Episode 576: What Now for the Dolphins?

Episode 576: What Now for the Dolphins?

And we’re off the obligatory signal that we are starting a new episode of the All Dolphins podcast. Delighted to be joined once again by so many things I don’t know where to start. The voice of FAU athletics, the voice of Inter Miami football club and ESPN radio talk show host and former Miami Dolphins beat reporter and good husband, good dad, and good all-around guy. Am I forgetting anything? Ken Leica is here joining us again. How are you, Ken? Oh, I I’m great and I appreciate all of the compliments you just gave me and I just want to let you know that I’m a huge fan of yours and I love you. A Well, I love you too, buddy. There it is. There’s the heart. Yeah, there we go. What you don’t love and before before we dive into it, as always, my reminder to please like, subscribe, comment, share, all that good stuff. Please check out the written content on Miami Dolphins onsi.com where I just posted a story, my analysis on how things have gone so far south for the Dolphins since this time two years ago. Do you realize two years ago the Dolphins were heading into a week seven game against the Philadelphia Eagles? They were at 5-1 fresh off a 42-21 win against the Carolina Panthers during which they scored 35 points. two years later at the same time of the season they’re one and five. Um, so I’m not going to go through the column. Please check it out Miami Dolphins onsai.com. But it is truly a very very disappointing state of affairs for the Dolphins. What did you make of this latest setback against the Chargers? I I I mean, we all kind of had a feeling what was going to happen after what the the Dolphins were hoping was a game-winning touchdown drive. You got Herberted. And listen, this defense, have they shown flashes of being stubborn at times the last couple of weeks? Yeah. But overall, it stinks. And I don’t want to I don’t I I don’t want to bag on pass rushers that have battled really serious injuries over the last few years and have really gutted it out to whether it’s Chob, whether it’s Phillips to be on the field, to be available after these these massive careering injuries. But if you’re Jaylen Phillips, you have to have to have to have to make that play. Pro Bowlers make that play. Players that get paid make that play. He didn’t make that play. And so it just it spoils what could have been. And now we find ourselves in the the muck again of Tua criticism and this Tua pylon universe that he brings on a lot of himself. It spoils. Another great performance by Hchan. And this team doesn’t make timely plays. This team doesn’t make winning plays. We had a feeling that was going to be the case. It’s been more frustrating because they’ve had opportunities to win and now the Bills are struggling and now you watch the Patriots who went through a little bit of a rebuild. Now they’re first place in the division and here you are at one and five and it’s just missed opportunity after missed opportunity. So, I mean, poop, it’s the same thing as like if you ask me, what do you make of the record and what did you make of the way the Chargers game went down? And again, it’s all completely predictable. You could give me three chances to write out what’s going to happen and I guarantee you one of those three chances, I would nail it. Yeah. And so, by the way, so for your biggest takeaway, if if I get this correctly, is that Jaylen Phillips has to make that play. Have to. You absolutely have to. There’s Yeah, sorry. I I I I had to pontificate a bit there, but yes, you have to make that play, especially after everything went right on that final Dolphins offensive possession except for going out of bounds on a a play to the sideline where you were able to g keep Jim Harbaugh with one time out there. But if you’re Jaylen Phillips, you pretty much make it a fairly moot point if you can come up with the sack in that situation. And you just didn’t. And he’s he’s too relied upon to completely whiff on something like that. And it wasn’t just a second down play that resulted in the 14 42 yard completion because on first down they actually had Dolphins had three guys around him on on first down and he somehow was able to just like push it away to be uh an incomplete pass. Here’s the thing is, and I’m not going to throw out his name because there’s nobody who’s listening to the All Dolphins podcast who’s going to get the reference, but I will say the gist. I grew up obviously watching the Montreal Canadians play hockey in the 1970s. They had this player who was a good skater. He played with good passers. He knew where to be. And every game he would hit two posts, he would miss an open net. It was chance after chance after chance and he’d finished the year with 12 goals. Um, but it’s like if he was a finisher, he’d wind up with 43. And this is what I’m saying. The whole season with Jaylen Phillips, like his