Episode 602: What’s In Store for the Rest of 2025 Season?

Episode 602: What’s In Store for the Rest of 2025 Season?

And we are off. Welcome back gang. It is Friday. Friday uh November 21st, 2025. Joined once again by Ken Lava. Do I have to give all his titles? No. He is the one and only Ken Law. If you don’t know who he is by now, that’s on you. Not Ken Le KLV. How are you, bud? I’m good. I’m good. Getting ready for Thanksgiving. By the way, since I’m likely not going to uh talk again before Thanksgiving, to all of the fine folks who are tuned in, happy Thanksgiving to all of you and may your relationships with your relatives survive this coming Thursday. Okay, we will not the 10 foot pole. Yes, we we all know what we’re talking about in certain situations, but regardless, we’re going to talk about the Dolphins who are now at the buy. What to look for? Title of the episode is what to expect the rest of the 2025 season. I want to start off with a little anecdote. And before I do the quick spiel, please like, subscribe, comment, share, all that good stuff. Be respectful in the comments. Really not that difficult. Uh get the podcast wherever if you prefer the audio version wherever you get your audio podcasts and check out the free written content at Miami Dolphins onsi.com. So last night, Thursday night, before I watched um the first two the last two plus quarters of the Thursday night game between Buffalo and Houston, I was playing my usual Thursday night tennis. And during the festivities, one of the participants made the point of like you look at this at the NFL like every year like you got a team come from nowhere to accomplish really good things. Like this year it’s Indianapolis and New England. Why can’t it ever be the Dolphins? And I was like, “Go ahead, Ken. Explain to the good folks why can’t it ever be the Dolphins?” Because it was the Dolphins in 2008 making the greatest turnaround in the history of the sport. And so they blew all that equity on that season, never to regain that again because of football karma. That’s why. There you go. Yep. Yep. I I also think, listen, the indie one is as shocking as I can remember. Honestly, like Daniel Jones was washed and used and rinsed and tossed to the curb. He was a laughingstock in New York. He was abandoned by Brian Dable of all coaches. And uh was brought in. And when when he was named starter over Anthony Richardson, I flat out said multiple times on national radio, well that right there, that’s indicative of how big a failure the Anthony Richardson experiment has been in Indianapolis. If Daniel Jones can can can beat him for the starting quarterback spot, the Colts are leg. It’s not a fluke anymore. It’s not like it was a hot first month of the season. It is a defense that has steadily gotten better, but a quarterback who not only has been level, but has gotten better and has been downright effective to now you really have to game plan for him type of of quarterback, but also the running game is absurd and extreme. And it does show you that a run game really sort of we’re evolving back poop. like this. We’ve talked about how much of this is a quarterback league and we know it’s a quarterback league and and that’s that’s not going to change. But I do think that the the the strength or the importance of the running game and having an elite running back is starting to seep back into the conversation. It was about four or five years ago where it was, oh, you can throw anyone back there and it’s fine. But I don’t know, you’ve got an elite Pro Bowl back in Indianapolis. The Dolphins have maybe top to bottom their their best running back since I don’t know, Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, from from just a pure skill set, everything in the toolbox. I do think that matters and the Colts are showing that though that some of the league starting to catch up to the elite quarterbacking and you better have a a good talented bulk runner or you’re going to struggle. Okay, except this is where I’m going to push back. And to me, if nothing else, this season is showing that there are whole lot of different ways to accomplish your goal. I’m not going to say skin a cat because I’m a cat lover and that’s that’s rude. Uh, so I’ll just say to accomplish your goal and have success in the NFL because if you look at Denver, it’s not like they their running game is not very good. Bonix is very good in the fourth quarter. Outside of that, he’s extraordinary. That offense isn’t very good. Yeah. No, they’re winning because their defense is really, really, really good. Uh, then you look at the Colts who I would say are solid everywhere and they do have a hellacious running game. And then you look at New England. New England’s winning prime more than anything