Poyer says Dolphins are a little soft

“Playing against this team over the past few years, you get a sense of, ‘OK, if you get on top of this team, they might fold,’ ’’ Poyer, 33, said Tuesday as veterans reported to training camp. “What is that? What is it that happens in those moments where we get hit in the mouth? What happens in those moments?”

What happens in this moment now? What happens as these Dolphins hear what Buffalo really thinks of them in winning 11 of their past 12 meetings and four straight AFC East titles?

Can these Dolphins confront the truth of Buffalo thinking they’re emotionally soft? Can they repair the issue in the weeks ahead as training camp starts Wednesday?

Because this idea becomes more critical than any positional problem or strategic need you can find with the Dolphins right now. Maybe more troublesome if it goes untended, too. You can work through bad plays or bad games. But a soft culture as identified by your biggest rival?

Let’s see how this idea measures up, too. The Dolphins had two fourth-quarter comebacks in each of the past two seasons. Buffalo, the measuring stick, had four each season. The Dolphins were 4-10 in the past two Decembers and Januarys (counting playoffs). Buffalo is 11-4.

Miami was 9-1 against losing teams last year and 1-6 against playoff teams.

So, all those numbers align with Poyer’s words. He’s not just anybody. He’s an All-Pro player, a good piece on an annual AFC contender. He’s not on some philosophical island, either. The biggest Dolphins see this same issue. Receiver Tyreek Hill was asked what this offense needs to reach the next level this season against the best teams and his answer goes fist-in-hand with Poyer’s call to toughness.

“We have to be able to stay on the field,’’ he said. “Third downs are huge for us. Like, for us, it’s either boon or bust. We’re one of those teams that, ‘We don’t have the long ball?’ It’s like, ‘Ah, hell, it’s going to be a long game.’

“So for us having a target like (Odell Beckham Jr., having a guy like Jonnu Smith on our team that can extend the drives can be huge.”

Can a now-you-see-them-now-you-don’t team find a grind-it-out mentality when needed? Hill said this is what offensive players discussed without the coaches this offseason.

“To be able to extend drives, you know, have those 12-play drives, have those 10-play drives versus having those 5-play drives where, ‘Ah, he hits Waddle on a 75-yard post’ and it’s like strike up the band,’’ Hill said. “Bro, we can’t do that every game. Unfortunately. As fast as we are, and as much people want to tell us how special we are, we can’t always do that.

“We know we have to have good drives. That’s what we believe we have to do better at.”

Can a speed team get tougher? Can this culture get in the gutter with Buffalo when asked?

Every good day, like every great season, has its moments of truth. Buffalo was 6-6 last season when it went on a run to host two playoff games. The mindset in those moments has to be a poised, ‘Hey, we good,' ’’ as Poyer said. “Let’s bounce back. We’re good. The game is a 60-minute game. It’s a long game.

“I’ve been in games where I’ve been up 24 points and ended up losing,’’ he said. “I’ve been in games where we’ve been down 21 points and ended up winning. It’s continuing to just play the game … Don’t get stuck in that play that you didn’t make or don’t get stuck in X, Y, X of the past. Keep playing. Keep staying together. That’s the biggest thing, being able to stay together as a team.”

You might have questioned this team’s toughness in recent years. You might have wondered if it needs some harsh lessons to succeed. But hearing it from someone inside the locker room who stood on the winning sideline for years hammers the idea home.