MIAMI — In a hostage situation, “proof of life” refers to any evidence, usually a video or audio recording, that confirms someone taken captive is still alive, often provided by the captors.

After spending the previous two seasons as one of the NFL’s most potent offenses, the Miami Dolphins’ 2024 offense has clearly gone missing.

The unit has been taken hostage by the absence of Tua Tagovailoa, who is sidelined by the concussion he suffered in week two’s loss to the Buffalo Bills. During the stretch of games he’s missed snaps Miami has scored 10, 3, 12, and 15 points.

The Dolphins are averaging a dismal 12 points a game heading into Sunday’s road contest against the Indianapolis Colts, yet Miami’s on the precipice of turning this dismal start around, getting the season back to .500 if they can produce a win.

Where’s the proof of this, proof that this season has life?

It can be seen in the way Miami plays defense, which has kept this offensively inept team in every game heading into the fourth quarter.

And the only reason some of the final scores — losses to Buffalo, Seattle and Tennessee — became lopsided was because of the horrible circumstances, and positions the offense had placed them in.

For all of Miami’s struggles this season, Miami’s defense ranks fifth in yards allowed (285.4) per game.

Miami ranks first in third down defense (25.4 percent being converted), which means on football’s most critical down the Dolphins tighten the screws.

The Dolphins defense ranks fifth in the NFL in the opposition’s passer rating, checking in at 80.2 heading into the Colts game.

Only the Minnesota Vikings (70.3), Chicago Bears (72.8), Detroit Lions (75.3) and New Orleans Saints (76.5) have a lower passer rating for opposing quarterbacks.

Those eye-opening defensive stats are typically traits exhibited by good defenses.

However, there is one thing stopping defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver from saying his unit is meeting his personal expectations.

“Scoring defense,” Weaver said, pointing out that points allowed and scored are the most important football stat.

“I’m pretty sure that you win 100 percent of the games where you score more points than the other team,” Weaver continued. “So we’re trying to hold offenses to as little points as possible ... All those measurables are to justify not allowing offenses to score, so that’s what’s most important to me. I love the stats, and [they’re] incredibly important. Obviously, you want to be great on defense but most importantly, we want to win games.”

The Dolphins rank 17th in scoring defense, allowing 22.6 points per game.

Last year Miami allowed 23.2 points per game. Only 10 teams allowed more points that season.

While this season is still young, it does seem as if Weaver’s defense has gotten off to a good start, even though there have been some notable growing pains.

“I think sometimes when you’re in a new situation it kind of takes a while to get your processes established, how you want to do things,” defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. “I think we’re starting to get to that level where now we kind of can anticipate things. How players [play]. How we interact with each other. How we do things. So I think we should start seeing an uptick on everything.”

Oddly enough, Vic Fangio’s Dolphins defense began to tighten the screws at this point last season as well.

That’s the well-respected coordinator Weaver replaced, who delivered the Dolphins a top 10 defense last year, one that set a franchise record for sacks in a season.

Miami doesn’t have many of those (nine on the season), or turnovers (four) yet.

But so far, so good for Weaver, who is McDaniel’s third defensive coordinator hire in three seasons.

However, there’s one Achilles heel on this defense Weaver’s been laboring to fix.

Miami’s middle of the pack in rushing yards per game allowed (125.8, which ranks 18th), and rushing yards per attempt (4.7 per carry, which ranks 23th).

And there is some concern more leakage might be on the way because the Dolphins are running out of edge players, especially after losing Jaelan Phillips to a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago.

This week Emmanuel Ogbah, a starter, is listed as questionable because of a biceps injury he suffered in Miami’s 15-10 win over the New England Patriots.

Miami claimed Tyus Bowser, a seven-year veteran, off the Seahawks practice squad to address depth concerns. The franchise has had its eyes on Bowser from the offseason, but he was working his way back from a knee injury that kept him from playing last season. Miami also decided to embark on a youth movement by selecting Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara in the 2024 NFL draft.

Robinson, whom the Dolphins drafted 21st overall, has gotten off to a slow start in his NFL career, primarily because of his struggles stopping the run. But Miami’s coaches insist he’s trending in the right direction.

Until Robinson’s ready to become an every snap edge rusher, it appears the team will lean on Bowser if Ogbah’s injury allows it.

“He probably knows the defense better than anybody, better than everybody, honestly,” Campbell said of Bowser. “He’s a real cerebral guy, very dependable.”

And that’s what the Dolphins are looking for, a unit full of players whom they can count on to do their assignment on every given snap, someone who will help Weaver’s unit continue to keep the season alive until the offense comes out of bondage.

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