The Dolphins came up short against Indianapolis in Week 1. This week's home opener provides an opportunity to respond, and for the Dolphins, that chance comes against division rival New England.
Here's what the Dolphins are saying heading into their Week 2 contest:
Bounce Back Mindset
Head Coach Mike McDaniel – "We have an opportunity. It's the starting process with the players of doing something about it. In that, I think the players have been very focused based on how they've conducted themselves, and we'll see how we improve upon the stuff that happened Week 1. You either learn from it and it becomes a reason for success, or you fall victim of it for a second game in a row, and that's what we have the decision to make each and every day. Where does that lead? We'll see with our work, but I think the message has been loud and clear."
QB Tua Tagovailoa – "I got the offense together and we had a meeting about things that we wanted to do to hang our hats on this week, points of emphasis and how we want to go about it this week. We got all of that communicated to those guys…it was a collection of the guys to get the team together and get the guys together for a players meeting. I think we did a really good job out there at practice, but at the end of the day, you can have the best practice, you can have the worst practice; regardless of those it won't guarantee you a win, so we've got to be prepared."
OLB Jaelan Phillips - "I think we just don't lose trust in ourselves; we don't lose confidence. Obviously, we want to correct all the things that we need to correct from last week and not let that happen again, but at the end of the day it's early in the season, we're not going to let that derail us. We've just got to recuperate and come out here this weekend and play the brand of football that we know how to play."
RB De'Von Achane - "Just not dwelling on the past. That was one game and it's the next game up. We can't keep thinking about that loss. I feel like we've got to move on and just go and correct the things that happened in that game and just move to the next game and correct those little mistakes."
Patriots Challenges
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith – "You can see the blueprints of what Mike (Vrabel) is trying to get done up there. You can see guys that are very physical. They want to play an attacking branded defense. Guys that are working through the beginnings of their phase through the scheme so it's going to be a formidable challenge. They've got good players and they're going to be excited to come down here and play. It'll be a good challenge for us and division game for us this Sunday."
Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver (on New England passing game) – "I think it's evolving. You can tell he's still adjusting probably to Josh McDaniels and what he's trying to do. [Quarterback Drake Maye] has all the ability in the world, all the arm strength. He has skill players and he's just going to gain confidence through reps which I think really for our defense we're trying to do the same thing. A bunch of new guys that just haven't played a lot of live football together so we're all learning each other. We're all learning what we need to hear on the field. I'm learning what they do best and how to use them and then how they're going to react in those situations. So there's a growth and maturation I think going on with him and with us."
For more on Dolphins-Patriots, download the Drive Time Podcast with Travis Wingfield, available wherever you get your podcasts.