else because Drake May has been balling up like crazy. So, there are a lot of different ways to get things done, which I guess it good news for the Dolphins in terms of establishing um some success. They do have the great running back. Um they don’t necessarily have the other elements and this is what they need to strive to get at some point. And there’s also the other part of it. I think there’s some folks who would also give you why why can it ever be the Dolphins would give you the karma of the old This is goes way back. Well, they had the perfect season. Nobody else has done it. What more do you want? That was the price they paid for it. Yeah. I I also think just based off of of how you laid out different ways to do it. um having the guts to make a tough decision and do something that maybe flies in the face of an important franchise decision from previous years. Shane Stiken, he he brings Daniel Jones in. Daniel Jones is I mean again like we said he’s a laughingstock. You have your prized freak mutant top five pick quarterback that is healthy. And now you’re trying to finally realize franchise QB potential. And Shane Stiken did not give into we got to play him. We got to force it cuz this is our guy. And he went with Daniel Jones and now it’s paying dividends. Listen, the the Patriots Pat the Patriots brought in an elite head coach and they started to reconstruct a roster in his vision. What Mike Vrabel was looking and what he needed to prioritize. Meanwhile, with the Dolphins, what has happened? You brought in Mike McDaniel. There was the marriage with Tua that started to go stale. There has not been any attempt to maybe reinforce that quarterback room. Certainly, they didn’t do anything to improve the defense. There’s been turnover in that defensive on that defensive coaching side the last three, four years, and there’s been a lack of consistency there. I think that matters as well. And I’m not trying to bag on Mike McDaniel. He’s got his own concerns. He’s got his own issues, but I do think that there’s got to be from top to bottom an agreeance. There has to be communication and there needs to be um some sort of consistency where, hey, we’re going to commit to this. We’re going to make the tough franchise decision. The Dolphins have not made a tough franchise decision at the quarterback spot with an often injured quarterback who has been inconsistent because they haven’t given themselves the chance to. And I think that’s a difference maker as well. Uh yeah, they this is this is a franchise that’s been averse to quarterback competitions for a while now and that doesn’t help. But again, there’s a lot of ways to achieve the success. Um, so the Dolphins now heading into their buy. They’re on a two-game winning streak, their first one of the season. Uh, modest as it might be, but it’s better than if they were heading into the buy on a six-game losing streak. So, what’s the level of optimism from Ken Levika that the Dolphins, I hate to use the term, maybe make a little run, perhaps get themselves legitimately into the in the hunt pictures because I saw a graphic. I didn’t see it myself. Um, but somebody took a screenshot of them showing up on the in the hunt uh group. The the Amazon Prime broadcast did not have them in the in the hunt group last night. So what say you can love about your level of confidence that especially since they’re playing New Orleans and the Jets in the next two games that maybe we’re looking at a little bit of a run. Speaking of the Amazon broadcast, uh one, that game was horrendous last night. Two, uh the Bills are broken. Josh Allen, according to NextGen, uh had the the third most total yards run of any player in a Bills uniform last night. Uh that’s not good. uh for your franchise quarterback who also went out with what looked like a terrifying injury at first uh last night and does everything I’m sorry Ken let me let me stop you because I I never saw anything um because it looked to me to quote the great Paul Maurice that he may have had a contusion of the testicular variety. Was that what it came out to be? Uh, I it was either that or he just flat out had the wind knocked out of him and he was struggling big time because he fell on the ball. It could have definitely been some sort of package problem. Yes. The way and not even caused by Christian Wilkins. Whoops. Did I Whoops. Did I say that? Yeah. There was no grabbing involved uh in this spot. Yes. The way he was kicking his legs to me. I don’t know that it indicated so much. I got the wind knocked out of me as opposed to somebody hit me in the nether nether region. I don’t know about you though, anytime that there has been with me uh inexperience in that that region, kicking the legs is not something I do. I more