And here it is..National respect..." Win now mode.!!

That all sounds great, but I'm interested to see how this team plays when it's favored, which will happen for the first time this week.

Many times the favored team comes out complacent, and the underdog comes out fired up. Then when the underdog gets ahead, the favorite's complacency vanishes, and the two teams' "real" ability shows.

Our games against the Jets, Cardinals, and Bengals could be viewed that way, with some variation of course. I'm interested to see how this team responds when the roles are reversed, and its opponent is the underdog.

I certainly don't expect the Dolphins to come out complacent at 2-3, but what could very well happen is their inability to play well against a (possibly) better team that's been cast as an underdog against them, instead of a favorite.

In essence, they may get nowhere near the complacency from the opposing team, and that may be a new experience for them. We'll see how they handle it if so.

"shouright wrote:

That all sounds great, but I'm interested to see how this team plays when it's favored, which will happen for the first time this week.

Many times the favored team comes out complacent, and the underdog comes out fired up. Then when the underdog gets ahead, the favorite's complacency vanishes, and the two teams' "real" ability shows.

Our games against the Jets, Cardinals, and Bengals could be viewed that way, with some variation of course. I'm interested to see how this team responds when the roles are reversed, and its opponent is the underdog.

I certainly don't expect the Dolphins to come out complacent at 2-3, but what could very well happen is their inability to play well against a (possibly) better team that's been cast as an underdog against them, instead of a favorite.

In essence, they may get nowhere near the complacency from the opposing team, and that may be a new experience for them. We'll see how they handle it if so.

Not buying it. Like you mentioned, 2-3 is hardly a record to be complacent about. Regardless of the opponent.

"shouright wrote:

That all sounds great, but I'm interested to see how this team plays when it's favored, which will happen for the first time this week.

Many times the favored team comes out complacent, and the underdog comes out fired up. Then when the underdog gets ahead, the favorite's complacency vanishes, and the two teams' "real" ability shows.

Our games against the Jets, Cardinals, and Bengals could be viewed that way, with some variation of course. I'm interested to see how this team responds when the roles are reversed, and its opponent is the underdog.

I certainly don't expect the Dolphins to come out complacent at 2-3, but what could very well happen is their inability to play well against a (possibly) better team that's been cast as an underdog against them, instead of a favorite.

In essence, they may get nowhere near the complacency from the opposing team, and that may be a new experience for them. We'll see how they handle it if so.

This team has been playing together for a while, they have been through these experiences, and have come out flat on many occasion, even against bad teams, I have my own theories about that but, their kinda startin to believe here,they have a real chance to sway major opinions, and I'm sure they know the rams are gonna be playing very hard, they better play like a bunch of crazed dogs.

If they do that, the only way I see them losing is if RT plays like a Rookie Qq.

It's such a big moment for the fanbase, I really hope they show..

It would be a good way for the Dolphin players to pay thanks to Jeff Fisher for dogging them and going to the Rams. This is what you didn't want Jeff, might have been the best favor possible. Go Phins.

Well, wonder how this defense compares to the Wanny Era units?

I hate overreacting either way after a game, but you can't help but get excited with how things are going. This game just feels huge and how great would it be to go into our bye with all the momentum and positive vibes. For the first time we're starting to get a little respect, Tannehill is being recognized as a kid playing well with lots of potential, and for the first time this season in ESPN's Pick'em, Miami has more people picking them than the opponent.

I had lower expectations than some but couldn't quite understand how the Dolphins and Panthers both finished 6-10, yet one was being thought of as a definite playoff team and the other as a potential first overall pick. Nice to see people outside our fan base realizing we're not a pushover.

"I got a bad feelin' about this drop."
"Man, you always say that!"

"padre31 wrote:

Well, wonder how this defense compares to the Wanny Era units?

Why?

I liked this:

"We've watched him grow, get more comfortable with players," Wake said. "He's making big plays and throws out of and in the pocket. We told him that you don't have time to be a rookie. We have to step up and be known now. He's taking that load up very well."