pass rushing has been really, really good. I mean, he is getting into the backfield on a consistent basis. Dude has one sack, right? Well, you remember, I mean, poop, you and I had the same conversation for the first eight weeks of last year with Chop Robinson. He was doing everything but bring the quarterback down. He was in the back field constantly, but that’s only one part of the equation. And Jaylen Phillips is going through something a little bit similar here to start the year. It’s And you you don’t want to just single him out cuz there were plenty of mistakes in this game, but the margins are so thin for this team. Like look at the Bears. The margins have been very thin for them and they have found ways to come out on the other side more often than not. The Buccaneers, Baker Mayfield is a is an MVP candidate, but their margins have been thin, but they execute when the time comes to do so, and the Dolphins just have not done that. Yeah. And it’s it’s always one thing. It’s like they’ve perfected the art of of losing games. It’s almost not quite to the extreme, but there used to be this thing called the Chargers chargering before Jim Harbaugh showed up. But they were more exotic. I mean, when I think when and was it Anthony Lynn and Brandon Sy were the head coaches. I mean, it was truly truly something to behold. Um, and now it doesn’t happen. And again, I made this point here. If you recall the game-winning field goal, it’s a bad snap where 70% of the time that ball’s on the ground or completely through the hands and then somehow the punter who did didn’t do a very good job punting the ball. Again, the Dolphins had the edge in punting, Jack Jake Bailey, by the way, completely balling out, but that’s a different story. And that grand scheme, I think, doesn’t matter enough. But my point is it’s the type of season the Dolphins are having where the guy makes the great play on the on the hold. Uh where if you’re if it’s I hate to say this, but it’s my CFS acting up. If it’s the Chiefs, you know he’s dropping the snap. Oh, for sure. For sure. I mean, it is it’s never a good idea to have the on a game-winning field goal attempt to have the ball snap to the back shoulder of uh the holder and somehow I mean I had the same exact thought in real time and then I saw what you put out there. We were on the same wavelength. That is just the way that this this season is going. I I know nobody wants to hear it. I’m actually I’m not encouraged because there’s the season’s done. There’s no coming back from this. Okay. But the Dolphins have overcome a peacemeal roster. Yes, injuries have hurt, but al especially on the back end of the defense, you were not given a lot to succeed with. And the Dolphins have been wildly competitive outside of week number one. And this is what what hurts the most. There were no playoff aspirations or at least deep into the playoffs with this team, but you conceivably should be five and one right now. Like, think about it. You’re one or you’re you’re one or two plays each game away from five and one. And then we’re having a completely different conversation about, oh, look at these guys. They’re executing to the right moment, overcoming all the odds, surprise to the NFL. And instead, uh, it looks like new eras are are going to be wrought upon this franchise. I think. Yeah. But even forget five and one because that’s the the the the complete top. Yeah. Even three and three. Yeah. Three and three. You’re in the thick of it because again there’s like not a great team right now. The best team the team with the best record in the AFC is the Colts. And I I said this before the season started. The Colts are going to be going to be a lot better than people think. I I certainly didn’t see Daniel Jones playing the way he is because he’s another one uh who’s an MVP candidate. And who could have seen that coming? Nobody. Uh yeah, but I want to make one point about the Colts, too. Um I I this has nothing to do with on the field, but before the game, Anthony Richardson uh suffered an orbital fracture uh with a workout band that apparently snapped back in him in the eye. Yep. We can all have a giggle, a good giggle about that. But I will tell you, I have firsthand experience that did not result in an orbital bone fracture, but was damn close. I was on a cruise a year ago and you know when you’re on a cruise and you like to take care of your body like yours truly, you find some alternate ways to get a good workout in because the the gym is always it doesn’t open till like 9 and then it’s always crowded after that and so I had workout bands and so I had tied one around a pole on the deck and I’m trying to get some back work in and it snapped hit me in the side of the face and I have not felt pain like that in an awful long time and I could have lost a damn eye. So, I will say Anthony Richardson, I’ve really been critical of his career to this point uh and his