Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake was back to practice Monday, a week after a car accident which kept him from playing in last week’s preseason game at Carolina.
In that one, the Panthers rolled up 295 yards of offense in the first half, although the Dolphins were also without Kevin Burnett, Karlos Dansby and Tony McDaniel.
Getting Wake and Burnett back should help them look like the defense they expect to be.
“The closer you get to the season the more you want to replicate the regular season,” Wake said, via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “It counts but it doesn’t count, we’re keeping score out there and trying to win as we need to establish ourselves as your temperament. The first game we got the rust off, the second game we made some steps in the right direction.
“We got to keep doing that and hopefully be ready by Sept. 9.’'
They need to improve quickly, as the Dolphins starters have been outscored 24-0 in the combined fist quarters, when the starters were on the field.
“We don’t get bullied; that’s one thing you can’t say about us is anyone’s going to outphysical us,’' Wake said. “I don’t pay much attention to the outside world especially, as long as these sweaty people in here aren’t panicking and they’re chipping away at their craft every day.
“If I listened to the doubters and naysayers and the ‘you can’t, you suck,’ guys and the distractions that come with this game — Once you cross that door all that other stuff is no longer happening. We focus on the people putting on this uniform, [shedding] blood, sweat and tears with us and not people who don’t believe in us or who are panicking.”
There’s reason for concern. With a rookie quarterback who lacks weapons with which to work, the pressure will be on the Wake and the defense to keep things close.