Brent Grimes and others on defense out to prove themselves

Written by Matthew Cannata at 9:00 AM EST | Twitter: @PhinManiacs

The Miami Dolphins can sometimes be seen as a place where veterans who aren’t wanted by the former team go to revive their career. Last year, we saw Brent Grimes do it and this year, we are seeing Cortland Finnegan and Louis Delmas become key parts of the defense. However, all three of those guys still have something to prove and are out to show the world that they’re just as good as anyone else in the NFL.

“I think I’m playing well. I don’t try to think about it, I just go week in and week out and just get ready for the next game and try to play as well as I can out there on the field,” Brent Grimes said. “I’ve got some good players on defense. We play some good defense, that’s what we try to do. If we go out and play our game we can make it a tough game for anybody. We just try to do that week in and week out. Obviously, every game is not going to be 37-0, but we take pride in trying to make it a tough day for the offense.”

Grimes was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the San Diego Chargers, picking up two interceptions and almost grabbing a third. However, he didn’t take all of the credit for it and instead, pointed towards his teammates.

“I still look at it as a team accomplishment, even though they singled out one person. I wouldn’t have gotten those interceptions without our D-line (defensive line), without our linebackers getting pressure on the quarterback all game, without Coach (Kevin) Coyle designing a great plan, and Coach Lou (Anarumo) getting us prepared week in and week out. It’s an individual award, but I still look at it as a team accomplishment.” 

In regards to Delmas, he also credited the rest of the defense for allowing him to make the plays that he has made and for allowing him to complement those around him. While Delmas believes he’s doing a good job, he admitted that he could do better. Finnegan echoed those words and also added that they are taking it one game at a time and are focused on the Detroit Lions.

One of the reasons those three guys have had success is because of the defensive line and their ability to get to the quarterback. Jared Odriick said it’s an important component of the defense and allows those behind them to make the plays that are needed.

“Week in and week out, we want to hit every quarterback we face. There are some guys that are affected by it more than others. We hope to hit the quarterback this week like we do every week. It’s going to take a lot of preparation and hard work throughout the week and on Sunday. This week, we’re playing an opponent who is number one in defense. The thing is, as a defense, we know that we have to go out there and be the better defense on the field. We’re facing a tough opponent. The thing is, when you’re at three, you can be happy about it, but you can’t be satisfied. You always want to shoot for number one.” 

All of these guys will have a tough test on Sunday but none more than the secondary, who will have to contain Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate, Reggie Bush and others throughout the game on Sunday. We’ll see if they’re up to the challenge and can limit these guys to minimal damage.

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