During a talk with his team this week, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano didn't start hammering down new rules. And he didn't tell his players to stop having fun.

``The only thing I've asked them to do is, I want the conversations around here to be a little bit more about football,'' Sparano said.

The reason is simple: As the Dolphins begin a critical five-day span that will include Sunday's game against the Buccaneers and a Thursday road game against the Panthers, this is no time to lose focus.

Any loss of concentration -- or any loss at all -- could cost Miami its season.

``I think that these guys really understand the importance; they understand where we are,'' Sparano said. ``We just need to make sure we're paying attention to the details.''

If the Dolphins lose once more, they would need to win all of their remaining games to reach a 10-win season. And considering the pace of the 6-2 Patriots and a pack of solid AFC second-place teams, there's no guarantee 10 wins would even be good enough for a playoff or wild-card spot.

``There are 16 teams right now that are somewhere between three and five wins,'' Sparano said. ``Well, in a week, we can be right in the middle of all that mess instead of at the end of all that mess.''

The season is at a crossroads. And the players seem to have gotten Sparano's message, indicated this week by a locker room that no longer included activities such as heated games of dominoes between players (a tradition that takes place during down time all over the league).

Sparano also sensed a more focused week of workouts as well. Whether because of his plea for a business-like approach or the understanding of Miami's dire situation, the players seem to realize the position they're in.

A big win against the 1-7 Bucs could provide a nice dose of momentum.

A GOOD FRIDAY

``The energy was outstanding [this week],'' Sparano said. ``I think that we have had three really good practices, really good practices. So I have been pleased. [Friday] might have been one of the best Fridays we have had in a long time. So I was happy.''

A focused team, especially at this point in the season, will also be critical to the development of the young players, who surely would benefit from an environment that includes win-loss implications.

Winning breeds focus. Losing breeds drama. And the Dolphins do not want their young players to be corrupted. The good news is, wide receiver Greg Camarillo does not sense the Dolphins heading in the less desirable direction.

``Nobody in this locker room has slacked off at all in the last week or two,'' he said. ``We're still fighting to win a championship. That's our goal. To win the division -- and it's not out of reach. It's just an uphill battle.''

That is the natural mentality to maintain during a season on the brink. If the season becomes irrelevant, it can cause some unnecessary challenges when it comes to keeping the team focused for the future.

That's something Camarillo learned during Miami's 1-15 season in 2007.

``The biggest difference is the mind-set and the attitude,'' Camarillo said. ``It's really important that the young guys see we're not giving up on anything. That teaches them a mind-set and it lets them know this is a team.''

NO EXCUSES

But don't misunderstand them: Sparano isn't trying to keep the Dolphins focused right now because he's trying to avoid irrelevance. He's trying to keep his team focused so it can continue the one-week-at-a-time hunt for the playoffs.

The former is just a byproduct of the latter.

``It's easy to use the excuse that we're a young team and this is a rebuilding period,'' wide receiver Davone Bess said. ``But nobody was expecting us to do what we did last year, either. We set the bar really high last year, and we know, even though we're young, that we have to grow up fast.''

The time to grow up is now. Otherwise, at least for the rest of this season, it might be too late.

``The fun and games need to be out there on the field,'' Sparano said.