Winning the NFL is about talent and "want". Most of the players have enough talent to stay on an NFL roster. A bigger question is do they have the "want" to crack the lineup? Do they have the "want" to be the best at what they do? In order to be the best they must buy into the program that the coaches install. I don't think a coach can instill the "want" into a player any more than a teacher can instill the want for knowledge in a student. The player must want to follow what his coaches are telling him to separate himself from the pack. If he does that his talent will then make him the best he can be.
One of the problems every head coach has is getting his players buying into what he is selling them. I think the Dolphins have a number of players on this team that have not done that to date. I suspect this coaching staff has a good idea of who they are. I wish I knew who they were, because I would tell you. All I can tell you is there are still players here that haven't bought in.
Patrick just wrote a post about the lack of turnovers this team has. It is my opinion that part of the reason for that lack of turnovers is not all the players are trying to do their best. They don't believe in the system so they are late getting into position to make plays, and they are late getting to a ball that is on the ground. Some of them simply don't care.
This has been an ongoing problem for the Dolphins. It isn't new. Our record for a long time proves it. Culling through this mess is what will make Joe Philbin stand out when previous coaches before him have failed. Sometimes as a head coach, when you throw out the bath water a few of the babies must go with it. If Philbin finds the players that want to be here and buy into the system, the wins will come.
