It truly is tough being a Miami Dolphins fan. Any time after a game when your leader and head coach says this, there’s a bit of a problem in the locker room.
”I see progress. After what happened today, I don’t have a leg to stand on. There’s nothing I can say that’s going to make that look better. We got whipped,” said interim head coach Dan Campbell. “There’s nothing I can say that’s going to make that look better. We got whipped. We got whipped the first time and we got whipped the second time. Those are the facts.”
Shot by Miami Dolphins.
Since the Dolphins went up to New York to play against the New York Jets and got turned back with their tails between the leg losing the contest 38-20 many people know that it is officially the end of the Dolphins season. There are only five games remaining and the Dolphins are nowhere near the playoff team that people expected.”
“It’s hugely disappointing,” said quarterback Ryan Tannehill about Miami’s season. “I came in with such high expectations. I think our team came in with high expectations. To see the season go the way it’s been, it’s tough. It hurts. There is no way we should be sitting where we’re at, but we are….“You look in that locker room and the talent that we have, the guys that we have, it hurts. There’s no way we should be sitting where we’re at, but we are. And that’s on our shoulders, that’s on the guys in that locker room. And the only people who can fix that are the people in there.”
The good news is that against the Jets there were bright spots. In particular, Jarvis Landry, Reshad Jones and DeVante Parker all played well but outside of them it was very difficult to find players that made a huge difference in the game. Now because of the fact that the season is wrapped up and done, should the Dolphins start to shut down their best players and keep them fresh for next season?
What’s the point of playing in meaningless games that will have no standing with a team who isn’t fighting for playoff position. Miami should strongly invest in the idea of regathering the troops and resting their most important players. Instead of risking their ability, the Dolphins should play their second string more, their younger players more, and start to hold an essential tryout of the sorts looking for players that could possibly make the roster next season.
The bad news is the Dolphins won’t be in playoff contention and no one will bat an eye. The good news is if Miami does shut down their best players and keeps them fresh for next season they’ll be able to select better players in the 2016 NFL Draft. What’s scary though is that the team might find a way to whiff on their draft picks once again. Rookies DeVante Parker, and Jordan Phillips, two of the gems of the draft haven’t played much of a big role for the Dolphins this season. Next year is a very big year because if they can manage to bring more talent to this roster it could have a galvanizing effect in the locker room. Miami needs to focus on finding younger talent on their offensive line or either finding players that can help impact their defense because their the two weakest parts of the team.
D’Joumbarey A. Moreau covers sports in Miami-Dade & Broward County. You can follow him on Twitter@DJoumbarey.
