http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/a...-Formula/cd84e73b-f352-459a-aff2-3f9f95d32964
(Andy Cohen In the Morning - AC in the AM - appears on Dolphins.com every Monday through Friday morning throughout training camp and the season. The column is posted at 6 a.m. You can also follow AC in the AM by Twitter @acohenfins).
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Now comes the hard part, the real challenge. Duplicating what we saw last Sunday in Tennessee. Proving that it wasn’t an aberration. Building on all those positives. Keeping the same aggressive mindset.
That’s what Sunday against the Houston Texans at Sun Life Stadium is truly all about. We saw how good this team could play in a 38-10 dismantling of the Tennessee Titans. Now we need to see more. We need to see them do it again. We need to see the same intensity, they same go-for-it approach.
Last Sunday was special. Last Sunday was important. But not if it stands by itself, not if the Dolphins can’t duplicate that performance, or come close to it, Sunday against the Texans. That’s the meaning of only the second home game in the last month and the only home game the Dolphins will play over the next month. One nice victory is not a trend. But two straight victories will get your attention and will certainly add fuel to the argument that this team is talented enough to overcome that forgettable 1-3 start.
It really shouldn’t matter than the Texans are a disappointing 2-4, nor should it matter that the Dolphins have never beaten this franchise since it moved back to Houston. What matters on Sunday is how the Dolphins start, how they run the ball, how they stop the run, how they rush the passer and how, in general, they follow up that feel-good victory over the Titans.
I’ve said all week that we truly won’t know the importance of last Sunday in Tennessee until we see whether it has a springboard effect, whether the influence and impact of new coach Dan Campbell can continue to take hold of these players. I believe it will. I believe what we saw against the Titans was a clear indication of the talent-level of this team and that these players are too smart and have too much pride not to realize that it takes that kind of effort to produce those kinds of results.
“I don’t think there’s going to be a lull,” said left tackle Branden Albert
. “This team believes in what Coach Campbell is doing.”
If you look at the big picture, Sunday’s game carries added significance because the Dolphins, after Houston, will embark on a three-game road trip --- New England, Buffalo and Philadelphia -- that is undoubtedly the most difficult stretch of their season. And I haven’t even mentioned that they’ll have only a few days to prepare for the Patriots game next Thursday.
A win over the Texans means the Dolphins would go into those games with a 3-3 record and a two-game winning streak, no doubt giving them a real sense of confidence at a time when confidence is essential. Indeed, this is a very telling time in the Dolphins season and there’s no doubt we’ll know so much more about this team after Sunday.
What the Dolphins need to do isn’t very complicated. In fact, after what we saw against the Titans, you can make the argument that nothing carries more significance than a quick start. Think about it. The Dolphins were up 7-0 after their first drive and 17-3 at the half. This opened everything up.
Good video with Greg Likens with Billy Turner also. Please click on link for rest of the article.
(Andy Cohen In the Morning - AC in the AM - appears on Dolphins.com every Monday through Friday morning throughout training camp and the season. The column is posted at 6 a.m. You can also follow AC in the AM by Twitter @acohenfins).
# # #
Now comes the hard part, the real challenge. Duplicating what we saw last Sunday in Tennessee. Proving that it wasn’t an aberration. Building on all those positives. Keeping the same aggressive mindset.
That’s what Sunday against the Houston Texans at Sun Life Stadium is truly all about. We saw how good this team could play in a 38-10 dismantling of the Tennessee Titans. Now we need to see more. We need to see them do it again. We need to see the same intensity, they same go-for-it approach.
Last Sunday was special. Last Sunday was important. But not if it stands by itself, not if the Dolphins can’t duplicate that performance, or come close to it, Sunday against the Texans. That’s the meaning of only the second home game in the last month and the only home game the Dolphins will play over the next month. One nice victory is not a trend. But two straight victories will get your attention and will certainly add fuel to the argument that this team is talented enough to overcome that forgettable 1-3 start.
It really shouldn’t matter than the Texans are a disappointing 2-4, nor should it matter that the Dolphins have never beaten this franchise since it moved back to Houston. What matters on Sunday is how the Dolphins start, how they run the ball, how they stop the run, how they rush the passer and how, in general, they follow up that feel-good victory over the Titans.
I’ve said all week that we truly won’t know the importance of last Sunday in Tennessee until we see whether it has a springboard effect, whether the influence and impact of new coach Dan Campbell can continue to take hold of these players. I believe it will. I believe what we saw against the Titans was a clear indication of the talent-level of this team and that these players are too smart and have too much pride not to realize that it takes that kind of effort to produce those kinds of results.
“I don’t think there’s going to be a lull,” said left tackle Branden Albert
. “This team believes in what Coach Campbell is doing.” If you look at the big picture, Sunday’s game carries added significance because the Dolphins, after Houston, will embark on a three-game road trip --- New England, Buffalo and Philadelphia -- that is undoubtedly the most difficult stretch of their season. And I haven’t even mentioned that they’ll have only a few days to prepare for the Patriots game next Thursday.
A win over the Texans means the Dolphins would go into those games with a 3-3 record and a two-game winning streak, no doubt giving them a real sense of confidence at a time when confidence is essential. Indeed, this is a very telling time in the Dolphins season and there’s no doubt we’ll know so much more about this team after Sunday.
What the Dolphins need to do isn’t very complicated. In fact, after what we saw against the Titans, you can make the argument that nothing carries more significance than a quick start. Think about it. The Dolphins were up 7-0 after their first drive and 17-3 at the half. This opened everything up.
Good video with Greg Likens with Billy Turner also. Please click on link for rest of the article.
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