When it comes to Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks, it's always straight to the point. Brooks doesn't misspeak; he doesn't sugarcoat his responses. If Brooks says it, it's how he feels. So when he called this Dolphins team "delusional," there was no question what he meant.
Brooks met with the media this week following Miami's win over the Jets, and he delivered the perfect response to how his teammates and he approach the games. It's why he is a leader on this team.
"We're delusional," said Brooks. "We feel like we can win every game that we play."
Miami Dolphins youth got a taste of what an NFL win feels like, and they want more
For many college kids coming into the NFL, losing isn't something they are accustomed to, so when they end up on a bad team, they don't always know how to handle it. For the Dolphins, almost the entire team is both young and inexperienced, but seven weeks in, they are feeling like they can accomplish anything.
"I hope for the young guys, this gives them hope. Keep (them) going," Brooks added.
This Dolphins team grew together as one because so many of them had no NFL experience coming into the season: 13 rookies and an undrafted rookie. They have more second-year players, and many of them were practice squad players previously.
On top of all of that, Jeff Hafley is a first-time NFL head coach. Hafley has kept his plan on course. He has asked the players to trust in the process, and they have. He himself has kept his own focus to trust himself with what he is teaching. On Sunday, it showed that it can work.
What's impressive is that the Dolphins are not changing how they play despite losing. The improvements are coming because they are getting better at doing their jobs — their "1/11th," as they often quote.
Brooks spoke about the trust and faith that they have in Hafley, but also the faith Hafley has in them. He was asked about the defense's opinion on the offense going for it on fourth down to seal the game. He said that when the coach asked the offense if they could do it and they said yes, the defense was all-in.
These are the small moments for a team that grows into something much bigger and stronger. Hafley is showing that he is somewhere between the iron-fisted Brian Flores and the happy-go-lucky Mike McDaniel.
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