"RGF wrote:

Not buying it. Like you mentioned, 2-3 is hardly a record to be complacent about. Regardless of the opponent.

You misunderstood the point. The point is that the Dolphins, because they're favored for the first time this year, may for the first time be dealing with an opponent that isn't complacent.

In other words, we may get to see for the first time how they deal with an opponent that isn't taking them lightly.

I wouldn't call 2-3 "success", but coming off a win ... This team has ALWAYS handled success poorly, with the exception of Sparano's 2008 season with Pennington. My late Dad used to say, "they've been reading their own press clippings". This has been a problem for this team for every year since around 1973-74, with the exception of Dan's 84-85 season.

The more positive press they get, the more they seem to relax. I don't see that happening this week, or at least I hope they aren't full of themselves with this lousy record, but keep an eye on it if they put together a couple good wins and see if they "play down to the level of their competition"; that's the tell for me.

The argument can be made that there's been so little success in recent years, that old habit is not even a memory in the mind of a single current player, but we'll see. We'll see.

"Agua wrote:

I wouldn't call 2-3 "success", but coming off a win ... This team has ALWAYS handled success poorly, with the exception of Sparano's 2008 season with Pennington. My late Dad used to say, "they've been reading their own press clippings". This has been a problem for this team for every year since around 1973-74, with the exception of Dan's 84-85 season.

The more positive press they get, the more they seem to relax. I don't see that happening this week, or at least I hope they aren't full of themselves with this lousy record, but keep an eye on it if they put together a couple good wins and see if they "play down to the level of their competition"; that's the tell for me.

The argument can be made that there's been so little success in recent years, that old habit is not even a memory in the mind of a single current player, but we'll see. We'll see.

I think the issue is that you have to truly be a good team to be able to consistently beat teams that aren't taking you lightly.

When you're flying off the radar, you can pull surprise upsets here and there, but when everybody's gunning for you, you better truly be good if you're going to win.

Again the basis of the gameplan as is every other week, is to avoid turnovers... and take the ball away from your opponent...

I hope they have listened to Philbin, and we should be able to take care of the Rams...

"shouright wrote:

That all sounds great, but I'm interested to see how this team plays when it's favored, which will happen for the first time this week.

Many times the favored team comes out complacent, and the underdog comes out fired up. Then when the underdog gets ahead, the favorite's complacency vanishes, and the two teams' "real" ability shows.

Our games against the Jets, Cardinals, and Bengals could be viewed that way, with some variation of course. I'm interested to see how this team responds when the roles are reversed, and its opponent is the underdog.

I certainly don't expect the Dolphins to come out complacent at 2-3, but what could very well happen is their inability to play well against a (possibly) better team that's been cast as an underdog against them, instead of a favorite.

In essence, they may get nowhere near the complacency from the opposing team, and that may be a new experience for them. We'll see how they handle it if so.

The Dolphins are favored merely because the game is being played in Miami. If it was being played in St Louis, the Rams would probably be a slight favorite. The Dolphins aren't good enough at this time to overlook anyone on their schedule. While I expect the Dolphins to win in another close game. It would not surprise me in the least if the Rams win the game on Sunday.

The Rams are a better team than many people give them credit for and the Dolphins will need to play their best game to beat this team. If they come out complacent, which I don't see them doing, they will lose to the Rams.

"djphinfan wrote:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000079126/article/cameron-wakes-miami-dolphins-showing-nfl-theyre-for-real?module=HP11_content_stream

The Dolphins have a chance to get to .500 this weekend in a home matchup against the other NFL team with which you don't want to wrangle, the St. Louis Rams. A loss could temper the optimism surrounding Miami, but whatever happens, the Dolphins have instilled a sense of hope in a franchise that seemed like a rudderless laughingstock just weeks ago.

"We had been in a couple games the past few weeks that didn't fall the way we wanted them to," Wake said. "We had people telling us, 'Yeah, you guys are doing well. You have a rookie QB. A new defense.' We didn't want that. Those are only excuses people threw out for us to accept.

"We're not built that way. We're not built for excuses. We know if we play hard and stay in games -- and learn to close them out -- we can win now."