turtle and then there’s a Yeah, more turtling than leg kicking. So, I don’t know. It could be maybe he handles it different, but that’s just my personal experience. Um, but does everything always have Does everything always have to be music related, concert related with these broadcast teams? Like the Carrie Underwood uh NFL theme on NBC Sunday Night Football is dreadful. I mean, just awful because they ripped it off for Monday Night Football. Uh, and then Amazon, you’ve got that awkward commercial they have where they’re all on a stage and they’re a concert, a country concert and they’re all sort of moving their bodies. It’s corny. It’s stupid. And that studio crew tries way too hard. Way too hard. I’m looking at you, Ryan Fitzpatrick. Anyways, um No, I love I love the dude. So, I I don’t know. I can’t I can’t No, good dude. Just trying a little too much. We get it, man. You take off your shirt in the cold. Um him and Pat McAfee are like copying one another right now. Um but yeah, they weren’t on the in the hunt graphic last night, right? But I mean, I I think that because things are still pretty open in the AFC. Yeah, they’re going to show up in the the the in the hunt. They’re they’re going to beat the Saints coming off the buy. The The Saints are I I I forgot about the Saints like 3 weeks into training camp cuz I heard absolutely nothing from Saints training camp and that is half into the season. They are maybe the most unremarkable team in the entire sport right now. The Dolphins are going to beat them. You know what game is annoyingly scary on the schedule and maybe I’m traumatized from last year, but going to play the Jets? There is just a proper amount of chaos there and they’ve at least tasted winning finally. I I don’t I don’t love that game. But if the Dolphins do win those next two, they’re absolutely going to be in the hunt. But I would caution people, and I’m not trying to be a wet blanket. I’m not trying to throw cold water on the proceedings because it’s the holidays. I want to be forthcoming with love uh for all of you, but this is not a playoff team. And if you think this is a playoff team, then you’re delusional and you probably should go see a medical professional for that. So enjoy some competent football, at least the feel of winning, but come on. Like this is this is not a playoff team. The Dolphins are the third best team in this division. And take it for what it is, but also keeping in mind, you’re not going to be playing for draft position either. Uh you’re you’re going to have to find your own joy. to quote Jimmy Butler uh wi with with the rest of this Dolphin season. Was that too negative? Like I’m trying not to be negative here. Yeah. No. No. I mean, no crap, sir. Thanks a lot, Debbie. Debbie Downer. I mean, holy moly. And for me, it’s like no, they they’re like the chances they make the playoffs are microscopic. I totally get that. But again, after the season ends, you’re going to have four months of talk about the draft and what the Dolphins should do. They’re and and postmortems. autopsies what the organization should do. We’re in the middle of the football season. If the Dolphins can make a little run and make themselves at least relevant and at least show up in the in the hunt category, is that not preferable to like, oh, let’s play for the number five pick instead of the number 12 pick? I mean, seriously, if the Dolphins go into the final month with a a relatively realistic percentage of of going to the playoffs, I’m talking, I don’t know, above 20%. Uh, I’m just spitballing a number here. Isn’t that at or above what we potentially thought this would be this Dolphins season before the the year started because we were down on them? uh you had jettisoned a lot of your defensive talent. There were massive questions about the offensive line. You don’t love the Tua situation. You don’t love the tenuous coaching situation. A lot of negativity surrounding it. And if the Dolphins go into the final month, and after how they started, they’ve rallied to a point where there’s a little bit of belief. I I’m I’m playing long game here and nobody wants to hear it and I totally understand that. But it at least makes you think, man, if they overcame that last year, if they with a new front office, which we’ve been desperately seeking now for a number of seasons can piece some things together, why couldn’t you Colts it? I don’t know. I I I’m willing to put myself in that headsp space if the Dolphins can at least look competent through the the final two months of the season. I I hear what you’re saying. The the two differences are is the Colts last year finished eight and nine with really shoddy quarterbacking play from Anthony Richardson and then you had Joe Flacco who was kind of uneven a