Tank that! Dolphins' Flores revels in 2-game winning streak
Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores tried to permanently dispel the notion that his team is tanking after the Dolphins shocked the Indianapolis Colts for their second straight win.
"We're going out to win every game - period," the rookie coach told reporters at Lucas Oil Stadium, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
The Dolphins upset the Colts 16-12, building on the 26-18 victory they secured over the New York Jets one week ago. Flores' defense stood tall inside the red zone in the dying seconds against Indianapolis, forcing a turnover on downs to preserve the Week 10 victory.
"I'm so proud of this team," Flores said, according to Dolphins reporter Andy Cohen. "We're starting to come together."
Miami was widely accused of gutting its roster before and after the season started in an effort to sink to the bottom of the standings and obtain the first pick in the 2020 draft. The Dolphins have three opening-round selections in 2020 thanks to separate trades with the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Dolphins' notable player losses since August
| Player | Position | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Laremy Tunsil | LT | Trade |
| Kenny Stills | WR | Trade |
| Minkah Fitzpatrick | S | Trade |
| Kenyan Drake | RB | Trade |
| Kiko Alonso | LB | Trade |
| Xavien Howard | CB | IR |
| Preston Williams | WR | IR |
| Mark Walton | RB | 4-game suspension |
| Reshad Jones | S | Short-term injury |
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross attended Saturday's college matchup between Alabama and LSU, where top quarterback prospects Tua Tagovailoa and Joe Burrow were playing.
At 2-7, the Dolphins now sit ahead of the 0-9 Cincinnati Bengals, 1-8 Washington Redskins, and 2-8 New York Giants in the NFL standings.