The Washington Commanders surprised many around the league by winning double-digit games for the first time since 2012 and coming one victory away from reaching the Super Bowl. Now, there are higher expectations for the squad in the second year of the Jayden Daniels era.
The Commanders will have a tougher schedule this year by virtue of finishing second in the NFC East. Super Bowl contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions loom later in the year along with talented teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. They will also experience a dramatic increase in travel miles, which includes a trip to Europe to play the Miami Dolphins.
Now that the season is on the horizon, Commanders.com is going to break down each of Washington's opponents. We'll move on to the Miami Dolphins, who are looking to improve upon their 8-9 record in 2024.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Nov. 16
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Bernabéu Stadium
Individual stats leaders
- Passing Yards -- QB Tua Tagovailoa (2,867)
- Passing TDs -- QB Tua Tagovailoa (19)
- Rushing Yards -- RB De'Von Achane (907)
- Rushing TDs -- RB De'Von Achane (6)
- Receiving Yards -- WR Tyreek Hill (959)
- Receiving TDs -- TE Jonnu Smith (8)
- Tackles -- LB Jordyn Brooks (143)
- Sacks – DT Zach Sieler (10)
- Interceptions -- LB Tyrel Dodson (3)
Key additions
- WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (free agency)
- P Ryan Stonehouse (free agency)
- G James Daniels (free agency)
- DT Kenneth Grant (draft)
- OL Jonah Savaiinaea (draft)
Key questions
- Will Chop Robinson show improvement? Robinson was one of the most interesting prospects in last year's draft. He didn't have much of a sample size, but his traits and upside made him a first-round pick. His production in 17 games with one start was fine -- 26 tackles with six sacks and 14 quarterback hits -- but he will have to do more than "fine" for him to be worth the investment. The Dolphins are banking on that and believe his athleticism is going to shine soon. They can afford to be patient, but it would be ideal for him to step up in 2025 and improve Miami's pass rush, which only generated 35 sacks in 2024.
- Who will be Miami's third wide receiver? The Dolphins have one of the more exciting wide receiver duos in the NFL with Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but there was a sizable gap between them and the next most productive receiver (Malik Washington with 223 yards). The Dolphins clearly needed to bolster that group, and Westbrook-Ikhine has potential to be the answer. He was tied for the sixth-most receiving touchdowns in the NFL last year with nine. What's crazier is that he only had 32 catches last season, which means he scored once every four touches. He will probably get around that number of catches behind Hill and Waddle, but he clearly knows how to get the most out of his targets.
- What are the Dolphins going to do in the secondary? There have been some serious shifts in Miami's secondary. Jalen Ramsey was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but cornerback Kendall Fuller as well as safeties Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer are also gone. They did get Minkah Fitzpatrick back in the Ramsey trade, but everyone aside from him is younger and more inexperienced. The Dolphins seem content to ride with Storm Duck and Jason Marshall Jr. at cornerback and Ashtyn Davis at safety along with Fitzpatrick. All of them are decent depth players, but that is quite the gamble for a secondary that allowed the ninth-fewest passing yards per game.
