Fans and media are writing glowing headlines and tweets concerning the Dolphins in gentle of their splashy commerce to accumulate Denver Broncos Pro Bowl edge rusher Bradley Chubb on Tuesday, after which a later deal for San Francisco 49ers working again Jeff Wilson Jr. But in the fashion of Seattle quarterback Geno Smith, the Dolphins aren’t writing again.
“We didn’t accomplish nothing yet,” linebacker Jerome Baker stated.
He’s proper.
And mainly that’s the sentiment within the Dolphins locker room.
It’s a workforce that understands nothing goes to be given to them, that they have to work arduous.
With that in thoughts, nobody is planning for Phoenix (web site of the Super Bowl) in February. Yet.
“We’ve got this,” linebacker Duke Riley stated of the assembled expertise, “however what are we going to do with this? Are we going to do all the things and be on our particulars and on our assignments and everybody do their jobs?
“I think that’s really what’s most important.”
Yes, a number of Dolphins gamers will point out the Super Bowl within the context of their expectations. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made that clear Wednesday. Chubb repeated it Thursday.
“It’s a lot of leaders on this team, and I’m just glad I could come in and fall into a good position where guys are winning, guys care,” he stated. “We need to get after this playoff run and Super Bowl and accomplish all the goals we’ve got here and fight for it.”
Understand one thing: The Dolphins, who, in spite of everything, are nonetheless in third place within the AFC East with a 5-3 document, aren’t exhibiting a way of entitlement or privilege.
They appear to be sustaining their focus and objective. They know, or lots of them know, they solely have two playoff appearances within the final 20 years.
“We’ve got some good pieces, but that doesn’t mean anything,” Baker stated. “You’ve got to go out there and perform. We’re all locked in and ready to go.”
Everyone, it seems, is able to go.
Dolphins followers on social media misplaced their collective thoughts Tuesday after the trades. Twitter blew up.
The response contained in the constructing wasn’t as outwardly grandiose, however the pleasure was nonetheless palpable.
The Dolphins teaching employees came upon concerning the trades when coach Mike McDaniel gathered them to make the announcement.
“Everybody was fired up,” linebackers coach Anthony Campanile stated.
No, coaches weren’t fist-pumping and high-fiving.
“Not necessarily like some of the craziness I’ve been involved in with college football where a recruit signs and everybody goes crazy and all that,” Campanile stated.
But the coaches had been excited.
Players had been excited, too.
Baker came upon on Twitter.
Guard Robert Jones came upon on Instagram.
Dolphins heart Connor Williams, however, didn’t discover out till Wednesday morning when McDaniel introduced it at a workforce assembly.
“I don’t have any social media,” he stated.
Players perceive the Dolphins have heightened expectations, significantly after the Chubb acquisition.
They know the thrill stage is greater than it’s been in years, and that was even earlier than the flurry earlier than the commerce deadline. Because earlier than Tuesday, there was the commerce to accumulate vast receiver Tyreek Hill and the free agent signing of left sort out Terron Armstead, amongst different strikes, together with hiring McDaniel. Season tickets had been bought out.
Then got here the 3-0 begin and that encouraging victory over Buffalo and the riveting comeback victory over Baltimore.
Yeah, there was a three-game dropping streak, however that’s nearly a distant reminiscence in gentle of back-to-back victories and, now, this.
Dolphins followers are excited for the on-field product and the entrance workplace’s religion within the on-field product.
“They really understand that every team has a window,” Hill stated, “and they see that the window is now for this team.”
And it sounds as if gamers perceive they have to put within the work earlier than they accumulate the accolades.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com