Something is missing in the Miami Dolphins’ building, and it’s not former GM Chris Grier or linebacker Jaelan Phillips. With their season stuck in reverse, the players have decided to get rid of their recreational games from the locker room. But head coach Mike McDaniel had no idea this shift was coming. 

“The Pop-A-Shot and card table are gone, and Mike McDaniel says he was not made aware they were going before it happened,” notes Dolphins insider Joe Schad on X. “[Nose tackle] Benito Jones said players executed removals.”

The Dolphins notably had a Pop-A-Shot mini basketball hoop, which they claimed was not a distraction until quite recently. But after their devastating 28-6 loss at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, something had to change. The players notably made the call to remove two basketball hoops, along with a table used for card games. 

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The team had done something similar back in the 2022 season, removing a ping-pong table from the locker room so the team could focus on the season’s challenges. This season, the Ravens also got rid of their ping-pong table along with a few other recreational devices after their Week 6 loss. Now, after falling to the Ravens in Week 9, Miami seems to have been spurred to action. 

When asked about it, many of the players laughed it off and didn’t share the reason behind this sudden change. But Benito Jones shed light on why the players made this call. 

“We want to focus on the little things right now,” Jones said. “It ain’t a distraction. We just want to focus on the little things right now, not more in the locker room, but in the meeting room.”

But questions are swirling around the Dolphins, especially Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. As the 2-7 team now gets ready to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 10, there are clear expectations from the coach, as well as from the locker room.

What do the Dolphins need to focus on now?

Mike McDaniel’s mission to get wins starts with his quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa has been incredibly uneven this season, but the Dolphins are sticking with him. In nine outings, he’s thrown 15 touchdowns and amassed 1,779 passing yards. That’s not bad at all. But in the process, he’s thrown 11 interceptions, taken 18 sacks, and handed momentum to opponents with turnovers. McDaniel believes Miami’s chances can improve if Tua can make better decisions.

“I think it’s important, when you’re not getting results as a team, to make sure individuals don’t try to be Captain America or Superman,” McDaniel noted recently. “You have the ball in your hand. What are you going to do with the open, covered, pocket situation? All the decisions you have to make. And it has to be from a clear mind of expectation of what your job is.”

But win or lose, the locker room seems intent on trying their best to win. Safety Ashtyn Davis, for one, noted that he’s not focusing on all the narratives and uncertainties around the team right now. 

“I’m going to try to win football games,” Davis noted. “The circumstance is what it is, but at the end of the day, when you’re in between the lines, you’ve got to strap up and do your job. I think discipline is more important than motivation.”

Climbing up from a 2-7 record is all the motivation the Dolphins could need right now. As for discipline, the locker room has stepped up by removing the Pop-A-Shot and card table. Will this be enough to flip the script going up against one of their toughest contenders in the AFC East? We’ll find out.