Checking Out the Dolphins Players State of Mind After 0-3 Start

The Miami Dolphins are currently 0-3 heading into their Monday Night Football divisional matchup against the fellow 0-3 New York Jets.

Despite the 0-3 start, Dolphins players are choosing to use the rocky start as motivation.

One such player using adversity as an opportunity is linebacker Jaelen Phillips.

Phillips recounted his rookie season in 2021 when the Dolphins went 1-7 to start the season. When he was asked if drawing on an experience like that can be useful, Phillips stated that the reality of the NFL is what the team needs to accept and use.

"No, I definitely can draw from those experiences," Phillips said Tuesday. "I mean, even put aside those last two years, my first year with the Dolphins, we were, I think, 1 -7 and then won eight games in a row or seven out of nine or something like that."

Despite the 1-7 start, the Dolphins would go on to win eight of their last nine games. They missed the playoffs, but showed a level of grit and fight that needs to be reestablished in 2025.

"I've seen almost every year on both sides how things can change in an instant," Phillips said. "You can go on a winning streak and then lose a bunch of games and vice versa."

Though the team is currently struggling to notch a win, Phillips also understands that starting 0-3 does not mean the Dolphins won't be able to turn things around.

"Obviously, it's a pressing issue," Phillips said. "We need to start winning games. But this is not a death sentence for us, and it's not indicative of how the rest of the season will go."

Phillips also revealed that the mood for this Dolphins team is not one of defeat, but more so of frustration. That frustration could serve to help jump-start the team into the win column.

"Disappointed, but not discouraged. And definitely haven't lost any confidence in ourselves," he said. "And even that frustration is just with us. It's frustrating knowing that we can play a better brand of football and we haven't. Nobody's panicking, nobody's pointing fingers."

Running back De'Von Achane echoed the same sentiment as Phillips.

He spoke on the morale for the team remaining high despite the rough start.

"I feel we're good, man," Achane said. "I wouldn't say we're down, man. We played a great team last week, and as we watched film, we did a lot of stuff that we could have done better going into the fourth quarter, scoring like 21-21. So I feel like, just keep focusing on details and not having those mistakes in critical times. I feel like we're going to be good."

How Dolphins Younger Core Feel About 0-3 Start

Dolphins veterans like Phillips and Achane are meant to be the glue that holds the team together in times of struggle. However, there are those younger players who have joined the team recently or this year who may be seeing a rough start from a different perspective.

For second-year receiver Malik Washington, he is treating the 0-3 start with more passion. Instead of looking at the current record, he views the Jets game is an opportunity for the team to go 1-0.

"Yeah, I mean, I think we're excited," he said. "We're excited to play Monday Night football. We're excited to get to 1-0 each day. We're excited to come into the building and be with each other. So right now, I think the mood is we're thriving. We're hoping to get our first win on Monday, but we're just jelling together."

Achane was another idea of talked about the idea of merely trying to go 1-0 each week.

"OK, we’re 0-3, but if we go 1-0 each week from here on out, that’s 14-3," he said. "People are not going to be worrying about us going 0-3. I feel like if you look at it that way, just trying to go 1-0 from here on out, at the end of the season, those three ‘Ls’ won’t matter.”

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