/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/4104796/125595170.jpg)
Miami Dolphins' linebacker Jason Taylor hit the podium after the Dolphins lost to the Houston Texans on Sunday. The veteran linebacker pulled no punches as he looked back on the Dolphins' performance as they fell to 0-2 on the season.
"It sucks to lose. I don't care if where your're playing. Whether you're playing on thee moon, Antarctica, Dolphins Stadium, Sun Life, whatever it is, excuse me. It doesn't matter. We can go play on [Interstate] 95. I want to win. Again, we'll fill the airways for the next seven days about losing at home. We do want to defend at home. It's a gola of outs. We have not done that in the last two weeks, but there are six more here at home. But, it won't be for awhile. We're going to go to Cleveland next week, and we're going to prepare to win a football game."
Taylor got more direct as he continued to meet with the media. Asked about the defense's tendency to make mental mistake, be out of position, and breakdowns leading to big plays for their opponents, Taylor got straight to the point:
"If you can't fix them, you go to replace them. I'm not advocating anybody losing their jobs or anything, but this is a very serious business, and this costs people jobs and livelihoods and what not. It needs to be taken seriously, and I'm not sure we all understand the magnitude of what we're trying to do here, and what's at stake. If you can't get it, then get out of the way. We'll get somebody else that will."
The NFL's active sack leader then continued,
"You know what, everybody is going to have [mental mistakes] it's going to happen. I'm not excusing it. I'm not saying we're going to tolerate it. It's going to happen. You can't have it happen at the clip that we're having them. We're just not making enough plays. Look, it's very easy when you lose a game to sit here and second guess everything and try to dissect and figure out. I know we got to fill the airways for the next seven days and I'm sure you guys will do a fine job of that. We're not in the problem making business. We're here to try and solve things and get things figured out and win ball games. For us to sit here and try to point fingers at this guy didn't do that, this guy didn't do that, there's a mental...that'll become a habit. What happens is you'll lose again next week and you'll look for new things to talk about. I'm not interested in the Internet. I'm interested in winning some games and we'll do that. We're going to do it. I don't careless who believes it outside of this room and who doesn't. You guys have been around me long enough you know that I'm not going to lack for confidence in this team or any team that I'm on. We're going to get this thing figured out."
Taylor then went on to talk about the possibility of players losing confidence.
"Yeah, to be honest with you, I'm sure. Not everybody, but I'm sure there is a faction of the group that's kind of trying to figure this thing out, figure out where we are. That's kind of the part of losing sometimes, you start to question, second guess a little bit. I think winning cures all ills, and we're kind of stuck in mud right now, trying to figure out how to get everyone in this room to believe, and play, like they expect to win. Not hoping to win, but expecting to win."
JT also spoke about the importance of turnovers. He said the key is, "being aggressive. Believing you're going to make the play. Understanding what's happening around you and what the situations are, where the ball may or may not be going and being able to anticipate it. After that it's running to the ball in the air and the second effort things always help."
The team is frustrated. The fans are frustrated. Something has to change. Someone has to make the big play that seals a game. Someone needs to step up and be the leader this team need. Maybe it's time for JT to be that leader. Maybe it's time that JT show us all why he came home.
With answers like these, he better step up.