MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Ever heard of a pressure-valve game?
That’s what this Sunday’s home game against the Indianapolis Colts is for the Miami Dolphins.
Lose to the Colts (0-3) and the pressure rises, and the blame-game period for this rebuild likely begins.
A 1-3 start for a team that was supposed to be turning the corner, transitioning out of the rebuilding phase and entering the playoff contender status? That’s when panic begins.
And more importantly, it is when blame starts getting assigned.
Did the Dolphins pick the right young quarterback, selecting Tua Tagovailoa over Justin Herbert?
Who was pushing for which quarterback?
Why hasn’t the organization made a move for DeShaun Watson? Is that the right play with his pending legal drama lingering?
Why is the offensive line still a disaster? Which evaluator said (insert name of young offensive linemen) was a capable NFL starter before the draft?
Why doesn’t the Dolphins defense have enough pass rushing? Is it coaching, or the personnel?
Lose to a limping Colts team, who have been ravaged by early injuries, and pressure rises.
Questions start get asked, and more importantly, blame starts being assigned to the people in positions of power.
That when coach Brian Flores’ honeymoon is over, and division within the organization begins.
The players start doubting their coaching staff, assessing whether the offensive and defensive coordinators are putting the team in the right plays, the right scheme, in position to make plays that determine the outcome of games.
And people throughout the organization start jockeying for job security and status.
This is the inevitable cycle of Dolphins dysfunction I’ve been documenting since 2007, which was put on ice in year one of this particular rebuild, because this franchise was rebuilding and subsequently tanking for draft picks. And it never arrived in year two because the team started overachieving after a 1-3 start last year, finishing the season 10-6 that year.
Only a win this Sunday, which would get the franchise to 2-2 heading into next Sunday’s game against reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay, releases the pressure.
Fortunately for Flores and his staff, under his tutelage the Dolphins have a history of starting out slow before improving as the season progresses.
The Dolphins began that first rebuilding season under Flores 0-7, before winning five of their last nine games to finish 5-11. That season’s players barely knew each other’s names before the 59-10 season opening beatdown the Baltimore Ravens gave Miami.
The players admitted to calling each other by number on the field, because of the 14 newcomers added the week before the regular season’s first game. And as the season progressed, Miami found an identity on offense and defense and began to execute better.
As previously mentioned, Dolphins began last season 1-3, then won five consecutive games before suffering another loss.
Miami’s defense carried that 2020 team, which lacked playmakers and a consistent run game. Expectations this year were that defense would do so again, while the offense improved because young players, such as Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, Solomon Kindley and Myles Gaskin, had gained so much experience, and the addition of playmakers and veterans such as Jaylen Waddle, Will Fuller, Malcolm Brown, Jevon Holland, Adam Butler, Jason McCourty and Justin Coleman.
But the alterations made this offseason haven’t produced the desired outcome early, and soon owner Steve Ross is going to want — if not need — answers, explanations and more importantly, solutions.
Ross and this fan base need be reassured that these Dolphins are headed in the right direction, and just not doing the same, old two step it has done for the past two decades of taking one step forward and two steps back.
And if that is the dance the Dolphins are doing, there needs to be a plan to exit this dance floor.
Whether that’s giving Aaron Rodgers the keys to the franchise, like the Buccaneers did with Tom Brady before winning the Super Bowl, or going all-in on Watson, despite all his warts, we’ll soon find out.
The Dolphins either need to deliver wins, starting on Sunday, or a better plan needs to surface, because this pressure cooker is about to explode.
