The Indianapolis Colts may be the Miami Dolphins' second win of the season, but after the Malik Willis injury news, everything is now up in the air. The Dolphins were in a good position, as they have one of the rising defenses in the league and an offense that has started to click...a little.
On Tuesday, the NFL trade deadline came and went. The Dolphins held firm; the Colts did not. That changed some of the makeup for this week. But neither side of the ball nor either side of the field is going to look like it did in Week 9.
Who has the edge now? When the Colts began sending players out of Indy, the Dolphins seemed ready to roll to victory number two. Now, who knows?
The Miami Dolphins offense and defense took major hits ahead of their Week 10 trip to Indianapolis
We can't answer the question above because we don't know how these changes on either team will affect the outcome. Here is what transpired over the last 24 hours.
Zach Sieler out for the year
The Dolphins had no choice but to place their top defensive tackle on injured reserve. Sieler suffered a torn bicep on the first play of Week 9. The fact that he played through the pain is incredible, but now he will have surgery and sit out the season on a five- to six-month recovery schedule. At least he will be back next season.
Colts trade WR Joshua Downs and Keenan Allen
The Dolphins' WR unit may be young, but who is going to catch passes for the Colts this weekend? The only two receivers who have extensive experience are former Dolphins WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Laguon Treadwell. On Tuesday, the Colts traded Allen to the 49ers and Downs to the Chiefs.
Malik Willis' groin injury was worse than expected
Willis won't just miss this week; he will miss the next four. This is where the game may shift in favor of the Colts. Without Willis, there are no expectations for a running quarterback. The Dolphins were reliant on Willis winning with his legs as much as his arm. Despite his up-and-down season thus far, he was still the best QB the Dolphins had on the roster.
Kyle McCord to get his first NFL start
Another weight added to the scales. McCord has never thrown a regular-season pass and has never taken a snap in an NFL game. Preseason is his claim to fame. A 6th-round pick of the Eagles in 2025, McCord spent a minimal amount of time with the Packers last offseason. On Sunday, he gets a trial by fire.
Jonathan Taylor trade falls flat
All the talk of a trade involving Taylor died a slow death on Tuesday. The Dolphins will not only have to face one of the best running backs in the league, but they will do so without Sieler plugging the middle of the field. The Dolphins are going to find out how valuable Sieler is to the defense.
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