Much has happened in and around the Dolphins since the team last played a game, 11 days ago against the Bengals. As the new kings of NFL dysfunction prepare to play the most recent kings of NFL dysfunction in Tampa, the question becomes whether the Dolphins will play better or worse as the mess continues to unfold.
Some think the Dolphins have remained focused and are ready to play, with the Richie Incognito-Jonathan Martin situation more of a media issue than a locker-room problem.
As one source with knowledge of the team’s locker room told PFT, “They are pissed off and have the ‘us against the world’ attitude and it has galvanized them.”
Six years ago, a similar dynamic played out after Spygate, with the Patriots rallying around each other and their coach. They didn’t lose a game until the Super Bowl. Of course, the 2007 Patriots were much more talented than the 2013 Dolphins.
But the 2013 Dolphins have won four of eight games, and they remain in striking distance for a playoff berth.
The Dolphins have another reason to win down the stretch. If they want to keep their head coach for 2014, they may have to do well enough on the field that owner Stephen Ross has no choice but to keep him.