The Miami Dolphins’ playoff hopes remain — slightly — alive.
Although the New York Times gives Miami a 21% chance, the Dolphins need the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Denver Broncos for the AFC’s last postseason spot. That said, the Dolphins aren’t worried about percentages. They aren’t worried about Broncos. They’re not even worried about the Chiefs.
The motto is simple: control what you control, which as linebacker Jordyn Brooks said after Sunday’s victory over the Cleveland Browns, can translate to the “best [expletive] week of practice.”
“Make this week of practice the best [expletive] week of practice of your life,” Brooks told the team in the locker room. “Body’s hurting, it don’t matter. We gone suck that [expletive] up. We gone ball and we gone fight for each other.”
Brooks’ words give a bit of insight into the Dolphins’ mentality in what could be their last week of practice for the year. Sure, franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa might not play with an hip ailment. Sure, two-time Pro Bowl tackle Terron Armstead has played only sparingly during the past month as he continues to nurse a nagging knee injury. Sure, the Dolphins could also be without starting linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. and burgeoning star receiver Jaylen Waddle.
But such is the beauty of December football; while a player might be physically worn out, his mentality becomes all the more important.