This is a big game, for everyone..We have the moment in hand to capture the audience, especially our own.

I love this article.

Its probably something with my phone but when I click on it, it says something like "temperarily unavailable".
Sounds like a good article. I'm glad the players don't give a crap about the excuses that most of us make! lol. They just care about winning and they know they're capable of winning every game they play.
I predict a 10 win run starting with thr Rams!

"RickyNeverInhaled wrote:

Its probably something with my phone but when I click on it, it says something like "temperarily unavailable".
Sounds like a good article. I'm glad the players don't give a crap about the excuses that most of us make! lol. They just care about winning and they know they're capable of winning every game they play.
I predict a 10 win run starting with thr Rams!

"Those who come from poverty often look back at their upbringing with a simple clarity: They never knew what they didn't have.

The Miami Dolphins employed a similar philosophy entering the 2012 season after constantly hearing they were devoid of talent and playmakers, and that rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill and rookie head coach Joe Philbin would be overmatched.

Brandt: Dolphins have their man
Ryan Tannehill has a history of being overlooked, but Gil Brandt says the rookie QB is quietly becoming the Dolphins' rock. More ...
"We never came up with any theories of what couldn't be done," defensive end Cameron Wake said this week. "We looked in our toolbox, saw what tools we have and said, 'No excuses. Why not us?' "

"Bpk wrote:

"I got a bad feelin' about this drop."
"Man, you always say that!"

"Look where your team is. They're right under the primary heat exchangers, and the whole stadium is basically a big fusion reactor..."

"Califin wrote:

"Look where your team is. They're right under the primary heat exchangers, and the whole stadium is basically a big fusion reactor..."

Well done

"jw3102 wrote:

The Dolphins are favored merely because the game is being played in Miami. If it was being played in St Louis, the Rams would probably be a slight favorite. The Dolphins aren't good enough at this time to overlook anyone on their schedule. While I expect the Dolphins to win in another close game. It would not surprise me in the least if the Rams win the game on Sunday.

The Rams are a better team than many people give them credit for and the Dolphins will need to play their best game to beat this team. If they come out complacent, which I don't see them doing, they will lose to the Rams.

Right, but we weren't favored against the Raiders of all teams, in Miami, when we played them.

The point is that the team is being recognized as being better now, and what that may bring with it are opponents that may not be taking them lightly anymore. They may not have had to deal with that to this point. They're not flying under the radar anymore.

"xphinfanx wrote:

It would be a good way for the Dolphin players to pay thanks to Jeff Fisher for dogging them and going to the Rams. This is what you didn't want Jeff, might have been the best favor possible. Go Phins.

I usually don't like betting on the Dolphins. But after a couple of hours of research, I looked at the line again and remembered the whole Jeff Fisher fiasco. I layed the points at home on my Dolphins, tough choice. I really hope one of the coaches uses this for added motivation, or to not come out complacent.

Man, I'm pumped about this game. Win or lose, with the way this team has been playing...I'm confident we'll go into the bye week with our heads held high.

I find it hard to believe that professional athletes play less hard because a team is flying under the radar. Talent and playmaking ability trumps that.

"Loyal Fin wrote:

I usually don't like betting on the Dolphins. But after a couple of hours of research, I looked at the line again and remembered the whole Jeff Fisher fiasco. I layed the points at home on my Dolphins, tough choice. I really hope one of the coaches uses this for added motivation, or to not come out complacent.

Man, I'm pumped about this game. Win or lose, with the way this team has been playing...I'm confident we'll go into the bye week with our heads held high.

I'm just as excited. But if we lose I will not be pumped up. We should and will win this game.

"Bumrush wrote:

I'm just as excited. But if we lose I will not be pumped up. We should and will win this game.

It's a big freakin game for us Rush, I'm gonna be hyped as sh&$ if we win.

"Bumrush wrote:

I find it hard to believe that professional athletes play less hard because a team is flying under the radar. Talent and playmaking ability trumps that.

Then how are there ever upsets? You don't think those have any emotional component whatsoever for the team that has more talent but loses?