Coach Campbell: “We’re not going to do anything physical this week," Campbell said Monday. "When you’re on a short week like this it’s hard and what’s most important is rest, recovery and then the mental work... That to me is what it’s about and that’s where this team, talking about the New England Patriots, among other things that they’re so good at," Campbell said. "They try to find a weakness. They exploit it and then they will repeat it over and over and over. They’ll get the certain formation you know? If you’re talking about us defensively, they’ll get in these certain formations. They’ll get in empty. They’ll go hurry-up. So we have to be able to communicate. We have to get lined up. We have to be ready to go when the ball is snapped, things of that nature defensively... They are going to give us some looks. I’m sure they are going to try to take some of our players out [of the game plan] and we’ve got to have other answers. At the same token though, we have to find ways to get our playmakers the ball. So to me that’s what it is. It’s more of an emphasis mentally because you aren’t going to be able to get the physical work that you want to get. It’s just too short of a week." Taken from Salguero's recent piece. So, do you think the Dolphins will suffer because of it, or will the fact that this game is closer mean they just carry over the energy and 'toughness' from the last practise and game into this one? Is this a team that is dependent upon the emotions of a week of practise (and will suffer without it) or a team that is going beyond the week to week flow and is progressively accumulating, toughening and growing? I don't think the lack of the practise during this tough week will be an issue because really this is about mental toughness and energy and the shorter week is something everyone's aware, it brings it's own pressure. There is no time to slack off, Campbell has already mentioned that. I think - or at least hope - the toughness and 'attack' they've picked up the last four weeks (from the bye) will stay with them. I think the challenge on Thursday will be the same challenge regardless, the challenge of going into Foxborough, with all that entails, with the mind games of Belichick and Brady and that whole environment. It will be the same challenge of facing the Patriots on their own turf. Hopefully though, what's different will be this Dolphins team. Revved up, hungry, unfazed and raring to go. That, and only that, will be the difference - although it'll be interesting to see if Campbell and co. can pull anything out of their sleeves strategically. It's often a fine line between a lack of intimidation and ignorant boasting. My feeling is the Dolphins will be on the right side of that line. Beating the Patriots, though, who are still 6-0, will be easier said than done. Oh and speaking of a lack of intimidation, if you look up antonyms for 'intimidated' you get a list or words which seem to me what we want to see in the Dolphins - forever. As the Dolphins' word for the week I'm liking 'Dauntless' - what's yours? [TABLE] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]bold adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]confident adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]intrepid adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]nervy adj. (American usage only, in British English this means the opposite)[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]petulant adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]audacious adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]brave adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]courageous adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]dauntless adj.|courageous, bold[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]encouraged v.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]fearless adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]insolent adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]manful adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]manly adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]mettlesome adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]protected v.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]reassured v.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]unaffected adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]unimpressed adj.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]unmoved adj.[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
I like the approach....going up to Fox with everybody rested will allow us to play very physical in the game....
Its pretty much the same approach every team takes during the short week before thursday games. Should be fine. The team has learned what Campbell expects and has done it now for three weeks. They understand how they are expected to perform in games. Beating the Pats is about winning the mental side. The fins will be plenty physical on thursday.
This game won't be indicative of the rest of our season. I'm actually worried we may lay an egg simply because of the short week where NE got to sit home and wait while we have travel as well as the short week. Regardless of this game I feel great about our new direction and we will smash them week 17.
Part of me feels that teams should just go up to wherever they play on thursday nights straight from the Sunday game. Practice, rest, get acclimated to the new city. Don't deal with travel, don't deal with losing a practice due to that travel.
We pulled and rested a lot of our players on Sunday. At one point before halftime, I believe the entire Dline were backups. In contrast, the Patriots fought a hard game all through to the end. I think we come out of the short week with the physical advantage.
He's right, mentally is where the challenge is going to come from against these guys with the short week. This is a tall task going up there to play them. I'm not saying it can't be done, but I don't think it would be fair to see people complaining and changing their outlook to a knee jerk reaction because we lose up there to them on Thursday. In the same breathe I hope the team isn't thinking "moral victory" here either. I have to admit that part of me has felt that way though...Like a moral victory would be good enough, but we've had way too many of those over the past three years and they don't comfort me the way they used to. We have to go up there with the attitude that we can beat them in their house, and I think as fans we need to have the same mindset while still keeping a realistic approach to any potential outcome. I think we're going to to play well regardless.
We will not lay an egg. That you can believe in. We may very well lose, but I guarantee after this game, NE is gonna be bruised and battered
Campbell is playing it right. We may lose but that won't be the reason. Reality is that the road team rarely wins on Thursday night. And in this case we're facing a great team. That's a tough situation. I do believe that we're built the right way to pull off the upset though. The team with the best chance to beat the Pats will be the team doing the things we've been doing well the last couple of weeks.
That is one thing we definitely have in our favor. I'm not saying we will get blown out, Im just saying if it happens I won't freak out because at least part of my rational mind sees the possibility based on circumstance. If that makes sense.
Don't know the historical statistics of this, but this season road teams have won more than home teams.
Your soft team is incapable of playing physical, big boy, football. You'll get bullied, pushed into a locker, and have your lunch money stolen.
So far, from 2006 when Thursday night football began, the home team has won 57.8% of the time for games played on Thursday (some games were played on other days even though it was called "Thursday Night Football"). Only in 2009 and 2013 did the home team not win more. And yes, so far this year the road team has won more (4 out of 6). Oh, and Dolphins are 3-2 in TNF (1-1 as road team).
If the road team is winning 42.2% of the time, it's not that rare at all, actually. I'd guess that it's almost the same for non-Thurday games.
did we know that the pats have played thursday nite games 7 times...all have been home games....hmmm, thats really wrong..
he plays at home on the short week, many variables favor him and your team, if we do win it will mean that we are that much better.
Wait.. this is a link to all Thursday Night Football games up to 2013: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thursday_Night_Football It says Patriots are 2-1 in Thursday Night Football games, but that's current only until 2013. Here's the list from 2006 to present day: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Network_Thursday_Night_Football_results_(2006–present) You can see the Patriots won another one in 2014, so combine the two lists together and we know they didn't play a Thursday Night Football game before 2006 and their total record is 3-1. Unless you have another source.. Oh, and they had 3 home games and one away game according to that second link.
I never talk smack. Anyone here can attest to that. I believe people should have their word (especially, when the dialogue is good and solid). But what really pisses me off year-in and year-out are slimy Patsy fans with ZERO input on the game. No gentleman's handshake. Nothing! Just utter redundancy about how their genitals do not please their farm animals, or how their sister's moustache itches when she sniffs their taint. I get it. You's guys like keeping it in the family. LOBSTAH!!! Being that it is Halloween, ghosts are abundant. But I don't believe in ghosts; therefore, you are dead to me.... Hide behind your mask, Patsy. Dan Campbell is coming to town, and he plays one helluva bogey monster (or bogey monstahhh!). Your mommy won't be able to save you. You won't be able to hide in your closet from whence came you. Wear your mask of shame. Or better yet, slit your wrists with that idiotic name you hide behind. Either add something of worth or leave my proud Dolphins forum! Be careful, jock strap. Your team is good, but they ain't that good.... Cheers! And have a safe a happy Halloween! See how fun this is?