work ethic, but I tell you, I feel for you, man. I’ve been there with the uh the workout band of the face. Not fun. So, you feel his pain. And that was And that wasn’t even the craziest part of the Colts pregame warm-up. You have concussions, too. Did you ever see the clip? Yeah. Like, that’s insane. I mean, it’s like for those who didn’t see the clip clipper know what I’m talking about. Charvarious Ward, who’s a very good quarterback, is like doing backpedals in in warm-ups. So, he’s looking looking down the field and here comes this tight end from the sideline who decides he’s going to start jogging towards the middle of the field and Ward is like coming in his direction. Boom. He bumps into him. Concussion. Can’t play. And somehow the Colts are overcome. They’re still the bumbling bad Colts, yet they found a way to to shield off the Satan of losing. Like, not today, Satan. And now they’re in first place. It’s incredible. And this is a Colts team there. Here, how about this? We’re going to do a little Dolphins tie-in. The Colts of course had Zen Howard on their roster for a bit before he decided to retire. And breaking news, the Dolphins, sorry, the Dolphins, the Colts on Tuesday morning signed to their practice squad as an international pathway program exemption tackle Baron Matoss, the Dominican Dominican tackle who was with the Dolphins, had a nasty unfortunate injury at the start of training camp this year. Dolphins waved him injured. Guess they decided to move along to move on from him. Again, he doesn’t count on the practice squad because you’re allowed one exemption if a player is an international player and he’s Dominican. So, best of luck to Baron Matoss with the Colts. But let’s bring it back to the Dolphins. Yep. Uh so, as the title of this episode goes is, okay, so what now? What are you playing for for the rest of the 2025 season? Is it time to start trading players? And if so, which players do you trade? Or which players are off limits would be better way of asking the question. Uh, Han off limit says Han. Yeah. And I I guess Chop Robinson. Um, yeah. I mean, I you could get value for him, I suppose. And he’s it’s not like he’s playing at a Pro Bowl, but I do think there’s enough there where you can you you need a cons I almost said consistent. You need a dangerous pass rusher, and I think he is that. Um, but I if if you were to say one player with enough value to to to stay on, and I think with this collection on this roster, it might just be one player, and that’s a problem if he’s the only one that really stands out. Han’s the guy. But think about the position he plays. It’s the position that’s the most recycled in the NFL. So, I can’t even in 100% good faith say that he should be protected. Um, but he is a dynamic, versatile player, which certainly helps that cause. Now, think about it. The Dolphins got themselves to this, I mean, do I still call it championship window? Like, fine, division championship window because it never really approached a Super Bowl championship window or an AFC championship window, but they got to this point by taking risks, unloading draft picks that they had first compiled and then unloaded to make these big trades. I kind of feel like at this point in Chris Greer’s tenure, I don’t know what it’s going to take for Chris Greer to have an ultimate dismissal happen. So, I’m having to assume that it’s going to be business as usual there in Miami Gardens, that Chris Greer is going to stick around. So, you need to kind of go the opposite now. It is time now with a roster that has been injured, with a roster that is not overly young and with a roster that clearly now has a a quarterback or a franchise quarterback problem, you got to start compiling draft picks and you need to you need to go that route. There’s no other alternative. You’ve tried to piece together with veterans and it hasn’t worked and then a lot of them have left and and talk about your franchise after the fact. So, it it’s time to compile draft picks, either to trade down the road or to finally draft some sort of base within this roster. And this is where you have to do better on your draft picks than your topic of 2022. Chanding Tindle, your topic of 2023, Cam Smith, your top pick of 2024 right now. I I there are a lot of disappointments going on with his offense this year in terms of individual players. I’m not sure there’s a bigger one, and I say that with all due respect, than Chop Robinson because based on what he did in the second half of last year, I think the expectation was was going to be a difference maker. Sure. And you barely notice the dude. Not only that, he’s playing between 20 and 25 snaps a game. Part of it is because they’re he and then this there’s been some push back on this. He’s still not a great run defender. That’s an issue. Um but that’s just not it. That’s cannot that’s just not sustainable. You have to get some contribution