the Chargers

“Look at this lineup right here…there’s nobody there. Here comes Zion Johnson right there with the trap, they pick up nine yards…look at this! Nobody’s setting the edge — Judon can’t let him outside. He knows that. You can’t let him get around that corner. Somebody’s got to set the edge. Another (one). 22 personnel here, you’ve got a fullback, you’ve got two tight ends. And here you go…there’s nobody in the gap. The run fits are terrible. 27 yards — I mean, he gained 100 yards in those four runs right there.”

— NFL analyst Brian Baldinger on the Dolphins’ run fits versus the Chargers

Miami Dolphins 2025 run defense by the numbers through Week 6

  • 1,011 rushing yards allowed (32nd in NFL)
  • 5.6 yards per carry allowed (30th in the NFL)
  • 6 rushing touchdowns allowed (21st in the NFL)

I feel like that exasperated Spongebob meme. Just all kinds of out of sorts. Sort of like the Dolphins’ run defense this year. Mike McDaniel, on Wednesday, said his defense’s unit was better than the week prior against Carolina. But with these kinds of massive issues still lying in the film, it creates some major concern on how much better this is going to get.

Not all of this is execution. Some of it is. But some of it is structural issues with bodies in the front. And the Dolphins have a lot of young players on their defense that are hoping to grow and develop into reliable starters. The issues at hand as outlined by Baldinger underscore that this not just an execution or talent issue.

And the Dolphins are running out of time to figure out what buttons they need to push to fix it.

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