What the Offensive Line Is Doing Better Than in Recent Years

The Miami Dolphins have won three of their last four games

Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II (31) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Commanders with teammates in the fourth quarter during the 2025 NFL Madrid Game at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Say what you want about the Miami Dolphins offensive line, but it's been on a bit of a roll heading into the team's 2025 bye.

There are different reasons the team went into that bye on a two-game winning streak and having won three of four, and the play of the offensive line absolutely has been one of those.

It remains a pretty nondescript group overall, but it's been putting together some decent performances and it may be that one key factor has come into play.

The offensive line has had some continuity.

Continuity like we haven't seen in more than a decade, actually.

Here's the key stat, the Dolphins have started the same five players on the offensive line — Patrick Paul at left tackle, Jonah Savaiinaea at left guard, Aaron Brewer at center, Cole Strange at right guard, and Larry Borom at right tackle — for the past eight games, ever since Strange became the fourth player to have a go at that right guard spot.

Eight consecutive games with the same starting offensive line might not sound like that much, but it is a pretty big deal around Dolphins land.

A very big deal.

How big?

This is the longest stretch with the same starting five up front since all the way back in 2012 when the team's first 12 games featured Jake Long, Richie Incognito, Mike Pouncey, John Jerry and Jonathan Martin.

Since then, the longest streak had been seven games in 2015 with the group of Branden Albert, Dallas Thomas, Mike Pouncey, Billy Turner and Jason Fox.

In 2024, the Dolphins' longest stretch with the same starting five offensive linemen was five games and featured Terron Armstead, Robert Jones, Brewer, Liam Eichenberg and Kendall Lamm.

In 2023, when the Dolphins had the makings of their best offensive line since the 2016 season, they never had the same starting O-line more than two games in a row because of the series of injuries that sidelined all of the projected starters — Armstead, Isaiah Wynn, Connor Williams, Robert Hunt and Austin Jackson.

This current Dolphins starting offensive line might not remain intact very much longer because Jackson is on his way back from injured reserve after returning to practice before the game against the Washington Commanders in Madrid.

As much as continuity matters, it's borderline impossible to envision keeping Jackson on the bench after he not only started the opener against the Indianapolis Colts but the Dolphins gave him a contract extension two years ago.

HOW THE O-LINE HAS PERFORMED

Evaluating an offensive line often becomes a subjective exercise, so perhaps it's not surprising that Pro Football Focus ranks the Dolphins O-line 27th in the NFL, while Pro Football Network has the group at number 11.

What's clear is the performance has been steadily improving.

The Dolphins' three best rushing performances of the season in terms of yards have come in those victories against the Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills and Washington in the last month. The offensive line was flagged for one penalty over the past two games combined after being called at least twice every game since the opener against Indianapolis.

And De'Von Achane's two 100-yard rushing performances of the season have come in the past two games.

Obviously there are many factors at play beyond the offensive line, but it's undeniable that the group has performed better lately.

It's also pretty undeniable that continuity has been a factor.