traffic and the one they’re getting right now is Devon Achan. I will also mention mention Patrick Paul who to me is a foundational piece that I would hang on to. The other factor with Achan that maybe makes the Dolphins consider trading him is he’s heading this is year three. He’s going to be eligible for an extension after the season. If I know agents like I know agents, he’ll be on the phone with whoever the team is at the time. So, we want some some new deal, more money. Uh, how much does he want? How much are the Dolphins willing to pay for a player who right now is the best player on the team, but plays, as you mentioned, at a very recyclable position? I I I hate to do this because I know he’s the feel-good story of the year for the Dolphins, but you take another couple of weeks and then couldn’t you get like a fourth for Darren Waller a at least a a team that’s looking for a big boost at tight end who’s now in shape who now looks like he is a big threat down the field kind of looks like Raiders version of couldn’t you at least get into some hard all draft pick conversations for Darren Waller cuz why wouldn’t you do that? Now here’s the question though is if you recall his statements after joining the Dolphins there were two people for whom he would consider coming back returning to the NFL. One was John Gruden. The other one was Frank Smith the Dolphins offensive coordinator. Has he has his love for playing football been rekindled enough to where he’d be okay now playing for somebody else ostensibly a contender because if you’re rebuilding team you’re not training for him but could that uh but you make a good point because I don’t think he’s somebody you think about for the long-term future of the team. Um certainly I saw somebody today throat Rasul Douglas is a possibility and that’s an interesting one because he’s actually played very well and he’s not getting any younger. You could get something for him. Yeah. Yeah. I I mean the season I I I don’t I don’t want to just say that the whole thing’s dead and buried but it’s it’s it’s over. And even if the Dolphins were to make a little bit of a push where suddenly you feel like, oh man, look at the fight. It’s false hope. The thing is false hope. And then you go into next year because you’re still constrained by the cap and you still have major roster questions and what’s the point right now? Like don’t don’t let this thing hang around hang around hang around. There’s no point there need at some point with this Dolphins group. There needs to be a a definitive decision made. It part of the problem the Dolphins are in. They haven’t made definitive decisions. They’ve sort of hung around with what they have. Whether it is decision makers, whether it is coaching, whether it is aging veterans, and now this is the fruit of that labor or lack thereof, you have a one in5 team that’s not a one in five team, but it’s also a mediocre to just below mediocre team. And that’s that’s not the standard or shouldn’t be the standard for this franchise. No, that’s fair. Uh here’s Sorry, this isn’t the Panthers. This isn’t the Panthers. Like the Panthers are going to be happy with their 500y year. The Dolphins shouldn’t be happy with a 500y year. The Panthers are going to be happy with a 500 year. Yes. The the Carolina Panthers are going to be happy Florida Panthers talking about Oh, look at you in the South Florida sports site. I like that. No, the Carolina Panthers if they finish two games below 500, they’re going to say, “Here we go. We’re on the comeup. That can’t be the Dolphins.” It it just it cannot. And you can’t let this linger because the longer you go with mediocrity like the Dolphins have been mired in this mediocrity since late Tony Spirano era with just glimpses of here we go but even that resulted in zero playoff wins. So come learn some lessons. Stop. I I would take issue with you is I I I would have been really really really curious to see how far the Dolphins could have gone without injuries in 2023 when I felt they had a really good roster. And the reason why I felt they had a really good roster because even though I I I kind of expected the offense to have issues down the stretch because of their style and then you’re playing better teams and then you’re playing in in tougher elements. I thought the defense Yeah. constructed Vic Fan is a coordinator and that there was a lot of really good players on that team. I thought that that would become the best unit on the team at the end of the season and maybe make the difference and then all of a sudden all of the injuries occurred. Uh, but this is that’s by far the most talented team that the Dolphins have had. Yes. For a long long time. And as I wrote again, as I wrote on Miami Dolphins on.com, please check it out. Um, part of the problem there is the Dolphins kind of I don’t want to say sold their soul, but they kind of like went all in. And when you go all