little bit. That’s number one. Number two, the problem is it’s the second year in a row where the Dolphins, you know, are showing fight in the second half of the season after basically their fate was sealed with a horrendous start. So, somebody would suggest, why would it be any different than 2026? It’s the same crap all over again. Sure, but can’t the Dolphins finish 8 and N with mediocre quarterback play? I I feel like that’s that’s a a same type of situation. Now, the difference is they’re not going to go and pick up a rehab quarterback. And I’m trying to think who that would be in in this scenario. I don’t know. Uh someone who’s I don’t know. like there’s no similar Daniel Jones uh this this year, but the point remains like they’re not going to go out and pick up a quarterback basically off the scrap heap and put him in a competition with Tua. But my point is 8 and N certainly viable with uh average quarterback play, questions at the quarterback position and questions defensively. The Colts defensive front sucked last year. The Colts defensive front to start this season was poor. But former FAU head football coach Charlie Partridge, now defensive line coach with Indianapolis, has helped shore that up a little bit. The pass rush has been better. All I’m saying, and maybe I’m being too optimistic, uh maybe there’s too much holiday cheer already, but I I at least can see that being a little bit of a roadmap for this team, but it’s all contingent on what happens the next five weeks or so. No, I I I agree to to that to a I agree to a certain degree because I to me I thought the Baltimore the Baltimore Whoa, somebody somebody’s going way back in time here. The Colts roster, Indianapolis Colts used to be the Baltimore Colts for those who don’t get the slip. um to me had a pretty solid roster and they had injuries up to Wazu along along the interior of the defensive line including the Forest Buckner who’s a very good player and I know here comes the Dolph some Dolphin fans going like yes the Dolphins have injuries. Yes, absolutely without question. My point here is I think that the Colts roster last year is better than the Colts the Dolphins roster this year. Although Dolphins roster is better than some of the national talking heads were saying after the Dolphins fell to two and seven uh or one and six, one of those two. Um are you almost but you’re not at the point you you’re one of those you want to see a run. You are not in the camp of I I hope they lose as many games as possible to get the highest draft pick. No, I this is so annoying of me because I’m reactionary and I’m neurotic and twitchy and uh I I’m willing though to to play the long game here. What I want to see is comp confidence from a coaching standpoint, from a continued evolution of an HN, continued evolution of what we’re starting to see with the with the secondary that’s starting to find its legs a little bit. It’s still leaky. It’s still inconsistent, but it at least it’s becoming more impactful. I want to see an offensive line that dare I say is beginning is starting. It’s not perfect by any stretch, but it is at least formidable enough where they’re competing and uh especially when it comes to the the the run blocking like there’s something there. At least have that seep into the off season and set a base for next year. And again with a new front office that makes me feel good because I know it’s not hopefully not going to be status quo. There’s going to be new mindset in acquisition. There’s going to be some work trying to get yourself out of salary cap hell. Trying. I know it’s going to be tricky, but trying. But yeah, I don’t have any delusions of grandeur that this year is going to turn into a a playoff appearance. And even if it did, the small modum of a chance, it would be a smackdown right away. You cannot put yourself in that spot. You just can’t. But I am against my own internal advice willing to set the base for 2026. Is there really a team though in the AFC that would provide a smackdown that because I don’t see a team out there without a significant flaw. Buffalo is not uh the team that they’ve been the past few years. And by the way, pardon me for the getting all choked up here. emotional. For those complaining about the Dolphins off Dolphins offensive line, which has been pretty good the last few weeks or at the very least certainly respectable, uh, hope you checked the Bills offensive line last night because they got smoked by the Houston Texans defense, which by the way is very, very, very good. Excellent. And coordinated and the play calling now done by former Dolphins DC Matt Burke, who was one of my favorites in terms of an assistant. extremely extremely interesting guy with like all sorts of he would take the the