Everything to Know from Dolphins' Preseason Win vs. Jaguars

The Miami Dolphins finished their preseason schedule, winning 14-6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins end the preseason with a record of 2-0-1.

The Dolphins played some starters on both sides of the ball, but held out several players who are dealing with injuries, including Tyreek Hill, De’Von Achane, and Austin Jackson.

Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle, Bradley Chubb, and Jaelan Phillips all suited up on Saturday night, though. Jacksonville sat just about every notable player on its roster, mostly rolling with its second- and third-string players right away.

Here’s everything you need to know from Miami’s win.

Drive By Drive Recap

The game got off to a slow start on both sides. Miami’s starting offense, led by Tagovailoa, went three and out on the first two series. Those drives included Tua getting sacked twice and a couple of deflected passes.

One sack appeared to be on right tackle Larry Borom, who is filling in for Jackson. The other sack had a few things going on, but James Daniels was late to pull around outside, and it didn’t seem like Tua had an open receiver.

However, Miami’s starting defense made mostly quick work of the Jaguars’ offense to keep them off the board. The Dolphins’ starters forced three Jaguars’ punts in the first quarter, and the last one was capped off by a combined sack from Phillips and Chubb.

Tua and the offense finally got things going on their third drive, marching down the field for a touchdown in nine plays and 61 yards. Tua hit Malik Washington on fourth down to keep the drive alive after a great block by running back Ollie Gordon II, who started this week. Tua found Washington again a few plays later for the 25-yard touchdown.

The Dolphins went (and made) for the two-point conversion because Jason Sanders left the game with a trainer and did not return.

Jacksonville answered with a field goal on its following drive to make the game 8-3. The Dolphins’ last drive of the half resulted in a missed 51-yard field goal by starting punter Jake Bailey, who was filling in for Sanders.

It would’ve been a closer attempt, but backup QB Zach Wilson took a bad sack near the red zone. That let Jacksonville string a few plays together and hit another field goal before the half, making the score 8-6.

To Wilson’s credit, he bounced back quickly in the second half. He hit a couple of nice throws on the opening drive, including a rip into the middle of the field on fourth and 16. It was also an excellent catch by receiver Erik Ezukanma, who elevated and took a big hit to make the play.

Mike Boone capped off the scoring drive with a seven-yard rushing touchdown on the next play, making the score 14-6. Miami went for two again but didn’t convert this time.

The teams then combined for four straight punts until rookie UDFA safety John Saunders Jr. intercepted Seth Henigen as the Jaguars were approaching the red zone with just less than two minutes left in the game.

Offensive Recap

There are a few big takeaways from this game. Miami’s first team offense got off to a slow start, but it was clear there were timing and miscommunication issues. Borom isn’t expected to start Week 1, and he might’ve been responsible for a few negative plays (All-22 review pending).

Tua’s timing with receivers not named Malik Washington and Jaylen Waddle was also apparent. It didn’t look great for the offense, but it’s pretty easy to see why. Still, Tua finished four of eight for 49 yards and the one touchdown pass.

On the flip side, Washington and Gordon were clear standouts. The receiver had three catches for 41 yards and a touchdown when he juked Jaguars linebacker Chad Muma into next week.

That juke move thooo @malik_w2 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/KFzU4E7QF1
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 23, 2025

Gordon had eight carries for 43 yards and ran incredibly hard, which is expected at this point. More importantly, though, he picked up at least two blitzes that led to key third and fourth-down conversions.

De’Von Achane and Jaylen Wright are both dealing with injuries, so Gordon’s performance matters quite a bit. He looks like he can contribute in Week 1 this season, even in a limited role.

This was also the best game for Wilson, who finished nine of 13 for 80 yards. He took some poor sacks and missed a few throws, but he looked significantly more comfortable operating from the pocket and running the offense.

Wilson is far from a reliable backup still, but he looked a lot more settled in the pocket on Saturday night.

Defensive Recap

Easily the biggest story of the night was what Miami’s starting defense looked like. Unlike the offense, the defense had most of its assumed starters. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks dressed for the game after leaving practice this week, but didn’t play.

On the defensive line, it’s apparent we’re going to see plenty of Chop Robinson, Bradley Chubb, and Jaelan Phillips on the field together. Robinson had a free run at the quarterback for a sack on the Jaguars’ first play from scrimmage, with Phillips and Chubb also lined up to rush.

.@chopyoungbull eating early!! 🍽️ pic.twitter.com/uoey22pQyy
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 23, 2025

It was the Jaguars’ backups, but it’s easy to see how showing that many potential legitimate pass rushers — not just linebackers walked up to the line — would be tough to handle.

The other important note is how Miami handled cornerback. The starters were Storm Duck and Jack Jones outside, along with rookie fifth-round pick Jason Marshall Jr. in the slot. Marshall Jr. flashed a ton in the slot against the Lions, and Miami rewarded him with a start.

Mike Hilton played with the second string in this game, so it wasn’t just a case of Marshall stepping up for an injured player.

With Ethan Bonner and Kendall Sheffield dealing with injuries, there's a fair chance those same three are the starters against Indianapolis in Week 1.

We also got a look at the newly acquired Matthew Judon. He played throughout the first quarter but didn’t record any stats. That doesn’t mean he played poorly, just that he wasn’t around the ball a ton.

Special Teams Recap

Bailey won the punting job over Ryan Stonehouse a while ago, so the only thing to note is that Sanders left the game with a trainer and did not return. Miami’s kicker has played in every game since 2018 and had an excellent 2024 season.

There hasn’t been an update on his condition yet, but it would be a tough loss for the Dolphins if he misses any time.

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