Not everything went well for the Washington Commanders on Friday night. Yes, the Commanders defeated the Dolphins 20-7 at Northwest Stadium. Yes, the Commanders were clearly the better team on the field during quarters two, three, and four. However, that first quarter wasn’t a thing of beauty. That first quarter actually raised some eyebrows and questions for Commanders fans. Good grief, the Dolphins put themselves in a hole to start the game when they held on the opening kickoff, so their possession began at their own seven-yard line. The Dolphins then drove 93 yards in 14 plays and seven minutes, putting the ball in the end zone. What was frustrating about the drive was that the Commanders had some players out there, like Johnny Newton, who weren’t doing their jobs effectively. Newton was drafted with the No. 36 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he really needs to step it up and justify his being selected as high as he was. The Dolphins, meanwhile, appeared to really push around Newton and the defensive linemen as a whole on that initial drive. On the drive, the Dolphins had runs of 5, 14, 5, 6, 7, 6, 3, 1, and 1 yard (touchdown). Daron Payne is another defensive tackle who hasn’t exactly set the NFL world on fire since the 2022 season. Payne is in the final year of his lucrative contract, and with Newton being as disappointing as he has been, Commanders GM Adam Peters may want to really overhaul the position next offseason.
Would you consider trading Johnny Newton for draft capital or OL depth?#RaiseHailpic.twitter.com/0wsv51H04o — George Carmi (@Gcarmi21) August 15, 2026 Following their 93-yard opening drive, the Dolphins then added another 48 yards gained before failing to gain a first down on a 4th & 3 from the Washington 48-yard line. On this possession, the Commanders surrendered runs of 13 and 9 yards, including a 27-yard pass play. Thus, the Commanders’ defense surrendered 141 yards of offense in only the first quarter of action on Friday. This was not against a team that will be in the playoffs this season. The Dolphins could conclude 2026 as one of the worst teams in the league. In closing, back to Newton. The new scheme should help Newton, as it moves him from an inside defensive tackle, further outside to where the defensive end plays up on the offensive tackle. In his first two seasons, Newton got pushed around inside. This scheme should help Newton, yet Friday night against the Dolphins, Newton provided little evidence his third season will be much different. There were very positive things that happened against the Dolphins, and Commanders Wire has covered them in several stories. But didn’t this story have to be expressed as well? This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Not everything was great in Commanders' first preseason game