Davie, Fla. ? Ricky Williams retired in July, Dave Wannstedt resigned last week, and the rest of the Miami Dolphins probably would prefer to call it quits on a season gone sour.

Seven games remain, however. So even though the Dolphins have a lousy record and no shot at the playoffs, they dutifully practiced Wednesday, with interim coach Jim Bates seeking to motivate his team.

“Most of the time when you make a mistake in practice, you just go back to the huddle,” tight end Randy McMichael said. “Now he’s making you sit out a play and run to the fence and back and think about what you did. It’s funny.”

The Dolphins certainly need a few laughs — and all the motivation they can muster. They share the NFL’s worst record at 1-8, and a defeat Sunday at Seattle would ensure their first losing season since 1988.

Wannstedt’s resignation likely was the start of an organizational housecleaning. Fan and media focus during the next couple of months will be on changes to come, rendering the remaining games a footnote.

“They may be meaningless to people who aren’t playing,” defensive end David Bowens said. “To us — the people playing and the coaches — the games matter.”

Although little has gone right since the ill-timed departure of Williams, the Dolphins’ effort came into question only once this season under Wannstedt — in a lopsided Monday night loss to the New York Jets on Nov. 1. They staged a late rally in their most recent game, only to blow the lead and lose to Arizona.

Both defeats were embarrassing in different ways, and there’s a desire to avoid further humiliation.

“We don’t want to be the laughingstock of the league,” Bowens said.