5 things we learned the Miami Dolphins desperately need

Stopping the run remains a problem for the Miami Dolphins.

Christian Wilkins wasn’t on the field Sunday and his absence was noticed. Miami has some young guys at defensive tackle with Wilkins, Raekwon Davis, and Zach Sieler. Add to that Jason Strowbridge who saw action on Sunday and the Dolphins have a good base to build from but they still can’t stop the run and that is a problem.

On Sunday, the Dolphins once again faced an offensive line that knocked them off the line of scrimmage and controlled the trenches. While the Dolphins got a critical stop near the goal line on a fumble late in the game, the Dolphins defensive line is still allowing too many big runs that extend drives.

While the run game is a problem defensively, the Dolphins still need to put pressure on the quarterback from the front line and they are not getting that consistently. Most of the Dolphins pressure is coming from the zero-blitz packages or off the edge but the Dolphins need a bigger push from the interior defensive front. That would also help stop the opposing running back.

Stopping the run has been a problem for a few years now and while it is getting better, the defense needs to take a big step forward in that department.