There’s a widely known phrase in sports activities that claims, “You might be what your file says you might be.”
Because the Miami Dolphins have gone from an ideal 3-0 to a mediocre 3-3, the legitimacy of that saying is up for debate, even on the staff.
You could possibly level to plenty of causes for the present three-game shedding streak — accidents, the protection not producing turnovers, the porous move safety, inconsistent particular groups play, many issues.
So, who're the Dolphins as we make our approach by Week 7 of the NFL season? Are they the staff some thought could possibly be AFC title contenders after they defeated New England, Baltimore and Buffalo, or are they the staff that had lackluster fourth-quarter showings in losses to Cincinnati, the New York Jets and Minnesota?
Properly, the reply is sort of difficult.
Some, reminiscent of working again Chase Edmonds, consider the ‘You might be what your file says you might be’ phrase is legit.
“I feel if you get into ‘woulda, shoulda, coulda,’ you begin discovering a option to make excuses for your self,” he mentioned. “So I’m an enormous believer in, ‘You might be what the file says you might be.’ "
Different gamers, reminiscent of extensive receiver Tyreek Hill, don’t essentially consider it’s true.
“I don’t make excuses for the video games that had been losses,” Hill mentioned. “However what I'll say is I do know that this staff is healthier than the scoreboard.”
Nonetheless others say the phrase is irrelevant as a result of it’s so early within the season.
Coach Mike McDaniel has all the time mentioned he’s a process-oriented man versus a results-oriented man.
“So far as, ‘You might be what your file says you might be,’ I feel there’s fact in that,” he mentioned. “As a result of to spend time saying, ‘Properly, however this, that, or the opposite’ is a idiot’s errand.
“Nevertheless, I feel groups are no matter they outline themselves that day. I feel the Miami Dolphins are pretty much as good as their Wednesday.”
McDaniel doesn’t favor basing what is going to finally be a complete season’s value of labor within the first six weeks.
He identified final 12 months, when he was offensive coordinator for San Francisco, they received their first two video games, then went on a four-game shedding streak, and ended up taking part in within the NFC Championship recreation. He additionally identified in 2015, when he was with the Atlanta Falcons, they began 5-0 however completed 8-8 and missed the playoffs. In different phrases, he’s seen it each methods.
“I feel folks clinging to what their file says they're is perhaps not fairly targeted on the job at hand, which is constant to get higher so that you play your finest soccer on the finish of the season, which is what good groups find yourself doing,” he mentioned.
Defensive deal with John Jenkins, a 10-year veteran who was on the 2020 Chicago Bears staff that had a six-game shedding streak in the course of the season however nonetheless made the playoffs with an 8-8 file, mentioned the Dolphins are a very good staff.
“We’re a very good staff whatever the state of affairs that we’re coping with,” he mentioned. “We’re a very good staff. It’s nonetheless early within the season. I take it daily, week by week.”
To a person, the Dolphins say accidents aren’t a reputable purpose for his or her losses. They are saying each staff has accidents.
And the Dolphins will take a significant step within the damage restoration course of when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returns from concussion protocol to start out in opposition to Pittsburgh on Sunday night time.
As I’ve acknowledged, sooner or later the accidents do grow to be a reputable purpose for shedding. No staff has an limitless provide of gifted gamers.
As for whether or not the Dolphins are the staff their file says they're, yeah, it's important to consider that’s true as a result of it’s not simply the accidents which have induced this three-game shedding streak. There’s additionally the minus-7 turnover margin, the 197 yards in penalties the previous two video games, and errors reminiscent of dropped passes and blown assignments within the secondary and offensive line.
They nonetheless don’t have an offensive id other than massive performs involving Hill or fellow extensive receiver Jaylen Waddle, they usually don’t have a defensive id. Nobody but is aware of what makes this staff go (other than Hill). So, at this level, yeah, they’re a legit .500 staff.
However right here’s the excellent news. The Dolphins may not be a .500 staff after 10 weeks, or 12 weeks, or 16 weeks. At any of these factors they could possibly be properly over .500 simply as they could possibly be a recreation or two under .500.
All of us give groups checkpoints through the season. The Dolphins had been nice on the first checkpoint. After 4 video games, beforehand the primary quarter of the season (when it was a 16-game season and never 17 video games, reminiscent of now), they had been 3-1.
Now, they’re 3-3. However there’s no panic, no self-doubt, no rush to make main adjustments.
“It’s the second quarter of the season,” linebacker Elandon Roberts mentioned. “On Sundays it reveals ain’t no video games received within the second quarter. You could possibly have a fourth-quarter comeback simply.”
Or a second-quarter comeback, beginning with Sunday’s recreation in opposition to Pittsburgh.
()