MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The most confounding part about the Miami Dolphins’ latest three-game losing streak has been their defense’s disappearing act in the most critical moments.
In each of their last three games, the Dolphins coughed up second-half leads. The last two weeks in particular were most alarming. They surrendered last-minute, game-winning drives to the Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills to drop to 2-6 on the season.
What makes it most jarring? Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s most viral moment as a coach came when, as a Baltimore Ravens assistant, he successfully challenged his defensive line in such a high-stakes scenario.
Gut-Check Time for Anthony Weaver, Miami Dolphins Defense
It was Week 13 of the 2022 season, and the Ravens were down six in the fourth quarter to the Denver Broncos.
That’s when Weaver went full Nostradamus when rallying his position group.
“I talk about it all the time, right?” Weaver said at the time. “Competitive greatness. Can you be at your best when your best is needed? Now’s the time. They can’t score no more points. No more points. And we’re going to go score a touchdown and go f—ing win. But they can’t score no more points.”
Anthony Weaver called game 🔥
Watch Wired ➡️ https://t.co/Mw68LK7pVv pic.twitter.com/f1nV7eE4ks
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 8, 2022
Every word Weaver said turned out to be true.
The Ravens’ defense and offense both responded in winning ways that day — and in ways the Dolphins haven’t over the last month.
After carrying Miami’s offense for the first month of the season, the roles have reversed — particularly late.
They have blown second-half leads of seven, 10, and four points in late losses to the Colts, Cardinals, and Bills to put their season on the brink.
And up next: the Los Angeles Rams and their quarterback Matt Stafford, whose 36 fourth-quarter comebacks rank fifth in NFL history.
So what’s up?
“There have been lapses,” Weaver explained, “particularly in communication and we’ve given up big plays like the 63-yard (touchdown pass to Ray Davis) in this last game, that’s when those instances come up, particularly when we’re in man coverage.
“We’ve had some lapses there. I think you also got to give credit to the two quarterbacks (Kyler Murray and Josh Allen) that we’ve played. There have been instances where we had them dead to rights and they’ve been able to make some things happen and that’s why they make the money they do.
“I think we’re just trying to chase as a defense, competitive greatness, right? You go back to old John Wooden where we got to be at our best when our best is needed. And right now we’ve fallen short really two games in a row.”
Certainly, personnel limitations haven’t helped. The Dolphins’ pass rush is way down this year with the injuries to Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb.
They should get back Zach Sieler and Kader Kohou this week, and that will help in both the front and back end.
But at the end of the day, the players they do have available need to collectively respond at gut-check time.
“I think we can talk about it until we’re blue in the face. You have to go out there and work for it, right? You have to make sure that you prepare each and every day so that when you’re in that situation, nothing is surprising to you.
“People always say you rise to the occasion. I don’t think you rise to the occasion. I think you you drop to the threshold that you’ve been working at all week. So let’s make sure in everything we do — whether it’s a walk through a live speed period and practice — that we’re taking all those reps like it’s fourth down-and-5 to go in the Super Bowl.”