No, not on the field. We mean off the field. We're talking about the fans.
Any Dolphins fan who has lived through a handful of humid offseason practices will tell you what you see in training camp doesn't always translate to what appears on your TV on Sundays during the regular season. For many, this is a lesson that must be learned on an annual basis.
In hopes of saving some of our more gullible Dolphins fans, we've compiled a list of things to remember as the Dolphins take part in pajama practices.
Lesson 1: No Doom, No Gloom
Whatever clips you see on social media out of Dolphins training camp, take them with a grain of salt. Do not — we repeat, do not — let a three-second clip of Tua Tagovailoa affect your opinion of him prior to the regular season. Ignore reports about wide receivers you've never heard of making a splash in practice. That almost never works out!Why should you ignore video evidence of what is happening on the practice fields? That brings us to our second tip.
Lesson 2: Defense Always Has a Head Start
The Miami Dolphins have a very good defense, and their offense will have to deal with that fact for weeks, all under the unbearable sun. Mistakes will happen. Plays will be made as the Dolphins learn a new offense under new head coach Mike McDaniel. Do not expect to be blown away right off the bat. That's just how these things go.Even for a bad defensive team, this is normally the case. Defenses are much more capable of showing up and being proficient. Successful offensive play involves timing and cohesiveness — something that doesn't happen right away, especially when many new players are meeting for the first time.
Lesson 3: Don't Be a Backup QB Stan
Falling in love with the backup quarterback is a tradition like no other. Why? Because regardless of who he is, during practices he almost certainly looks much better than he actually is.This is normally due to the fact that the backup quarterback is running plays not just against Dolphins backups, but against players who won't even be in the NFL come September.
Before you rave about Teddy Bridgewater's play in camp, remember that he is playing against multiple men who might work at Trader Joe's during the holidays. That's just how the NFL offseason works.
Lesson 4: Don't Get Attached
If you're going to fall in love with the 53rd man on a 53-man roster, make sure you love him so much you'd follow his career when it takes him to the Green Bay Packers practice squad. That's where training camp fan favorites tend to end up.Just as the Dolphins will cut from nearly 100 players to 53, so will every team in the NFL. That means hundreds of players become available around the same time, and the Dolphins roster will likely churn at the end. Don't go buying the Idaho State running back's shirsey.
Lesson 5: What Happens in Camp Stays in Camp
Have we mentioned it's extremely hot in South Florida and it's insane that football players will even practice in this weather more than a handful of times? Expect them to be angry, and expect fights. Just don't go making assumptions about the team or the people involved.If anything, fights in practice are a good sign. If you love a good fight at a Florida Panthers game, you should equally enjoy watching 300-pound men in gladiator outfits throwing haymakers.
