Joe Philbin, Ryan Tannehill say they didn’t know Patriots could win AFC East

[EKnight]

Joe Philbin, Ryan Tannehill say they didn’t know Patriots could win AFC East this weekend

"Allegedly, Dolphins coach Joe Philbin and quarterback Ryan Tannehill had no idea the Patriots were playing for an AFC East title Sunday in Miami.
 
“Believe it or not, this is the honest to God truth, I didn’t know that,” Philbin said yesterday on a conference call with the New England media. “I’m not surprised as I’m looking at what they’ve done the last five weeks. We’re just looking to improve and play better. We thought we did some things here this week that we haven’t done here yet. This is our 11th week here together. And going into our 12th game, we’ve got to show a lot of improvement to beat this football team, there’s no doubt about it. So we’re not worried necessarily about that. We’re worried about how well they’re executing in all three phases of the game, but as far as the standings right now, that’s not really a focus of ours.”
 
To that degree, it makes a little sense. The Dolphins (5-6) are three games behind the Patriots (8-3) in the AFC East and would need a Christmas miracle to catch them, so short-term goals might be more important than an improbable bigger picture, particularly with a young team that could sneak into the playoffs if it improves in the next month. Or, even simpler, Philbin could have been facetious to avoid the topic altogether.
 
Then again, if you recall this past season of Hard Knocks, Tannehill couldn’t even name which teams were in each divisions, so who knows what’s going on. It’s just a little strange to hear that two people at the fore of the organization apparently didn’t realize one of their rivals could claim their division championship on their own field this weekend.
 
“I had no clue until you just said that,” Tannehill said when asked about the Pats’ approaching title bid. “I don’t think it’s anything that we’re talking about in the locker room thus far. We’re just obviously focused on a good Patriots team that is going to come in and play hard and play well. So we know that we’re going to have to play well and hopefully come away with a victory.”

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/sports/blitz/index.php/2012/11/29/joe-philbin-ryan-tannehill-say-they-didnt-know-patriots-could-win-afc-east-this-weekend/

It's bad enough that the coach and "QB of the future" didn't know what was going on in their division, but to admit it out loud? WTF?  This, after Tannehill was quoted as saying the Pats are "just another team" before the game. Good grief. -EK

[MikeO]

who cares? Why should they know? Doesn't effect them or what their job to do was. I don't expect them to have the time to be breaking down playoff scenarios of OTHER teams!   

If they "knew this" would they have played or tried harder? Probably not! Much ado about nothing

[tepop84]

ireland has a thing for drafting stupid quarterbacks..

[Brian Fein]

^^ Your comment isn't even relevant to this story.  Anything to promote your anti-Ireland agenda.

I agree with Mike here, this is a non-story.  These guys should be focused on their team, and winning the game, not the standings or what the other team is playing for.  They've said it all season: "Focus on being 1-0 this week" - so less focus on the standings and record and more on winning the next game on the schedule.  Pretty sound, if you ask me.

[bsmooth]

Ultimately they are just another team that you need to beat. Rinse and repeat week after week, and hopefully you have beaten enough other teams to make the playoffs and eventually win the Super Bowl.

[Dave Gray]

I am no longer surprised by what coaches and players don't know about the league at large.  It's their job to do a very specific thing and I believe that other larger jobs are even discouraged.  You want your coach doing a certain job and not worrying about things that don't matter.  I used to be shocked when I knew more about divisions than the players do.  ...not anymore.

[Pappy13]

Ya'll did notice this was on Wednesday before the game, right?

[Brian Fein]

For the record, I totally agrre with Tannehill's "just another team" approach. You don't go out and play scared. They're not perfect - they're beatable. They truly are just another team. Patriots or Jaguars - doesn't matter. You prepare for both the same, and you play the game the best you can.

You don't step on the field thinking "oh no, its the PATRIOTS!" That's a loser's attitude.  They should have this stance every week.

[CF DolFan]

I didn't know it nor did I care. It doesn't have an affect on how they prepare so its not something that I would expect them to be focused on.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Kudos to Philbin. 

One game at a time.  Focus on what you can control.

I bet he also didn't know that with a win the Texans got a playoff birth. 

Now if he didn't know whether Lloyd prefers the right hand side, left hand side or middle of the field -- well then you got a problem. 

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

I didn't know it nor did I care. It doesn't have an affect on how they prepare so its not something that I would expect them to be focused on.

Agreed, I fail to see how this is a big deal!

[Thundergod]

If it were the Jets we'd be laughing all about it and pointing fingers. Sorry, but that's sad.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

If it were the Jets we'd be laughing all about it and pointing fingers. Sorry, but that's sad.

 Rex Ryan didn't understand what the Jets needed to do to make the playoffs, not what some other team need to do. 

[MaineDolFan]

One of my best friends kept texting me all day, saying "hat and t-shirt day."  I had no clue what he was talking about.  Once I figured it out, I told him he was a loser for being so excited for a divisional crown (yes, some of that is out of jealousy, of course).

Yay, the Patriots were able to win another division over a team who was not supposed to crack .500 this year.  The sky is blue, the ocean is wet and the New England Patriots are the AFC East divisonal champions.  Yawn.

I'm not sure why Miami, and it's players, should care?  They aren't in the divisional hunt, they should be focused on what's right in front of them.  Additionally, I don't want any of the players on a team I support getting too high, or too low, for any game.  It's called balance.  Each game is won and lost the same way.  When you're only playing 16, each game is vital - no game is more important than the other.

I agree with Brian and Mike on this one.  A non-story.

[EKnight]

By very definition it's not a non story, or it wouldn't have been published. My greater point in it, though, was that it was a bonehead comment from RT, who, when he was drafted disk have any idea who else was in the division, and before the game called the Pats- who had flat embarrassed their past few opponents- "just another team. It's one thing to think these things or not know them, but it's pretty foolish looking to announce them, IMO. You're a rookie QB already under a microscope for whatever you do on the field- son add to it with dumb comments OFF the field. -EK