Brian Flores September 29 Takeaways

Before the Miami Dolphins conducted practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex on the grounds of Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday, head coach Brian Flores spoke to the media.
Here were the highlights of that session:
-- The session begins with a question about veteran guards Ereck Flowers and Jermaine Eluemunor and the Dolphins' decision to let them go, but Flores punts on the question, saying he's worried about the current players on the team.
-- Flores then says he's not one to look back when it comes to second-guessing player evaluations.
-- Asked about the Trent Dilfer statement that QB coach Charlie Frye is the one calling the plays, Flores reiterates his previous statement that it's a collaborative effort.
-- Flores also says there is no change coming in the way the operation works.
-- With the Don Shula Celebration of Life scheduled for Saturday, Flores is asked about Shula and his aura around the Dolphins. Flores calls him the greatest coach of all time and says, "It's great that we get to honor him. ... It was an honor and a privilege for me to get to talk to him."
-- Flores relates that one Shula statement that always stuck with him was the need to be demanding of the players.
-- The Dolphins will face the 0-3 Colts on Sunday, but Flores says, "This is a good team. This is a very good team. They've been in every game."
-- The Colts obviously are well aware of QB Jacoby Brissett considering he played there before coming to Miami. "At the end of the day, there are some things they can take from that, but it comes down to execution."
-- Jaylen Waddle has put up decent numbers so far in his rookie season, but Flores says he's a young player who's learning something new every week. Flores says he likes Waddle's work ethic and says over time, "He'll be just fine."
-- Regarding the idea of trying to create more big plays on offense, Flores says there's gotta a balance between being aggressive and being smart.
-- In regards to identity, Flores says, "We want to be a balanced team."
-- Flores says he's taken a hard look at the third-down defense, which was first in the NFL last year but currently is last, and says it basically comes down to opponents simply making more plays.

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.
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