After their crushing last-minute loss, the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday, the Miami Dolphins will attempt to move on as they will take on the New England Patriots in Foxboro. Miami defensive end Cameron Wake said he looked at the tape from Sunday’s game, but he is ready to move on from Seattle.
“There were a couple of things we left out there out on the field,” Wake said. “I stopped thinking about Seattle and I moved on the New England.”
This week, the Dolphins will face a Patriots team that had an excellent 23-21 road victory over the defending NFC West Champions the Arizona Cardinals. Starting in place of Tom Brady, who is suspended for the first four games of the regular season, Jimmy Garoppolo finished 24 for 33 with 264 yards and a touchdown pass. Garoppolo also recorded a 72.7 completion percentage and a quarterback rating of 106.1.
Even though Garoppolo is in at quarterback and Rob Gronkowski didn’t play against the Cardinals, many of the Patriots players see the same team they have always been.
“I don’t think it (offense) is too much different,” defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said. “I think they’re focusing on the run game, which is important for us to notice.”
In their win against the Cardinals, New England rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown. LaGarrette Blount gained most of those yards.
Gillette Stadium has been a house of horrors for the Dolphins. Miami hasn’t beaten New England in Foxboro since 2008, the last year the Dolphins won the AFC East and made the playoffs.
Wake said that there isn’t anything the team needs to do other than play more consistent.
“In the past few past few years, it is making the plays when it matters,” Wake said. “In the past, we’ve been have been successful against them at home.”
Adam Gase also echoed the same thoughts when talking about winning in Foxboro.
“We have to be ready to adjust with them,” Gase said. “When they make moves, we make moves. It’s a 60-minute cat and mouse game. When you go up there, you have to bring your A-game.”
Dolphins re-sign Jones
Miami announced on Tuesday that the team re-signed defensive end Chris Jones and waived quarterback Brandon Doughty.
Jones was originally acquired from waivers from New England last April. Even though Jones had a solid preseason, the Dolphins decided to waive Jones on Sept. 3.
Doughty was one of Miami’s seventh round picks in this year’s draft. During the preseason, Doughty threw for 185 yards and had a completion percentage of 71.4. He was inactive in the Week 1 in Seattle. It is likely that once Doughty passes through waivers, the Dolphins will place him on their practice squad.
DeVante Parker practice, but Jenkins, Pouncey, Williams and Phillips do not.
Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker, who was held out of the team’s game against Seattle in Week 1 due to a decision made by Gase practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday afternoon.
Parker, who ran sprints before the game last Sunday said that his hamstring feels good, but he isn’t sure if he will play against the Patriots.
“I’m not sure yet.” Parker said. “We’ll just have to see through the rest of the week at practice how it goes.”
Linebacker Jelani Jenkins (knee), defensive end Mario Williams(concussion), center Mike Pouncey (hip) and Jordan Phillips did not practice on Wednesday. Starting running back Arian Foster also surprisingly missed practice on Wednesday because of a hamstring injury.
Dolphins announce Week 2 Youth Program Award with RISE
The Miami Dolphins and the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) recognize the week two youth football players, coaches and parent who were leaders on and off the football field:
- High School Player of the Week: Renaldo Flowers Jr. is a senior DT at Miami Jackson High School. He was instrumental in his team’s 12-9 victory over Miami Booker T. Washington HS who ranks as the #2 team in the country. Flowers Jr. recorded nine tackles, two fumble recoveries and had two QB hurries. One of the hurries influenced the game-winning interception that helped seal his team’s victory.
- High School Coach of the Week: Lakatriona Brunson is the head coach at Miami Jackson High School. She was hired as first female head coach in Florida high school football. Last weekend Brunson lead her team to a 12-9 victory over Miami Booker T. Washington High School.
- Youth Player of the Week: Taron “Tyger” Dickens from the American Youth Football League. He plays QB for the Miramar Wolverines 12U. The Wolverines beat the West Pines Pembroke Pines Panthers with Dickens 10 of 17 for 184 yards and two touchdowns. He threw for two touchdowns in last Saturday’s 12-7 victory over the Panthers. Dickens has thrown for 16 touchdowns prior to Saturday’s game. Dickens’ Wolverines 12U championship team defeated Team No Huddle 37-14 in this year’s Miami Dolphins Youth 7on 7.
- Team Mom of the Week: Gina Brooks from the Greater Miami South Florida Pop Warner. Brooks is the team mom for the Miami Youth Hurricanes Peewees. She is a wife and mother of three children and the engine that helps her team run smoothly. The one thing that stands out about Brooks is how she continues to emphasis education, obedience, respect and the importance of family (team). She is most proud that her team does not have any academic waivers. Simply put – she has a team full of good students with good grades and school attendance.
Each award recipient will be presented with a plaque on the field during the Sept. 25 Dolphins home game at Hard Rock Stadium against the Cleveland Browns, and receive acknowledgement of their accomplishment in the game program and through the Dolphins’ and RISE’s social media platforms. They also will receive a pair of tickets to a Miami Dolphins home game and a Dolphins/RISE T-shirt.
