Steve Smith Looks At How Dolphins Can Salvage Season
(CBS Miami/CBS Local) -- The Miami Dolphins' season couldn't be off to a worse start. In Brian Flores' debut as the team's new head coach, the Dolphins were blown out by the Ravens, 59-10. Second-year quarterback Lamar Jackson, known more his scrambling than his passing, went 17-20 for 324 yards and five touchdowns. Receiver Marquise Brown caught two of them among his four catches for 147 yards. The box score is ugly for Dolphins fans, as the Ravens tied or set multiple franchise records
As for the Dolphins, very few positives can be drawn from the outcome, aside from it being over. Ryan Fitzpatrick's 14-29 showing wasn't enough to keep up, but he had no help. Receivers dropped passes; Kenyon Drake's four carries went for 12 yards. The offensive and defensive lines were both outmatched. And the team seemed unprepared overall.
In the aftermath, speculation is building that the only team to go undefeated in a season could be in for a win-less season. (The team denies that it's trying to tank, however.) To add insult to injury, many current Dolphins don't want to stick around to find out. These aren't the first reports of locker room discord. So how should a first-year coach deal with all of this?
As Inside The NFL analyst and former player Steve Smith Sr. sees it, "you try to the salvage the season the same way you try to salvage any season when one of your top players goes down." That means players band together and get back to work. The Dolphins should focus on the things they do well, if they can figure out what those are.
Switching teams during the regular season isn't necessarily achievable. "Guys can want to leave and feel like they don't want to be there," says Smith. "But it doesn't really matter. If the team doesn't want you, they will release you. If you want to be moved, request your trade and see where it goes."
As for the players that want to be here (and those that don't), things don't get easier in Week 2. The Dolphins host the New England Patriots, who destroyed the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, Sunday @ 1:00 on CBS.
You can catch Steve along with Brandon Marshall, Phil Simms and host James Brown when Inside The NFL airs tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Showtime.