the most exotic trips every offseason. Um super smart guy very very anyway like I like the guy a lot and happy for his success over there but you saw Bill’s offensive line got really handled. Now on top of that not that it pertains to the Dolphins but it explains in part their issues. People over there are going nuts. The play calling was completely brutal. Um the they have like a a fourth and one in in the early fourth quarter. This is they ran the ball to James Cook five straight times. The last one they give him a handoff three yards deep into the back field and he had zero chance. Weird play call. And then the the last drive of the game they had a third and one. Um, and then they they attempted that that swing pass, which they, by the way, Dolphin fans are sick of those little wide receiver screens. Watch a number of times Josh Allen takes a snap, turns over, and then throws to to Shakir. Yeah. At the line of scrimmage, they do that non-stop. Well, that one got batted down and they love themselves in the fourth and one and then false start on the Dawkins and then and then in completion. Anyway, the Bills have their issues. Baltimore is not as good as we thought they were. Even though they handled the Dolphins by 22 points, as I’ve said many times before, Dolphins outplayed them in the first half and were down 14 to six because they were some operation. Yeah, Denver has doesn’t have a very good offense. Casey’s five and five. New England, while it’s a great story, if you’re you just don’t know yet. you you you just but what I will say like you’re right there’s no overwhelming favorite in the AFC but if the Dolphins who were at their highest power in this era uh three years ago and two years ago couldn’t find a way to win their division to get themselves in a spot to host a playoff game and were relegated to cold weather games and couldn’t muster a victory out of that. this version of the Dolphins sure as hell is not going to host a playoff game and surely is not going to go on the road and win. But to your point, we’re almost they almost did a Buffalo with Skyler Thompson the quarterback. They No, you’re right. You’re right. But I I don’t think this is the same Dolphins team. I don’t think it’s the same type of defense of that Dolphins team. Uh pretty much everything across the board. Now, to speak to your point though about the Middlean Chiefs and the Ravens who are on the come up a bit but don’t look nearly as potent, the Patriots, you just don’t know. The Broncos who don’t have an offense. Uh and and you go from there. The Steelers, does anybody think with that age they’re actually going to be capable of of making their way to the Super Bowl? I don’t know. You don’t trust the Chargers. That was embarrassing last weekend. But it speaks to back to what I was discussing the long game. You can make significant offseason without overhauling everything, without going into a rebuild. If you’re savvy enough, you can put the Dolphins back into a position to compete in an AFC that in one off season is not all of a sudden going to see the Chiefs become superpowers again. Ain’t getting any younger. The Bills reclaim their former competitive glory. Ain’t getting any younger. And it looks like that championship window might be closing a little bit. The Ravens who have had their opportunities and maybe that’s starting to fizzle a little bit. You have one competent off season where you fill some holes. You don’t break the bank to do it. There is potentially something there. And we’ve seen the spark the last couple of weeks. And I don’t want to be this this overtly optimistic, unrealistic doofus when it comes to talking Dolphins, but that’s the way I see this. Yeah. No, I correct because back to the original point, there’s not one team right now that’s like that that’s a scary team where even moving into next year, it could change again. The fact that Indianapolis didn’t come out of nowhere kind of sort of they were at nine last year and then New England certainly would give up hope. going back to what’s where we’re looking for the rest of the way this season. Um I’m not as worried about the Jets as you are because again I now their defense which used to be could be pesky having traded away Gardner and Quinnon Williams it’s pretty bad. Um the reason why I don’t the biggest reason why I don’t see a run for the Dolphins because offensively I think they have the formula that can be effective the way they’ve run the ball recently. Darren Waller’s going to come back. He brings you another dimension to the passing game along with Jaylen Wadd. So I think the offense can be effective. Defensively though, the last two games the problem is is yeah, they held Buffalo and Washington to 13 points. They gave up a good amount of