https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/mike-vrabel-doesnt-feel-the-weight-of-new-englands-recent-struggles-against-miami
The Dolphins badly need to get back on track after Sunday’s embarrassing home loss. And a home game against the Patriots could be exactly what they need.
Miami has dominated New England this decade, winning eight of 10 games. The Dolphins also have beaten the Patriots seven of eight times at home.
New Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was asked by reporters on Wednesday whether he’s feeling the weight of his team’s recent history against the Dolphins.
“No, no, I don’t,” Vrabel said. “Every week is different. Every week is a huge challenge. I feel the opportunity to go on the road and win a division game. That’s what I feel and that’s where our thought process is, is that we want to try to get off to a good start, and if we don’t, we can’t worry about it. These are all things that we have to be able to overcome, whether you get off to a good start, you’re still going to have to finish strong, and if you don’t get off to a great start, you’ve got to go on to the next play. Just the understanding that that’s how this game goes, and we have to be able to work past it, and we have to continue to practice that way. That if it’s not perfect, that we get what we can get, we’re decisive, we’re aggressive, we get back in the huddle, and then we get another call, we get lined up and we continue to build it together. We try to bring three phases together and put the return opportunities that we have to help our offense, to then our offense is able to score or flip the field, provide our defense with opportunities. We can get some turnovers, take care of the ball. That’s the formula to winning.”
One piece of the formula in Miami is the weather.
“Well, I mean, it’s going to be warm, it’s going to be wet, it’ll be humid,” Vrabel said. “I’m sure it’ll rain, probably lightning, who knows, but it’ll rain and then it’ll stop. I mean, I think as a rookie, I think we might have played down there, or as a young player, back when the dirt was still there and it would rain, and then it would fill up and it wouldn’t drain very well. Then it would just be grass and then water. Then after it stopped, it would eventually drain out, but I think that’s about what the forecast is every single time you go down there.”
In September, the reality is that the Dolphins will wear their white jerseys, forcing the Patriots to wear their dark uniforms. And the stadium is built to have the visiting team in the direct sunlight for 1:00 p.m. ET games.
The current forecast calls for a high of 86 and a 60-percent chance of rain.
So, yeah, a September visit from the Patriots could be just what the doctor ordered for the Dolphins. And if the Dolphins can’t win again at home against the Patriots, it might be time to declare the Dolphins’ 2025 season to be DOA.
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/mike-vrabel-doesnt-feel-the-weight-of-new-englands-recent-struggles-against-miami
