MIAMI GARDENS — There were a lot of words said after the Miami Dolphins lost a home opener to the New England Patriots to fall to 0-2.
Here are the most important words that were spoken and they came from coach Mike McDaniel:
“Ultimately I look at absolutely everything falling on me.”
Yes, yes it does.
Yes, yes it is.
The Dolphins lost to the Patriots 33-27, but it’s how they lost that’s most troubling.
Miami had two possessions late in the fourth quarter in which it could have tied the game or taken a lead.
And both were foiled by discombobulation.
There has been too much discombobulation lately.
There has been too much discombobulation overall.
Too many player-only meetings. And too many dead-ball fouls.
In each of the final two drives, there were a delay of game penalty and a false start.
As legend Vince Lombardi once said, “What the hell’s going on out there?”
Mike McDaniel’s Miami Dolphins seat is warming
This could be what ultimately costs McDaniel his job.
And who knows. If the Dolphins are destroyed at the Bills in just four days, would owner Stephen Ross pull the plug on this era?
McDaniel was asked about his job security after this game.
McDaniel said he’s focused on his job.
McDaniel was asked if he knew some fans pooled money to have a plane fly over the stadium calling for he and general manager Chris Grier to be fired.
“I don’t think it’s personal,” McDaniel said. “I think they want to win and so do I.”
Tickets were going on StubHub for about $21 – including fees – before kickoff.
The Dolphins lost some talent this offseason. And the Dolphins have had key injuries at key positions such as cornerback and offensive line.
But there is no excuse – zero excuse – for how sloppy Miami has been in the first two weeks. Is it a lack of focus? Preparation? Commitment?
“Communication and in a very dire period of the game, you know with the game on the line, our communication and our substitution was not up to par,” McDaniel said.
Miami Dolphins appear disorganized in yet another bad loss
They’ve had all preseason to work on things and it sure looks like they didn’t work enough.
“Just the whole operation of that was not up to standard, was not up to par,” Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said.
There are a lot of problems here.
Miami’s defense was expected to be much better under coordinator Anthony Weaver, despite the deletion of players such as Jalen Ramsey and Jevon Holland.
Instead, the Dolphins have given up 33 points to the Colts and 33 to the Patriots, neither of whom is to be confused with the Chiefs, Ravens, Bills or Bengals.
If the Dolphins wanted to make defensive coordinator Weaver interim coach – which always felt like a real possibility – the defense’s struggles may make that a harder sell.
But Miami is in trouble here. McDaniel is in trouble here.
The Dolphins’ offensive line was supposed to be improved. But playing without the projected starting right tackle and starting right guard for at least four weeks is crippling.
Still, again, it’s not that the Dolphins have lost. It’s how they’ve lost.
New England’s Mike Vrabel is in his first year as the Patriots head coach. And the win wasn’t perfect by any means. But his team appeared less flustered and more sound than McDaniel’s.
This is McDaniel’s fourth season as head coach.
Dolphins appear headed in wrong direction
McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier thought they had brought more of the right people into the Dolphins’ locker room.
And there may be quite solid people. But they’re not getting the message and someone seems destined to be on the verge of taking a fall here.
It’s a long, long season.
But surely Ross Boss is aware of the plane. And aware of the many loud boos at Hard Rock Stadium.
And he’s aware of the record. And surely he can see what appears at this moment to be a team that’s not at all on the same page.
“Losing is not fun at all,” McDaniel said. “The guys are tired of it.”
It’s so very, very early. But is McDaniel running out of time?
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe’s free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins’ embarrassing offensive operation poor reflection on Mike McDaniel | Schad
Reporting by Joe Schad, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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