in, uh, it’s what happens. Now, two years after the fact, we mentioned this again. Obviously, there’s a lot of questions about Mike McDaniel’s job security. the national reporters um who more likely to get info leaked to them um keep maintaining that Steven Ross likes Mike McDaniel, wants to see a workout with him. And the one factor that cannot be overlooked in that conversation is that Steven Ross gave Mike McDaniel a contract extension in 2024 when he had two years left of in his contract. So the idea that he would do that and then you know less than two years into that extension pull the plug I don’t know how realistic it is. Again as I’ve said many times they would have to be really really really bad and it’s certainly not a last second loss against the Chargers that would qualify as really really bad. Right. And I I suppose here if you feel that way about Mike McDaniel, Steven Ross probably feels the same way about the Tua contract extension, right? So I I and this is just me assuming my assumption is that Steven Ross is operating as if those two are are a married football couple, right? So, if you’re going to make a decision to overhaul the roster, you do it while maintaining the head coach and the quarterback that he to an extent, I don’t even think to an extent, definitely rehabilitated at least from a mental standpoint and from a a performance standpoint and then you build around that for the entirety. Um because I Steven Ross I’ve seen this thrown out on social media and that’s probably bad of me to be searching for this and it’s a cesspool but once again this narrative that oh Steven Ross doesn’t care he’s making all that money. I’ve said it to you multiple times on this very show. Stephen Ross. Yes, money matters to him, but that guy when we’re talking about prioritizing winning and trophies over money, money is a a a distant I mean, we’re talking past the uh the the the now not planet of Pluto. We’re talking past the asteroid belt type of distance between winning and and money for Steven Ross. He cares. The problem with Steven Ross sometimes in this cutthroat business is I do think there’s a lot of humanity there and a lot of loyalty there. And I do think that matters to him unless you cross him, aka Brian Flores, and then he decides to make a decision on you. So the way I think this is going to happen is those two are going to stay whether you like it or not. Those two are going to stay and then you’re going to build around that because you’re going to have to get rid of Tyreek Hill after this year. So there’s going to be some injury settlement, money off the books, and see you later after that. Jaylen Wadd, he’s not going anywhere. So that’s why you start selling and you compile draft pieces because Stephen Ross I don’t think he has the stomach to say goodbye to Mike McDaniel. I don’t think he has the stomach to say goodbye to to a tongue of Ayo. I just don’t think it’s going to happen. Uh it wouldn’t surprise me. And again with with with Tua you’re looking at a at a cap space. So for for practical reasons it would be very painful. Again not that it can’t be done because it was done in Denver with Russell Wilson. Yeah, my only issue is it’s r very very very very rare. I I don’t know the stats, but for a head coach to get an extension with two years left on the contract. Um on top of the fact that he still hadn’t won a playoff game to that point, it to me it was completely mindboggling. It was like what are we doing? So yeah, I I when I when I look at this, I don’t think there’s any doubt Mike McDaniel can put quarterbacks in a position to succeed. Am I am I speaking like a a complete fool here? Like Mike McDaniel can put quarterbacks in a position to succeed. So the only reason I bring that up, look at Tennessee, Brian Callahan. They fire him just a month and a half into the tenure of the number one overall pick quarterback. That’s a disaster. And I know some people will say, “Oh, well, at least they realize now and they cut tight.” No, you don’t do that. You got to stop doing that to these highly drafted quarterbacks. So, I don’t think it’s good business for the Dolphins to get rid of Tua, take that hit like the the Broncos did with Russell Wilson, and then go ahead and maintain Mike McDaniel, and then draft another quarterback. That doesn’t make any sense at all. I would much rather the alternative Mike McDaniel sticks around and you bring in a young quarterback and have him try to develop that quarterback. And I know that maybe is a ways down the road, but I would think a decision made on Tua before you make a decision on Mike McDaniel. and it’s going to make people crazy watching this and I’m sure I’m going to get plasted for this, but that makes more sense to me than the other way around. Um, yeah, and the Dolphins can win games with Tua. They have won games with Tua before and and as his supporters are very quick to point out, he did his job