High-flying Dolphins safety Reshad Jones aims to make history against the Patriots

Reshad Jones will flip when he darn well wants to flip.

And assuming those acrobatics only follow pick-sixes, even Lou Anarumo might come around.

Jones has interception-returns for touchdowns in each of the past two weeks.

Each time, he somersaulted into the end zone.

And each time, Anarumo — the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator — had a talk with him afterward, instructing Miami’s ascendant safety not to do it again.

“I failed having Reshad Jones stopping jumping into [the end zone],” Anarumo joked Tuesday. “I failed miserably. The good news is, he got in the end zone. We’ll keep coaching him up on the rest of it. We’ve had another talk.”

The message has been received.

“They don’t like it,” Jones acknowledged Tuesday. “They say no diving. They don’t want me to get hurt.”

But has that message been heeded?

“I don’t know. I get the ball in my hands again, it may be another G-5 moment.”

In fact, Jones is already planning his next celebration.

“Next time, I’m going to try to land on my feet.”

If that next time comes Thursday in Foxborough, Massachusetts, it would be historic.

Never before has an NFL player returned interceptions for touchdowns in three consecutive games — a stat Jones didn’t need to be told.

“It would definitely be nice,” Jones said. “That’s the goal.”

Jones has never been short of confidence. Even after his four-game suspension for a failed performance-enhancing drug test last season, Jones boldly called himself the best safety in football.

Based on his play this season, it would be tough to argue with him. Pro Football Focus gives Jones the AFC’s highest safety grade in 2015.

“I’m just playing my technique, playing fundamentally sound,” Jones said. “The plays, like Coach says, ‘Don’t take plays. They’ll come to you.’ I’m just going out there, playing within the defense, and making the plays that are coming.”

A little luck always helps. His most recent pick was a gift.

A first-half pass from Brian Hoyer to C.J. Fiedorowicz on Sunday was on the money. But Fiedorowicz couldn’t make the catch, and the ball popped into the air and into Jones’ grasp.

The next tight end on the Dolphins’ schedule — Rob Gronkowski — probably won’t be so generous.

Jones called Gronkowski, who has six touchdown catches already this season, one of the best tight ends he has ever faced. And although he wouldn’t reveal much of the game plan, Jones did say he expects to cover Gronk at some point Thursday.

But again, confidence won’t be an issue.

“Right now, I think I’m playing at probably the highest level I’ve played at so far,” Jones said. ”This is my fifth year starting, and I’ve seen a lot of plays and I’m getting more confident each and every year. … It’s just getting a lot slower to me right now.”

Anarumo, who was Jones’ position coach before his midseason promotion, agrees.

“Having been with Reshad now for as long as I have, he’s obviously playing at a high level,” he said. “Nobody has worked harder to get there than him. He’s a passionate guy, he’s a football guy. I’ve just enjoyed watching him develop. … We obviously don’t want him to keep doing it, but if he keeps scoring touchdowns, then there are worse things in the world.”

This story was originally published October 27, 2015 at 7:05 PM with the headline "High-flying Dolphins safety Reshad Jones aims to make history against the Patriots."