The Miami Dolphins’ record hasn’t changed but something else clearly did in Week 3
The Miami Dolphins kept it close for 57 minutes against Kansas City before falling 24-10. The growing pains are real, but so is the improvement.
The Miami Dolphins are officially 0-3 after a 24-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3. The score doesn’t tell the whole story, though. Miami gave Kansas City a genuine workout, keeping the game within one score for 57 minutes of game clock before the Chiefs put Miami on ice.
For a young Dolphins team that spent the vast majority of its first two games trailing early and by multiple scores, it’s a new moral victory to digest after the Dolphins’ latest game.
The Miami Dolphins showed signs of growth at home against the Kansas City Chiefs
Moral victories will have to do yet again. That’s the reality for a rebuilding Miami Dolphins roster. But it’s hard to ignore what Jacob Rodriguez did in this game, along with an increased presence from a pass rush perspective. The defense showed legitimate fight, and the young talent on that side of the ball is starting to flash.
That said, the growing pains remain plentiful. Miami’s first sack of the season was wiped off the board because of an illegal contact downfield penalty by Michael Taaffe in the red zone. Those are the kind of penalties this team cannot afford. It was a 4-point mistake when it was all said and done. The Dolphins compounded the self-inflicted damage on the other side of the ball, too. An illegal shift negated a touchdown pass to Malik Washington because the offense wasn’t properly set before the snap. Another 4-point mistake, gone just like that.
Miami, of course, lost by 14. The penalties and mistakes are frustrating, but the trajectory still matters. This was a much more competitive football game than anything we’ve seen from the 2026 Dolphins to this point. And the expectation should be that Miami will continue to play more and more competitive football as these young players develop. The wins aren’t here yet. But the signs that they’re coming? Those showed up in Week 3.
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