against the Chargers and it was a defense that that that failed and Yeah. Yeah. And al part of that is also the other quarterback did his job and where, you know, but yeah. Um, and again, it’s not like the Dolphins have not had success before and and you you know, a lot of wins with two as a starting quarterback, except last year the Dolphins were six and five and then this year it’s one and five. Obviously, the the the roster is flawed. Um, before we let you go and wrap up this latest episode with again my friendly reminder to please like, subscribe, comment, all that good stuff. Check out the written content at miam dolphins onsi.com. I have to ask you since everybody has a take on it. You have to have a take on it. What was your take on two is the I don’t know I’m I think I’m going on 273 times I’ve seen the clip uh already. So what were you your take on this the clip about leadership and players being late to playerled meetings? So I last week last week I told you that I didn’t think that Tua Tonga was a franchise quarterback that this team can do anything with any longer and I floated the idea of pulling the Denver. Um and we’ve laid out the the different hypotheticals here on on on this edition that could happen with duo Mike McDaniel all that. I I I have also said publicly and told you anytime you have a head coach talking about a culture change, especially in year number four, that is rarely going to work, if ever. It’s a massive red flag that there are deep-seated problems that the coach is at that moment, especially with the same core not going to be able to reign in. It’s just not going to happen. So, for me with Tua, should he have done it? Probably not. But I got the sense it’s a little bit more nuanced than Tua just throwing people under the bus. I would be willing to bet that these things have been laid out in the building. Two has tried to make sure these things are being executed in the building and they still have not been following this quote unquote culture change that Mike McDaniel was talking about. So the last thing you can do, the most desperate thing you can do at 1 in5 is publicly put it out there that this is still happening. Does it look bad on Mike McDaniel? Sure. And I understand that these are are players only meetings and I would understand Mike McDaniel not being thrilled about that being put out there, but we had culture change thrown on our faces all training camp and even before that and it appears as if that culture at least amongst the players is not changing. So, if you’re the guy with the C on your chest, this is the last the this is the the ultimate desperation play to put this out there to try and send a message to these other players to hold them accountable. I could be totally wrong with this, but here’s another uh here’s another level to to what’s taking place here. We are I’ve heard so many poop. I’ve heard so many national talking heads saying, “Oh, it’s always I. It’s never I. It’s always we. It’s always they.” With Tua. That’s not true. Even look at the transcript. Look back at the video. Tua flat out says, “Hey, a lot of this is on me. I’m the one who threw three interceptions in this game.” We’re just completely ignoring that. But that brings this to a larger discussion about this Dolphins organization and how it’s perceived from the outside. We have had people like Rex Ryan and Chris Kanty just laying in the weeds, waiting in the wings to finally see the nerd quarterback, and I use that word because Rex Ryan has used that on national television to take shots at Mike McDaniel. And they’ve waited, Chua had had seasons of of near greatness. And it really sort of set back the whole hot take element of the national sports landscape because the natural reaction to Tua, this is when he was drafted, when he was coming back from the hip injury, even him late stage in Alabama. But him and the runins with Brian Flores, it was, “Oh, Tua is too soft. Tua can’t do it. Tua doesn’t have the arm strength.” And then he started to defy all of those and actually put up numbers. And now it’s back to taking the shiv and taking it right to Tua because it’s easy, cuz it’s convenient. And so now the Dolphins organization. Now they’re one in five and now they’ve got a coach who’s the butt of jokes. Now they have a quarterback that people love hitting around like a pinata. And that’s why another change needs to be made because the perception of the Dolphins now it’s just a collection of losers and soft players. And that starts honestly at the top. And I don’t want to hear oh Chris Greer gets uh all this criticism. Mike McDaniel gets this criticism. It’s time for Tua. Tua’s never been criticized. What universe are we living in? Enough already with this nonsense. But if Steven Ross is serious about this franchise, then all of this disrespectful lobbying that’s happening from the outside, do something about it. Make the proper change. And