The Miami Dolphins have been outscored 63-25 following the team’s Week 1 victory over the Patriots.
What used to be a strength for the team—its defense—is now being exposed as its main weak link.
Chiefs running backs Joe McKnight (who hadn’t played in an NFL regular season game since December 2012) and Knile Davis gashed the Phins defense for 199 all-purpose yards (3 TDs).
And some players weren’t happy about it. But instead of blaming themselves, they directed their anger at DC Kevin Coyle.
Dolphins players are “beyond furious, irate” at Coyle’s defensive adjustments and game plan, according to a report from the Miami Herald’s Adam Beasley.
Beasley said the talk from players about Coyle was so loud that it could be heard even outside the locker room.
But head coach Joe Philbin—who is 16-19 since taking over—believes it was a team effort and the defense’s biggest issue was their inability to tackle.
“I don’t think we tackled well enough,” said Philbin. “We have to do better. … I don’t think any phase played well enough to win.”
“We’re not playing well enough over the last two weeks to win a football game in the National Football League. It’s hard to say, but that’s the facts.”
It’s probably not a good thing to have locker room dissension this early in the season. The Phins will need to sort these issues out quickly and put them in the past before their upcoming game against the Raiders, unless they want to be 1-3 heading into their bye week.