Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has brought a lot of excitement and a much different approach to the team in his two seasons. His team is going to the playoffs for the second consecutive year, which is something that hasn’t been done in decades. His offenses are one of the most exciting. They score points and make big plays.Â
The problem, though, is in each of the last two seasons. His teams have faded down the stretch of the season. Last year, the Dolphins started 8-3 and were on their way to a division title but lost 5 in a row and barely won the season finale to make the playoffs. This year, the Dolphins started 9-3 and haven’t faded as badly, but they had a three-game lead over the Buffalo Bills, and now, if they lose Sunday Night to the Bills, they will have lost the chance to win the division for the second consecutive year. They also could miss out on the number 2 seed and potentially host two playoff games, which is something that hasn’t happened in 3 decades.Â
I wrote an article earlier this week that if the Dolphins lost Sunday Night, the season would be a failure, and I stand by that statement. I know it was a little extreme, but the Dolphins have so much talent on their team and shouldn’t be in this position to have to win the division title in the final game after being 9-3 a few weeks ago. This game can also put doubt as to whether McDaniel is the right head coach. For all the good he has brought, his teams in the last month of the season have faded during a time when you must play your best football as the postseason arrives. His teams have also fallen short in a good majority of their games and get blown out. The offense doesn’t look as good and doesn’t adjust as the game goes on.Â
I realize the Dolphins have injuries, but so do other teams. The Dolphins this year have had 11 different offensive line combinations and, frankly, have done a damn good job. Injuries are a lazy excuse, in my opinion. The Dolphins do have their quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this year. For the second year in a row, the Dolphins have had everything for the taking in front of them and are letting things slip away. McDaniel and his staff must make the proper in-game adjustments and do a better job of preparing their team for the big games.Â
A lot of people are questioning the Dolphins, especially after getting embarrassed last Sunday in Baltimore 56-19. Some will say the same old Dolphins from the past two decades. I don’t want to believe that, but performances like that and the second year in a row collapsing have gotten me to think that. It’s also got me starting to wonder if McDaniel is the right man to get us over the hump. Most national experts are picking the Bills to steal the division title from the Dolphins on Sunday Night, and who can blame them? The Bills have been here, and the Dolphins haven’t or have been in these games and fallen woefully short.Â
This is one of the last chances the Dolphins must change the narrative. It’s also a chance for McDaniel to show the big games aren’t too big for him. If he falls short, you must start having doubt if he is the right guy moving forward with the same things coming back to bite the Dolphins.Â
Even before McDaniel got there, Tua always struggled down the stretch and in big games. McDaniel has done all that he could considering that he was stuck with Tua. Imagine what he could do with a true top 10 QB.
Let’s get this straight u guys are idoits NOBODY could over come the injuries Mia had this year and last year. McDaniel in his 1st year took a 7th rd rookie QB to the playoffs and played good game at Buffalo so STOP IT if Mia had HALF the players back they lost to injuries they would be going to the SB last year with starters vs starters look what Mia did to Ravens. So wait till Mia has a complete team stay healthy THEN TALK till them SHUT UP FOOLS
You making excuses with the injuries. The Dolphins looked so unprepared last Sunday especially on defense. Then when the Ravens made adjustments on defense. McDaniel didn’t adjust to anything. They were getting blown out well before Chubb got hurt and he shouldn’t have been out there. Xavien Howard has lost a step and isn’t the player as 2yrs ago. He has been getting burned or getting called penalties. Plus McDaniel needs to look at situations with his aggressiveness. Before the half last week should have told Tua to go to the 2min warning after getting a 1st down across mid field instead he runs a play int and we know what happened after that. They didn’t have Mostert last week and Achane made some big plays before the game got out of hand. Plus McDaniel continues to run that fade pattern at the goaline and the Dolphins don’t have that big physical wr oh wait yes they do but McDaniel doesn’t use Chase Claypool for that. If the team is in a close game before the 4th quarter and has 4th and goal at the 5 kick the fg. That almost came back to bite him 2 weeks ago. Yes they have injuries but this is the 2nd year in a row the team is fading down the stretch the head coach needs to take the blame for that and not make a lazy excuse with injuries.