Written by James Walker at ESPN.com
The Miami Dolphins are off to a mediocre start to their season after splitting the first eight games. That is the bad news.
But there is good news for Miami: The team is in the same situation with close to 20 other NFL clubs in a parity-filled season that boasts few standout teams.
Are the Dolphins a playoff-bound contender that recently won three straight, including a road win over the reigning NFC champion Atlanta Falcons? Or are they closer to pretenders after dropping back-to-back games to teams with losing records?
Inside Miami’s locker room, there was a feeling that the Dolphins mostly beat themselves with mental mistakes and a season-high 11 penalties for 107 yards against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday night. Those lapses have been common in the team’s four losses.
“That’s something that we have to address as a team,” Dolphins tight end Julius Thomas said. “Eleven penalties is too much. We work too hard every day, every week, to go out there and make it even harder on us to win a game. Half of the season is done and the second half of the season we really have to come out and play more disciplined football.”
Last year the Dolphins did two things well on their way to 10 victories and a playoff berth: They often controlled the pace of a game and didn’t beat themselves. The first half of this season has a different feel with general sloppiness, mental lapses and the need to constantly play from behind.
Oakland took a 10-6 lead early in the second quarter and didn’t trail the rest of the game. Every time Miami tried to answer, an untimely penalty or turnover would kill drives or extend one for the Raiders.
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