8 immediate reactions to Dolphins brutal preseason loss to Commanders

The Miami Dolphins fanbase finally got their first chance to see what this new-look roster built by general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan looks like in a (sort of) real game. Plenty has been said about the lack of overall talent they possess, but you never truly know until the pads go on and a real opponent is on the other side.

Unfortunately, the haters won this round.

After a strong start to the game by the starting offense to grab a 7-0 lead, it was all downhill from there. Miami was outscored 20-0 the rest of the way, never really even threatening to score again with their backups. The defense did their best to keep them in it, but nothing seemed to work during the 20-7 loss. Still, it's only preseason, and the most important thing is what the fans and the coaching staff can take away from it.

Here are some immediate reactions from Miami's first game of the 2026 season.

Instant reactions to the Miami Dolphins' 20-7 loss to the Commanders aren't as bad as you think

1. Malik Willis looked the part as Miami's starting quarterback during his one and only drive of the game, taking the offense 93 yards on 14 plays for a touchdown courtesy of star running back De'Von Achane's one-yard touchdown. He was poised, accurate, and protected himself well on the two scrambles he had on the night. That's one box checked for the young passer.

2. Caleb Douglas only caught one pass in his Dolphins preseason debut, but he made it count. The one-handed, acrobatic catch continued his stellar play this offseason, and it shows why the Dolphins front office believed in his talent despite many calling the pick a reach.

3. The rest of the Dolphins QBs were, ummm...not as good as Willis in this game, to say the least. Backup Quinn Ewers completed just one pass in his eight attempts with an interception on a miscommunication with his receiver. Cam Miller didn't fare any better, completing just three of his eleven attempts for 39 yards and two interceptions. Everyone should be wishing for a healthy season for Willis.

4. The Dolphins' starting offensive line didn't disappoint in their relatively brief appearance Friday night. Jonah Savaiinaea and Kadyn Proctor looked great as the new guard duo, something that will be a necessity if the offense has any chance of surprising people in 2026.

5. The Dolphins' secondary had its rough moments, but they weren't as much of a disaster as they seemed to be during joint practice this week. Granted, Commanders star QB Jayden Daniels didn't play, and even backup Marcus Mariota left early due to a knee injury. But Washington only managed just 160 net passing yards on 27 attempts as a team. Not too shabby.

6. The run defense was a problem for Miami all night, with rookie running backs Kaytron "Fatman" Allen (no, really. That's his nickname) and Robert Henry Jr. rushing for a combined 160 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries. Allen wore down the backup defense all night, and Henry Jr. broke off a few chunk runs, including this 22-yard trip to the end zone.

7. Ollie Gordon came into the game seemingly losing ground to Jaylen Wright to be the first back off the bench when De'Von Achane needs a break, but he helped himself out with his performance. He carried the ball seven times for 39 yards, while Wright managed just 22 yards on six attempts. It's not going to completely flip the script for him, but maybe it's the start of a real battle for that role.

8. The Dolphins' depth edge players, including rookies Mason Reiger and Max Llewellyn, flashed some pass rush juice despite a rough overall day for the defense. Reiger had a sack, David Ojabo and Llewellyn combined for another one, and Cameron Goode also got to the QB for a 3-sack day for the backup defense. We will see how many of those four ultimately make the roster, but it was a decent start.

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