Lost in all the playoff talk, number crunching, and scenario chatter, is the fact that this game is still, first and foremost, a fierce, fierce rivalry game.
Well, in case you forgot, Jets CB Antonio Cromartie has just reminded you. And the Dolphins.
Take a look:
"I felt like we were the better team then," Cromartie said. "Do I feel like we're a better team now? Yeah, we're running the ball better and we're playing the pass a whole lot better. I think the biggest thing for us is to put it all together and win a game on the road.
"This is our last game of the year. We want to make sure it's their last game, too."
IF the Dolphins needed any more motivation for this Sunday's game, besides the fact that there season is literally on the line, then they just got it. This is nothing new for Cromartie. He's run his mouth his whole life, and, for the most part, he's got the play to back it up.
The matchup between him and Mike Wallace will be a fun one to watch. Wallace got the better of him in their last meeting.
THOMAS IMPROVES
Had the Dolphins practiced yesterday, RB Daniel Thomas would not have participated, according to the injury report, due to the ankle injury he's been dealing with for the last month.
Well, according to today's injury report, Thomas improved to "limited participation" in this afternoon's practice. Again, I expect Thomas to play, as he has for three weeks now.
Another name to keep on eye on is Brian Hartline, who's been limited all week after suffering a knee injury last week. However, I expect him to be just fine come Sunday.
One more note: Ryan Tannehill told the media his knee is "fine" today. I'm sure it's not, but Tannehill will play on Sunday with little to no limitations.
ROSS ADDRESSES TEAM
Owner Stephen Ross was at the team's practice facility today, and, according to Joe Philbin, he told the players he has "a lot of faith and confidence in the guys" during a brief meeting he had with the team.
Ross knows this is a huge game for his team, and for him to come to Miami during the week (he usually spends the bulk of his weeks in New York City) is very telling.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
- "They are obviously playing better since we played them on Dec. 1st," Joe Philbin said of the Jets.
- "We need to go out there and play our best football game of the year. Everything else will take care of itself," Joe Philbin said of Sunday.
- Philbin: Sunday at 1pm we have to play our best game of the season.
- "We used a variety of snap counts and cadences in that game," Philbin on McKinnie's claims. "At times defenses time it up well."
- "We always have ability to change cadence," Ryan Tannehill said of the teams snap count.
- "It would be nice, obviously, but all we can control is this game," Tannehill on the playoffs. "This is going to be a motivated Jets team."
- Ryan Tannehill: "We know it's a big game. We're not stupid."
72 hours.
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