to me, and I’d never advocate for firing, that’s being a jerk if you do that. And Chris Greer by all accounts is a very nice person, but make the call and start with the head of the snake and get the job done there and then start that rehabilitation process. And there you go again, being all wishy-washy, not throwing out any opinions, just everything middle ground and all that. Just typical Levica. Yeah. Okay. Uh here’s what I will say is to me like, and I’ve said this under the show before, to me, this whole thing about culture and then culture change, I mean like I I I hear Miami Heat culture, it’s like barf. Yeah. You have Miami Heat culture when you have LeBron James, Chris, and Dwayne Wade. That’s real easy to have a great culture. Seriously, showing up on time is not culture. Showing up on time is being a pro. And as as we mentioned, if you have to talk about culture change in year four as a head coach, really not a good Yeah, forget about being a pro. That’s being an adult. Like, come on. If you’re if you’re 15 minutes late to picking up your kid from school, that’s not good either. Like, that’s that’s a huge problem for that. Yeah. Yeah. I I just I like I I just I know like I had friends who would sit there in elementary school and it’s like 5:00 after like basketball practice and they’re waiting waiting waiting last kid there. Like be an adult. Grow up and for all these Dolphins players, oh we want to keep this in house. We want to keep this in house. Why do you want to keep it in house? Because you’re the one showing up late or you’re embarrassed to acknowledge that there’s still an issue in the building. Like stop with it. Listen, Tua didn’t have to do it. It probably wasn’t great from that standpoint, but at least he has the stones to say, “Yeah, we still have a problem while everybody’s still trying to dance around it and talk about culture in that building. Stop it.” It’s phony hustle if you’re going to sit about the cult sit there and talk about the culture changing. Clearly, nothing nothing’s changed. Um, don’t know if that’s why they’re one and five, but and and the other part of it. No, no, no. Sure. It certainly doesn’t help. every little thing matters. Um, and but the argument is made confront your teammates in in private as opposed to does every does everybody need to know that the Dolphins according big picture quote unquote still have the culture problem. We also don’t know if he’s done that in private and it still hasn’t made a difference which that’s another discussion about maybe Tua just doesn’t command respect. So fine, like that’s a totally different conversation. And would I be shocked by that? No. But I don’t know if Tua hasn’t addressed it behind closed doors. And if he has and it’s still happening, that’s why I feel like Sunday might have been a little bit of desperation after the fact after a really difficult loss to stomach. Fair enough. Anyway, the bottom line to take in all of this, things are not good in they’re one and five. They’re heading to play the Cleveland Browns um in a battle of Hawaiian lefty quarterbacks to a tango viola against Dylan Gabriel. We shall see. Maybe maybe the Dolphins actually can pull out a game. The the Cleveland Browns offense is really really bad. Maybe the Dolphin defense actually can have a good performance. We shall see. In the meantime, stay on top of what my friend here is doing. Whether it’s FA FAU athletics, whether it’s Inter Miami football game, football saggy football club or ESPN ESPN radio sports talk, the one, the only Ken Leva. Ken, as always, thank you very much for joining. Programming note, this evening, there’s a Dolphins Collective uh with Douglong, TD Defense Talk, and Omar Kelly where I’m going to have to like verbally spank him with his incessant it’s all to his fault. It’s all to his fault to fault the sarcastic thing. Nobody is saying it’s all to to his fault. Uh Omar, get ready because I’m gonna I’m gonna I love Omar. I love I love Omar and and he’s one of my my favorite people from when I covered the Dolphins. You and Omar and and a whole collection of people. But you know what? Sometimes he does need a little smacking around and I’m glad that you’re still there to keep him in check. Oh, I’m I’m playing I used to play hockey, so there be a whole lot of body checks going on over here. So anyway, tune in for that. Uh, there will be Behind Enemy Lines Cleveland Browns edition with former Miami Herald reporter Daniel Loy Yafussi coming up. I’m going to put that up either Tuesday, probably no, Wednesday morning. Check be on the lookout for that. Until we meet again, we won’t see each other. How’s that? Have a good one.

Miami Dolphins on SI Publisher Alain Poupart (@PoupartNFL) is joined by ESPN Radio talk show host Ken LaVicka to discuss the state of the Dolphins, provide a fan perspective on the start of the 2025 season, and more. Dolphins on SI at si.com/nfl/dolphins.