Dolphins Need To Start Turning Up The Intensity

Dolphins Need To Start Turning Up The Intensity

Last week, the Miami Dolphins had joint practices with the Chicago Bears ahead of their preseason game. The most alarming aspect of the practices I read about was how physical the Bears were, frequently resorting to hitting and, at times, outright dirty play.

The Dolphins, from all accounts, didn’t seem to have the same intensity or fight. Even though head coach Mike McDaniel reportedly got between a skirmish. That’s a problem I have going into the season. 

The Dolphins made a concerted effort this offseason to invest in the trenches and their physicality, which they did. They are also trying to shed the soft label of this team, and it’s not going away until seen on the field. Last week wasn’t good for the team.

In the first series of the preseason game, the Dolphins’ first team drove down the field and got to the one-yard line, and on three straight plays, ran and got stuffed. I appreciated that McDaniel ran the ball, but the results were disastrous as far as I’m concerned.

I know it’s only the first preseason game, but the Bears were mostly playing their backups, and our starting offensive line couldn’t push them around to get the final yard. 

Fans are expecting this team to be different with their additions on the line of scrimmage, but after last week, it’s not encouraging. The Bears have a first-year coach who is trying to build his program, and if that means being overly physical, so be it.

Meanwhile, McDaniel is in his 4th and most critical year as the Dolphins coach, and he’s trying to shed the soft label. He needs to back off and let his players fight the opposing team and let them settle things, as Mincah Fitzpatrick said last week. 

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa took some hits, and from all things that I read, nobody really did anything in practice. That’s a problem. Guys need to stand up for their quarterback even if it means starting a fight. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle took a hard hit, and he is day-to-day with an injury. He probably didn’t think he was going to hit hard because it was a “controlled practice.”  

This week, the team should know what to expect because the Detroit Lions are one of the most physical teams in football, led by their head coach, Dan Campbell. He preaches being physical and playing to the end of the whistle, and so on.

They are tough at the line of scrimmage, and this will be a good test for the offensive and defensive lines of the Dolphins. 

However, the Dolphins need to be more intense and start showing that they are going to be more physical this time, and not just talk about it. The Lions have a player who is already talking about how the Dolphins don’t know what they are in for in these practice sessions. The Dolphins better hear that and also learn their lessons from last week, or else. 

I’m trying to be optimistic about this season because I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom with this team. I like some of the moves they have made to rebuild the trenches and cut back on their spending to build through the draft.

However, I am tired of seeing this team get pushed around, and that has to change. 

If things don’t improve this week, I believe owner Stephen Ross should consider doing us a favor and fire McDaniel now, allowing general manager Chris Grier to select the next head coach, given his track record of poor head coaching choices. Joe Philbin and Adam Gase were clueless, and McDaniel isn’t proving that he can get this team over the hump.  

Dolphins need to start showing us as fans that this team will be different and won’t back down from anyone, or else it will be another long season.