yardage and they thrived on takeaways. That generally speaking is not sustainable. Um yeah, that’s why I can’t see a long road run, I should say. I was discouraged by the trouble generating yardage against Washington because that defense is is not good. It is by any metric just horrendous. And the Dolphins really had problems, but they had issues in short yardage situations. They had problems uh in ideal. I guess them getting into scoring situations was not an overly concerning problem against Washington, but it was finally coming through with a a first down conversion or converting for points. I know that you’ve covered it exhaustively during the course of the week, but the the decision not to take the lead and Washington who did not have the clock in their favor, did not have the timeouts in their favor, giving them a a great opportunity to potentially win the game. That was just off. That was really, really bizarre the way that that turned out. That’s going to have to improve it because in games like that, like Wadd was dropping passes all over the place, being inconsistent. Jaylen Waddle, you’re now wide receiver one. HN’s only the the only real consistent uh yards eater that you have. I just there’s too many inconsistencies, but again, you see the flashes and it leaves you it leaves you longing for more because you you see it there and you were talking poop about the defensive front especially for the Dolphins. It has been improved and it’s been lively and it has been effective. I wish Dolphins fans would stop whining and complaining about Jaylen Phillips uh proclaiming that the trade to the Eagles was the best thing that ever happened to him because wouldn’t you agree that that would be the best thing for his football career that’s ever happened to him? He’s appreciative of the Dolphins and they gave him the opportunity to make himself attractive to the Eagles. He didn’t request a trade. He didn’t uh put his foot on the neck of the front offense and say I want out. They decided him to trade him. They decided to trade him to Philadelphia and it could earn him a ring. Of course, that’s a great thing for him and he’s come in and he has performed right away. Wouldn’t you feel great if you were him? I know I would in that spot. No, without question. I wrote about that on Miami Dolphins onsi.com where you could have checked it out for free that it’s completely absurd. It’s not a shot at the Dolphins or at their fan whatever. Again, on top of that, even if that weren’t totally the case, it’s a player going to a different, for example, if you guys, for those not aware of this, and you should be aware of this if you’re not, shame on you. Ken is the the voice for Florida Atlantic University athletics. If a player transfers to FAU, what’s he going to do? He’s going to sing the praises of the program and all that. That doesn’t mean he thinks the the previous place he played is crap. Well, an even more apt comparison, I mean, listen, FAU basketball went to the Final Four 2023. Elisha Martin was one of the key components of the Florida Gator National Championship run last year, who was FAU’s second leading scoreer that season, and we and Bokeh felt nothing but gratitude and and and great feeling for Elijah Martin winning the national championship. So, don’t be a jilted lover when that person still loves you. Just think of it more as an open relationship. Okay. And uh in the line from the Godfather for those for the older fans of the podcast and I salute you. Um tell was it tell tell Mike it wasn’t personal strictly business. That’s right. That’s right. That’s what this is. Um correct. There’s no shot. And the other part of it too is let’s also forget the fact that he can play on the Super Bowl too for for his career with all the respect in the world to Zack Zaylor, Jordan Phillips, Kenneth Grant, Matthew Butler, Zeke Biggers. He’s playing alongside Jaylen Carter and J and Jordan Davis who are both top 15 picks in the NFL draft. Yeah. And they were there for a reason. By the way, Jordan Jordan Davis picked 15th overall in 2022 with a selection the Eagles obtained from the Dolphins, which is when when they did that 3 to 12 to six move. Um, which I’m on the record for not liking one bit. I love the 3 to 12 to get pick up two extra first round picks to move down three to 12. Sign me up. Uh, but moving 12 to six to surrender one of those extra ones you got. Yeah. No. Especially in a year where the 12th overall pick was Michael Parsons. Yeah. No. No. Anyway, we digress. Um, last one for you. Which player are you most intrigued about for the final six games of the regular season? How’s that for a question out of left field? This is going to be this is going to come off weird, but uh what you just asked is something