The Miami Dolphins may have left their visit with the Washington Commanders officially carrying a loss from their preseason meeting and unofficially from their joint practice, but an early preseason meeting isn't all about the overall stats. The Dolphins, the youngest team in the NFL, including 13 drafted rookies this year, are trying to establish a new identity under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley. After years of focusing on speed, finesse, and mismatches, Miami is now trying to bring back physicality.
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel's David Furones, they showed it against the Commanders. When providing a review of the team's weekend in Maryland and Virginia, Furones highlighted Miami's improved physical play:
Blocking and physicality
The Dolphins' first-team offensive line kept a clean pocket for Willis. That unit also got a push up front in the run game.
The two young guards, Kadyn Proctor and Jonah Savaiinaea, looked good in their first in-game action this season, so that's a plus. New reserve lineman Caedan Wallace had a nice day in his Dolphins debut after being picked up in a trade with the New England Patriots.
Physicality is one of the keys Hafley is trying to instill early on, and it's working.

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