The Miami Dolphins arrived to skepticism in Detroit this week ahead of joint practices with the Lions.
After one session, it appears the doubt was justified. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense endured a struggle-filled first practice on Wednesday, realizing what Lions linebacker Grant Stuard had predicted a day earlier: Miami wasn't ready for what Detroit was bringing to the field.
Tagovailoa was frustrated by he and his teammates' performance but declined to levy too much criticism -- including of himself -- after one practice.
"For a grade, I wouldn't give myself a grade," Tagovailoa said. "I don't think that's fair to grade yourself. ...
"My assessment -- I still wouldn't give myself a grade. I think that's for you guys to do with however you guys report that and whatnot. I think today offensively was a very frustrating day in regards to what we wanted to do, what we said we wanted to do. Came out and we just weren't able to get things jumpstarted, so that was very frustrating today."
Unlike his ugly, three-interception outing in a joint practice with the Bears last week, Tagovailoa didn't make the same crushing mistakes against the Lions. He did, however, fail to propel his unit and lamented a collective lack of energy afterward. Perhaps even more concerning was the absence of notable progress, a goal of Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel that has yet to be fulfilled.
"I would like to see growth in our team, based on having one joint and one game, on how we improve our football within a practice," McDaniel said Wednesday. "There can be a lot of focus on going against another team, and there can be a lot of focus on whatever's happened. I want our focus to be game-ready game reps, and where you're doing a play, regardless of its success or failure, you have another play, how are you going to use that play previous to do better on the next.
"I want to see a growth within practice in all three phases, particularly after a play that we don't win."
Judging by Tagovailoa's assessment, the Dolphins aren't overcoming adversity on a play-by-play basis. Even worse, they might be proving Stuard right.
Stuard's comments were nothing new from the Detroit camp, an organization that prides itself on toughness while carrying a Motor City-sized chip on its shoulders. After enjoying a rapid turnaround that has included deep playoff runs and ascension into the club of elite NFL teams, the Lions have plenty of reason to walk around with their chests out and heads held high.
It's a key reason why McDaniel scheduled joint practices with the reigning NFC North champions.
"I think it was very intentional to bring our organization to Detroit and practice against this team based on the football that they like to play," McDaniel explained on Wednesday. "I think they don't take practice for granted, it appears. I love (Lions coach) Dan Campbell and his approach. It's very authentic.
"Yeah, I'm expecting people that have intensity to come to practice and challenge the opposing team who will have intensity. I think it's a good day's work that I'm very, very focused on the football and how we grow in that area, how we handle adversity in a joint (practice). These are all fun things, but it's about the football, nothing else."
Nothing else includes the comments made by Stuard, which McDaniel heard and promptly filed "into the noise category". But after one underwhelming showing, it might behoove McDaniel to make a little noise of his own within the Dolphins' locker room in order to light a fire under his troops, especially as he prepares his team for what could prove to be a pivotal campaign.
"The message to the team is that we have an opportunity to go compete against another opponent," McDaniel said when asked how he's prepared his players to face the Lions. "It was about the Dolphins, and I don't really care about all the other – I know that their players like football and their head coach does, and I want to practice against that. But beyond that, I think it's a mistake to overfocus on anybody but the Miami Dolphins, so that's what I'm focused on."
Such reflection might insipre the Dolphins to take the field Thursday with an increased sense of urgency. Perhaps then, Tagovailoa and the offense might find the energy they've lacked in joint practices thus far.