I was thinking about Sunday cuz I I hate him then I love him and hating like a he drives me crazy on the field, not hate like I despise the human being that he is. Got it. I Jack Jones is is really really intriguing both good and bad to me because he will make bonehead plays where he’s grabbing and reaching and committing defensive holds and pass interference and then he throws his hands in the air and complains as if he didn’t have a handful of jersey and he wasn’t beaten by a first step or he has to try and make a miracle recovery. But then he comes up with he’s a good tackler. He comes up with timely plays like the interception. He is a a presence there that is improving. Jack Jones from the first five weeks of the year to like what we’re seeing him now. It’s it’s not night and day, but it’s better. And he’s been a big part of the reason I think why that group has started to meld together a little bit, why it has been a little bit more effective. And I know that’s totally random and I know that’s on the periphery of probably most Dolphins fans minds, but I I am very curious about Jack Jones and potentially being someone to lean on for multiple years. And just because he got paid last off season, same side of the ball, Zack Cer, there’s no doubt he has had an underwhelming year. He definitely hasn’t. It it it doesn’t help not having Clayas Campbell right next to you or Christian Williams right next to you like he has. Yeah. So, I just I I want to see more from Zack Cer. Um because I think he’s capable and I know he got paid. I know he’s not in the most ideal situation, but he’s intriguing to me because if he can continue to pick up play and has been better, he’s you’ve seen that pop a little bit more, I think that’s only going to mean good things for the Dolphins. No, without question, I’m going to look it up here real quickly as seamlessly as I can while still talking. Um, that Jack Jones has a has a very very high ceiling. When he’s good, he’s really really good and he can be he’s 27 years old and I I still think there there’s more to his game. I think he can bring it up and I’m with Is that a weird place to go, Jack Jones? Like I know it’s totally random, but I think about him. This is going to sound weird. I think about him often because I spent the first five weeks just like looking at my wife saying I I cannot stand Jack Jones and then he does something where he brings me right back on board. Like there’s something there with him. Yeah. Oh, big time. Big time. And I I do think he’s somebody who eventually the Dolphins should try to make an effort to resign in 2026. However the front office shakes out, Mike McDaniel situation shakes out. Uh but there there are there are other guys. I mean, Jonah obviously be great to see like steady, you know, improvement through the final six weeks of the regular season. Be nice to see Tua show consistency down the stretch as well. Um, I I just don’t know if that’s going to be able to happen. Like I I don’t know. I hat You’re a hater. I’m not I’m not a hater and I still like Tua. I’m still a fan of of to a bud. I the ship has sailed on me just hoping that consistency is going to come because I I can’t I haven’t seen it in an awful long time. And this is Devon’s offense now. It it’s no longer Tua may have the keys, but he’s tossing them Devon Han before they get in the car. That’s what this has turned into. No, no, without question. And what the Dolphins do with Devon Chan is something else for another discussion for another day because guess what? His contract’s up. No, his contract’s not up. I’m sorry. But he’s eligible for a contract extension after the 2025 season. And again, don’t think for a millisecond his agent’s not going to be on the phone with the Dolphins. Oh, what? 20 minutes after the the last game of the season. I smell threatened. Hold out. Exactly. That is that is 100%. Uh oh. Sorry. Yes. Hold in. He wants to get paid. Yeah. Exactly. But he’s not I I he doesn’t strike me as a type of guy like somebody else, a former quarterback on the Dolphin roster who had a hamstring injury that was threatening his availability for the 2024 season opener that miraculously recovered and allowed him to play in the opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. I I But he still didn’t deserve to be spat on. No. No. And and the the fact that I mean Jaylen Ramsay right away saying I got spit on and then it gets lied about by the spitter. Oh, I didn’t spit. Even though there’s video evidence right there. It’s right there. It is a a large uh endoverend lugie that heads right inside the face mask of Jaylen Ramsay. That’s my best playbyplay uh that I’m going to be able to perform on here. Very descriptive. Um, but come on. Don’t don’t lie about that. You know