Key Points:
- Miami’s disappointing 2-7 season has sparked changes inside the locker room after another tough loss.
- Players reportedly agreed to remove Pop-A-Shot and card games to regain focus and discipline.
- Tua Tagovailoa faces mounting criticism as the Dolphins prepare to face division rival Buffalo Bills.
The Miami Dolphins have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL this season, as the team’s 28-6 Week 9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens dropped their record to 2-7 on the year.
While there is plenty of blame to go around, many of the fingers are being pointed at Pro Bowl quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft out of Alabama is on track for the worst season of his career. He’s thrown for 1,779 yards with 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, with his near-dozen picks through nine games just four short of surpassing his career high of 14 in 2023.
For the second time this season, Tagovailoa was unable to record a touchdown pass in the team’s loss to the Ravens. As he and the Dolphins look to find any glimpse of momentum, it was reported on Thursday by the Sun Sentinel’s David Furones that the team has decided to remove a beloved locker room activity to help the players focus.
“With last week’s 28-6 Thursday night loss to the Ravens still Miami’s most recent result, a week later, the team pivoted from that stance,’ Furones wrote. “The Pop-A-Shot was gone, along with another small basketball rim and a round table primarily used for playing cards. All had still been seen in the locker room as recently as Wednesday.”
How Dolphins players are taking the change
While it seems elementary that professional athletes are getting a game taken away, defensive tackle Benito Jones appeared to think it was necessary based on what he had told Furones.
“We want to focus on the little things right now,” he said, adding it was a player decision. “It ain’t a distraction. We just want to focus on the little things right now, not more in the locker room, but in the meeting room.”
Whether or not this stunt will work is unknown, but this Sunday may not be the best time to find out. The Dolphins are set to host their AFC East rivals in the Buffalo Bills (6-2), who are coming off a thrilling 28-21 victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The oddsmakers at ESPN BET have the Bills as 9.5-point favorites, while ESPN’s matchup predictor gives them a 69.6% chance of winning. The two teams met earlier this season, with the Bills beating the Dolphins 31-21 in Week 3. Buffalo also goes into Sunday’s game with a seven-game winning streak against Miami.
Sunday’s clash is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET and will air on CBS. The game will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.