Dolphins Need to use Mini-Bye Week to Solve Problems

The Miami Dolphins are currently in a funk. There may be not better way to explain whatever is happening to this team. Before the season, this year was all about rebuilding the team and developing rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Then, the team went and did something unexpected - raised expectations. Now, with a three game losing streak heading into the most difficult portion of their schedule, the Dolphins have fallen back down to Earth, and brought us fans down with them.

The Dolphins lost last night on Thursday Night Football to the Buffalo Bills, moving behind the Bills into third place in the AFC East. But, with the game last night, the Dolphins finish a stretch of three games in 12 days, and head into 10 days before their next contest, a November 25 contest against the Seattle Seahawks in Miami. Fixing the team has to be the focus for the Dolphins over this stretch.

"We've got to use them wisely and again we need the rest," running back Reggie Bush said following the Dolphins' loss last night. "We also need to find a way to better focus and fix whatever the little things that we're not doing right. We'll see it on film and we'll look at it and watch. We've just got to make those necessary corrections to help us play better next Sunday against Seattle."

"Obviously, we've got to be more productive as a football team," Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin told the media today. "We've got to make more plays in critical times and that's going to be a huge focus. We'll have extra time so we'll have a little practice on the Seattle Seahawks and as a coaching staff our responsibility is to get these guys in position to make plays. We've got to come up with an excellent plan and then they have got to execute."

Following the Seahawks game, the Dolphins will host the New England Patriots before heading west to face the San Francisco 49ers. All three of those teams are at least two games above .500, all with six wins heading into this weekend.

"We have to really focus on the things we didn't do well [against the Bills], obviously watch the tape and be real with ourselves," rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "We have to be real about the things we haven't done well lately and get better. There's only one way to go. You've got to keep pressing on and it's frustrating and tough because these are emotional losses for us, but you've got to keep pressing on. We've got six more games to play and we've got to take them one at a time, get better each day and not look back."

Can the Dolphins fix themselves this week? If not, this three game losing streak could get much longer, fast.