why he lied? I’m sorry. The reason he lied I I am going to sus highly suspect is if he says in the locker room, “Yeah, I did it. So what?” or something like that or he deserved it. Whatever. Immediately there’s your suspension right there. If he says, “I didn’t do anything.” and there the video doesn’t show up even though it’s highly unlikely given it’s 2025 and there are cameras everywhere then he’s got plausible deniability and maybe he gets away with it. That’s the only thing I can think of because otherwise it’s a it’s a chicken bleep move to do in the first place and then to lie about it kind of doubles down on the the like where is the spitting stuff coming from? I know I’ve never even had the urge to spit on somebody. I know I’ve had many beefs in my life. Um I I I understand you don’t want to throw punches with a helmet on, but what happened to to a shove in the chest? What happened to trying to to rip somebody to the ground, take a 15 yard penalty there, but spitting in the face of somebody? I It’s just so uh it’s it’s immature. It is I mean, that’s toddler stuff. That’s I don’t know. I I just I’ve never been in that place before. It’s the ultimate disrespect. I can’t think other than an open hand slap of somebody, uh, I can’t think of of anything in the neighborhood as disrespectful as as spitting on somebody. How about doing a Bugs Bunny and taking off the glove and slapping the face with the glove? Yeah. I I mean I I do maintain uh at least and I’m just looking at this from a male perspective. Male to male, you open hand slap another male. I mean that is that is absolutely taking a shot at the manhood of the other participant, the recipient of that open open hand slap. I do think it at least lives in the same subdivision as spitting on somebody. Oh, it’s see to me I I think that’s worse. I I I I played hockey for many many years and I got into my share of little scuffles, skirmishes, kuruffles, whatever you want to call them. Never dawned on me for one time to to spit on somebody. It’s it’s it’s completely gross. Anyway, um on that lovely note, let’s Is there let’s let’s leave on a better note. Uh quick answer. the last six games of the Dolphin regular season. What game are you most looking forward to? Uh man, that is a great question actually. Uh I’m very curious to see the Dolphins go to Pittsburgh. I am, you know, there’s the Jaylen Ramsey component, but that Steelers team that is right now in the playoff picture, again, it’s old. It’s getting late in the season and I do think the Dolphins present a little bit of a tricky matchup for the Steelers simply because you’ve got a good run game and you’ve got some athletes that could give that that Steelers defense some problems. I just I think that’s a good opportunity for a real feel-good result there uh in Pittsburgh. And I will second what you said. That would be that would be my choice as well. So see that’s a better way to wrap it up. So gang, thanks so much for tuning in. Uh, he is Ken Levik, a voice of Florida Atlantic University Athletics, the voice of Inter Miami football team, ESPN radio talk show host. And I guess I have to do do this. When When is the Inter Miami’s next playoff game? Is it in February or March? It certainly feels like it’s going to be there. Uh, so it is this coming Sunday. Uh, that is the 23rd, 5:00 p. p.m. in Cincinnati, Eastern Conference semifinal. And because uh it’s that time of year, this is my sports talk radio background. Poop. What am I thankful for in sports? You a There you go. There we go. I wanted the hearts. Yeah. Animated. Burn himself a return appearance as a guest on the uh and to you as well. Right back at you, bud. You know how I feel about you. Uh everyone watching, you know the drill. Please like, comment, subscribe, share, all that good stuff. Written content for free. Miami Dolphins onsi.com. On that note, that’s it. But no Dolphins Collective Friday evening, 7:30m. Now, check your notifications. I only think we’ve settled on a time. It might be 600 p. p.m. Eastern time. Check your notifications with Dougl Defense Talk, Omar Kelly, and myself. As for Little Me, check your notifications. I’m thinking about doing a live podcast Sunday at 7:30 p.m. between the late afternoon games and the Sunday night games. So until then, have a good one everyone. Kenny, thanks as always. Thanks Poop.

Miami Dolphins on SI Publisher Alain Poupart (@PoupartNFL) is joined by ESPN Radio talk show host Ken LaVicka to discuss the Miami Dolphins’ outlook at the bye, discuss how quickly they could get back into contention, and more. Make sure to follow Alain on Twitter at @PoupartNFL and Blusky at @alainpoupart.bsky.social, and for more (free) Miami Dolphins content, visit Miami Dolphins on SI at si.com/nfl/dolphins.