Dolphins trying to avoid lull after win
DAVIE — In the immediate aftermath of a stirring 38-10 win over Tennessee on Sunday, Dolphins interim coach Dan Campbell finished his victory speech with a simple message.
“The sleeping giant,” he “is awake.”
On Monday, Campbell spoke of staving off slumber — or what he called “naps” — as Miami (2-3) prepares for its upcoming game against the Houston Texans this weekend.
“The challenge is now for these guys not to start patting themselves on the back because we’ve been notorious for that around here,” he said. “We get a big win, and all of the sudden it’s a lull the next week.”
There is, however, a certain sense of optimism that abounds within the team following what was something of a breakthrough victory for a franchise mired in mediocrity recently.
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The Dolphins, who entered the season with playoff aspirations, played with toughness and pluck against the Titans to end a three-game losing streak.
And because of this, they say there’s still time to turn around a season gone awry.
“We were able to hope again,” Campbell said, “and after that win, now you can start to believe.”
In romping at Tennessee, Miami looked like the team some expected it to be following a series of offseason moves aimed at snapping a lengthy postseason drought dating back to 2008.
On offense, the Dolphins ran the ball for a season-high 180 yards. The defense, which had allowed 68 points combined in dispiriting losses to the Jets and the Bills, put on a ferocious display and rattled Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota.
The Dolphins’ stars made a difference, too. Defensive end Cameron Wake had four sacks, strong safety Reshad Jones had a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown and tackle Branden Albert anchored an offensive line that had its way with their counterparts.
“The energy and the speed with which we played is what I was hoping we would get. I knew if we did that, we would be all right,” Campbell said. “And I could feel that, the players could feel that … you could feel it. There was a transfer of energy without touching anybody.”
For Campbell, who was named interim coach Oct. 5, this is part of a plan to play a tougher, feistier brand of football following the ousting of former coach Joe Philbin and defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle.
Campbell started by changing the team’s locker-room seating arrangements. He did away with the suit-and-tie dress code for road trips. He has dialed up the intensity in practice with one-on-one drills.
“You have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide,” Campbell said. “Everybody’s watching.”
Many will be eyeing where the Dolphins go from here.
While a win over the Titans has raised spirits, this new beginning is being approached with caution. In 2014, Miami lost five of its final eight games following a threegame winning streak that inspired similar good vibes.
“It’s definitely encouraging, but you want to move forward,” defensive tackle Earl Mitchell said. “You’re anticipating the next game that’s coming up. There’s a lot of guys that feel energized, especially with that win, but at the same time, you’ve got to move on.”
Under Campbell’s direction, though, the Dolphins said they are reenergized.
“I don’t think there’s going to be a lull this time,” Albert said. “I think guys believe now.”
He added, “I think guys were like, ‘We do have a good team,’ and I believe guys know that we can get it done.”
Whether or not that sentiment can will help them going forward remains to be seen.
“The energy and the speed with which we played is what I was hoping we would get. I knew if we did that, we would be all right.” Dolphins interim coach Dan Campbell