When it comes to being soft, no one will accuse Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler of being anything but physical. Still, the narrative is reaching the locker room.
Sieler met with the media this week and was asked about the accusations the Dolphins are a soft football team. Sieler doesn't see it but did say that if that is the perception, it's the team's job to go out and beat it.
"Shoot, I guess we’ve got to prove it wrong. If people think that, we’ve got to go out there and beat it. I don’t think that’s the case. I think we play physically up front. I think we play physically all around. I think we’ve got to make sure we’re showing that on Sunday.”
There has been a lot of talk in recent days about the Dolphins, their lack of physical play, and mental toughness, and some are beginning to question whether or not Mike McDaniel is part of the problem.
Sieler has emerged as a bonafide leader on the defensive side of the ball and has earned the respect of his teammates in the locker room, but Sieler isn't part of the narrative that is being discussed. No one is saying Miami's defensive front is soft, but there are questions about some of the linebackers and some of the members of the secondary.
20 tackles were missed against the Green Bay Packers last Thursday night and that equated to over 100 total yards for the Green Bay offense. While the game turned out to look a little closer by the end, the Packers ran away with and controlled the matchup from the start.
The Dolphins face a critical Week 14 game against their division rival on Sunday. The New York Jets come to Hard Rock Stadium limping through their own season of disaster with questions about Aaron Rodgers' future taking center stage with the New York media.
A win by Miami and the Jets are officially eliminated from postseason contention. But a New York victory will keep their thin hopes alive while dealing the Dolphins what would likely be a lethal blow to their own postseason aspirations.
If Miami can't beat the Jets on Sunday, the talk of being "soft" is also not going to go away.
Miami Dolphins being called soft is nothing new this year.
Former Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott was vilified in the media and on social media for recently calling out his former team during a podcast appearance. Fans and players did not take kindly to the words Elliott used.
The problem, however, is that last year, former Miami defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was ridiculed for being tough on the players and eventually left by mutual parting. Fangio was reportedly not keen on the players being "soft."
When the Dolphins lost to the Packers last week, Miami linebacker Jordyn Brooks, a physical player, to say the least, told reporters in the locker room that the weather probably contributed to the team's play and also referred to them as being soft.
How many more have to come out and call the team soft before they look in the mirror and change it?