3 signs of progress (and 2 warning signs) as Dolphins hit pivotal bye week

The Miami Dolphins are rolling into their Week 12 bye off two straight victories and a 3-1 stretch overall, but not all's peachy in paradise.

Yes, there are self-evident signs that the Dolphins are turning their season around after a 1-6 start. Whether it's too little, too late depends on what they can do during the bye to address some of their shortcomings, if that's even possible.

The good news, at least for one of the warning signs on this list, is that the fix seems very doable thanks to all the positives happening amid this Miami resurgence.

Where the Miami Dolphins are progressing and showing warning signs as the bye approaches

Progress: Mike McDaniel’s run schemes are taking off

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel prided himself on being a run game guru as he ascended through the ranks to land in Miami. Part of that is dependent upon having the right personnel to execute that vision.

Recently fired GM Chris Grier didn't supply McDaniel with a lot of resources on the offensive line to fit the system. The zone blocking scheme McDaniel digs most requires athletes in the trenches to pull it off. It also takes a while, even for capable units, to get on the same page where it becomes poetry in motion.

McDaniel's quick-strike passing game, triggered by Tua Tagovailoa, was struggling to shoulder the burden of a largely one-dimensional offense amid Miami's rough start. However, speedy tailback De'Von Achane is proving to be one of the elites at his position.

Achane has raced for 294 yards and two touchdowns in the past two wins over Buffalo and Washington. Explosive runs are starting to pop. The o-line looks more harmonious.

What a great time to get the rushing attack rolling as December football approaches, where the ability to pound the rock will be invaluable in cold-weather climates.

Warning sign: Offensive red zone execution

From late September to mid-October, the Dolphins' decision to bring Darren Waller out of retirement looked brilliant. They had a big-bodied red zone threat who scored four touchdowns in three games.

Unfortunately, injuries caught up to Waller again, as they did before his short-lived retirement. Miami should've blown Sunday's Madrid game against the Commanders open multiple times, yet couldn't execute short-yardage runs near the goal line.

Losing Tyreek Hill's short-area quickness has also hurt the cause for Miami's red zone. The subheading here is something of a pun, too. Because while the Fins are a top-five defensive unit in terms of red zone TD percentage allowed, the offense ranks 22nd, including an abysmal 22.22% success rate across the last three games.

It'll be interesting to see if the running game can continue to open up play-action opportunities in the tight red area, or if McDaniel lets Tua air it out a little more often on 3rd and 4th and short-goal to go.

I'm optimistic McDaniel can patch this problem up with a full week to mull it over.

Progress: Jaylen Waddle owning WR1 role

Hill's brutal injury gave Jaylen Waddle the chance to be the Dolphins' go-to wide receiver, but even before then, the Cheetah wasn't quite the elite playmaker he once was.

Despite seeing his target share drop and dealing with multiple injuries of his own since Hill's arrival, Waddle has stayed the course, is enjoying a healthy 2025 season, and is producing at a downright top-tier level. Just look at the advanced data below as proof.

Now, those numbers from Waddle took a bit of a hit in Week 11, when he logged 2.17 yards per route run by PFF's count. To be fair, that was more of a function of the run game working so well and a rather conservative pass plan.

Jaylen Waddle is a legitimate superstar who doesn't often earn that label due to how his time in Miami has played out and the lack of stability at quarterback. The next six games should prove just how dominant Waddle is and earn him some overdue, wider recognition.

Warning sign: Cole Strange’s performance

Pretty straightforward here. Grier notoriously stuck to his guns with dubious interior offensive linemen during his tenure, and that didn't change when the Dolphins signed former Patriots first-round pick Cole Strange to the active roster in September.

In Strange's defense, he had to learn a dense playbook on the fly and play a totally different style of football scheme-wise than he did in New England. Nevertheless, even though he has a torn patellar tendon injury in his past, he should still have the requisite athleticism to execute better in the trenches than he has thus far.

Perhaps the bye week can help Strange rest up and rally back to the form that made Bill Belichick believe he was worthy of a Day 1 draft selection once upon a time.

Strange has shown improvement in the last three games based on his PFF grades, but he' still 74th and 61st out of 78 qualifying guards in pass blocking and run blocking, respectively.

Progress: Public perception is shifting on Dolphins’ buy-in

Few head coaches in the NFL seem to go from the outhouse to the penthouse of public criticism than Mike McDaniel.

Many have questioned his ability to lead men. So much of a coach's success boils down to quarterback play. McDaniel has done nothing but elevate Tua since his arrival. Use any measure you like, it's the truth.

If not for Tua's multiple concussions, McDaniel's seat wouldn't be as hot. Now that the Dolphins have a full-time GM vacancy, as long as they nail that hire, the questions about Miami's buy-in to its head coach are likely to decrease in 2026 and beyond.

McDaniel has often said that players respect you most when you can help them as a coach. Given how well he's developed Tua and kept this locker room together with a 1-6 record, it bodes well for the rest of the season that the Fins can keep their run going and be in striking distance of the playoffs.