After going toe-to-toe with the defending AFC champion New England Patriots, the Dolphins now turn their attention to another tough test against the Detroit Lions and the NFL's top-ranked offense.
Four quarters of physical football
Each team takes pride in playing a physical brand of football and competing throughout all four quarters with defensive-minded head coaches at the helm.
CB Chris Johnson: I feel like it's going to be a real scrappy game. I feel like we both pride ourselves on being physical. Obviously, we both have defensive-minded head coaches, so I feel like that goes hand in hand. I feel like it'll be a dog fight physically, for sure.
ILB Jacob Rodriguez: I mean, we want to win. I think that's kind of a given is we're trying to win and we're not trying to just go out there and play hard and just hope for the best. We're trying to go out there and have a plan to actively go and win the game. That being said, I think how we can do that part of the recipe to win is you got to play hard. And I think that's kind of something that we've bought into, is we do play hard...We want to win. But also I think that it's paired with playing hard and it's paired with doing the right thing.
Defensive Coordinator Sean Duggan: I think we should just be hungry for every opportunity. At the end of the day, it's a chance to go play the game that we work so hard for and that we love. We should be excited about the challenge and respect our opponent. But I view every game as an opportunity to go put our best foot forward and continually get better and strive to be a more consistent defense. But I'm excited. I think our guys play that way. I think when you watch our tape, I think our guys play for four quarters really, really hard.
Chemistry on and off the field
Nine weeks into the season, the Dolphins' focus on team chemistry and cohesion among all three phases of football remains stronger than ever.
EDGE Chop Robinson: Overall, I would just say like just being connected. Like on the field and off the field everybody is being closer. Like it's a younger team, so a lot of rookies and everything, a lot of rookies playing way more, so just being connected overall, just as a team, like we hang out more. We enjoy time in the locker room, enjoy each other's presence. And that's why on the field, I feel like we're way more connected now.
WR Chris Bell: I feel like the whole receiver room pushes each other each and every day. I feel like our bond is getting stronger. We're hanging out more around the facility and things like that. But the way we push each other is in practice. We take pride in winning our one-on-one every day in practice and in the game. We take pride in every rep that we get in practice. So I feel like when we see each other doing those things, it's just pushing all of us to do the same.
T Patrick Paul: The o-line, I think we've become more confident. I feel like we're gelling together as a group, and I think that's a big thing with an o-line is just gelling and being on the same page because when all five are on the same page, good outcomes happen. So I think the o-line, we've taken steps in that. And then just for the overall team, I think, especially with the young guys, I think everyone's getting more confident week by week.
Preparing for the NFL's No. 1 offense
The Lions ended Minnesota's undefeated streak last week, dropping the Vikings to 6-1. Detroit took care of business against the league's No. 2 defense, setting up a challenge for the Dolphins' young defensive unit.
CB Chris Johnson: Really just top to bottom looking at the quarterback, the receivers, running back. I feel like they're really talented. I can't leave out the o-line. They have o-lineman running out for passes and stuff like that, so it's really just a lot of things you got to prepare for. But I feel like at the end of the day, I feel like getting better at our rules and our defense is going to help us go against them.
Head Coach Jeff Hafley: Goff has played at a really high level for a lot of years and he's really smart and he can do it all. I respect his toughness. I respect the way he hangs in the pocket and takes shots. He can make all the throws. He sees the check downs fast...I think they're built the right way and they're the number one offense in the NFL for a reason. It's coaching, it's players, it's developing. Give coach credit and give them credit, he's done a great job.
Special Teams Coordinator Chris Tabor: Obviously when you have the No. 1 offense, our job is to handle field position, right? The longer that you can make them drive a longer field, obviously, the more opportunity, hopefully, that they somewhere make a mistake along the way, right? So we got to do a good job in our coverage units...They do a really good job and their specialists are really good at pinning the ball on the sidelines and all those things, so we've got our work cut out for us so that hopefully we can help field position and help that area right there.
