Everything You Need To Know From Mike McDaniel’s Week 9 Press Conference
Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Miami Dolphins had a much better outing with Tua Tagovailoa back, even if they didn’t get the result they needed. The Dolphins scored 27 points, their most of the season, but falling to 2-5 was a devastating blow to their already-dwindling playoff chances.
But the only way out is through, and the Dolphins need to prepare to defeat the Buffalo Bills, who crushed them 31-10 at home in Week 2. This time, Miami’s going into Buffalo’s house for a must-win. That’s bad news given Buffalo has taken 12 of their last 13 matchups, and that Miami hasn’t won a game in Buffalo since 2016.
What is Mike McDaniel thinking going into such a daunting game? Let’s find out, now that he’s given his weekly media address.
History Doesn’t Matter As Much As Playing Mistake-Free
The elephant in the room is the recent history between these two teams, but McDaniel says that can’t be the focus. Instead, he is more worried about how good Buffalo is in the moment, and how they tend to exploit sloppy teams to win.
“Right now, I think our main focus is absolutely, positively how we play football and how we do things to win games, not things to lose games. It’s a division road game against an opponent that everyone in our division is chasing, everybody knows that.
“But more than anything, the opponent doesn’t matter is what the perspective that you learn when you’re not doing the things to beat NFL teams – let alone the Buffalo Bills, they thrive on other people’s mistakes. They’re literally challenging you to do right longer and take advantage of groups of players that are unable to execute down-in, down-out, and they do a masterful job of putting it on the other team to earn the win.
“I think that’s right along the mode of what we’re just trying to do in general, so I don’t mind having the toughest test, or one of the toughest tests, or however difficult the scenario is, or how many years, or how long, or how many times we’ve lost to them. For the sake of our jobs and responsibilities to each other, the fans that root for us, wonderful media that works with us day-in, day-out, we have to – I think it’s important to let the team know that the environment that you’re going to get into, so you have the entire work week to prepare for it, I think it’s important to know that when we’re on that field, there’s going to be a confident stadium of people and what are you doing to do with it? I think a major focus on our football understanding that this, everything that we’re really focusing on, that’s what feeds this team. So I think focusing on us is more than enough, for sure.”
This Isn’t McDaniel’s First Time In This Situation
The Dolphins are 2-5, and that’s what NFL insiders call “not good.” Since the NFL went to a 14-team playoff format, the final Wild Card team has had 11, 9, 9, and 10 wins, respectively, from 2020 to 2024. That means Miami must go (at least) 7-3 over their last 10 games, and maybe even better. Where’s McDaniel at on that?
“I think one thing that is something that I value is paying attention to experience and history. There’s so many times in seasons, flip the record, 5-2 or 2-5, I’ve been a part of all sorts of different seasons.
“So what I try to communicate to the players as best I can is the idea of projecting records based upon yours is a false trial. So many things can happen, and the point is that you fully tool yourself to try go and be the best team that Sunday in that stadium, because anything beyond that is an opportunity cost that you leave yourself less and less room for error. So I don’t do much forecasting in that way, just because I’ve been on an Atlanta [Falcons] team that was 5-2 that ended up 8-8. I’ve been on a 3-6 team in Washington in 2012 that won the division. I’ve been on a 3-5 team in 2021 that went to the NFC Championship game [San Francisco 49ers].”
“So it’s about how do you handle the noise, and there’s always noise and it’s either positive or negative. You’re either really good or you suck, and I think that is something that you don’t run from because it’s never void of your experience in the National Football League. It’s a billion-dollar industry that a lot of people care about that there’s careers that are directly in it and there’s careers covering it. So what do you expect?
“Bottom line is you have to do your job and continue to find ways to do it better, and the teams that figure out how to collectively get better in the noise, every single year, it’s the same pattern. They’re the teams that win at the end of the season, so whatever it is, I get the natural expression of, ‘OK, what does this mean?’ And ‘OK, this team we can win,’ all of that is you are whatever your record is and you allow your record to either work for or against you. So you ride the momentum when you win and continue to double down on the details that got you the win, or you find solutions in the loss and you don’t point fingers, you point the thumb. For me, it’s quite natural for the environment to be as it is within the team and outside in terms of disappointment.
“But what do you do with that, that’s my job as a leader, and people don’t hire people for the high fives and the parades and stuff. This is the meat and potatoes of what my job is, so trying to communicate that on a daily basis and find ways to get guys collectively to play their best football and finding individuals that have the most growth available to their game and continue to progress. Because that’s what’s important to me for the reasons of my entire football career and understanding the patterns that occur every single year with teams that start hot or teams that start slow. It’s all a journey to build, to win. It’s win or this is your last game, or win and you have 17 games and finality, you’re always fighting that and that’s what we’re in the thick of right now.”
Anthony Weaver Gets His Full Trust
Asked about the monumental challenge of stopping Josh Allen, who only needed 19 attempts and 139 yards to put away the Phins in Week 2, McDaniel was asked what he would be doing to help out defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. The coach made it clear he’d be hands-off.
“There is a certain amount of humility that is very important to do your job well in this position. In terms of there’s so much just on the front end of who you entrust, who you choose to be your teammate and your teammate’s teammate, and et cetera, et cetera. And then not being result-based and really combing the details and asking the questions of whys and whats, but I’m also not going to pretend to know the tendency of the Buffalo Bills offense in 2nd-and-2 to -4.
“If I do know that, I’m not calling the game, so why do I know that? I think there is certain things that you can always definitely help with, and if you pair yourself with the right people, that value added can be realized. I think that’s what our defensive staff does a great job of, of hearing thoughts and opinions but I’m very careful not to strictly be result based, because results go in ebbs and flows but how and why you do things as your program builds and you try to put players in a position to succeed, that’s what matters most. Then being the head coach, you have the most favorable ability to get return on emphasis.
“For me, I look at it like if I have the loudest voice at the end of the day where people have to respond to what I say, I better say the right stuff, so I better focus on the right stuff and try to add value that way because I bear the burden of responsibility to all for all results.”
The Bills Defense Will Be A Known Challenge
Earlier this month, Bill Belichick observed on Inside the NFL that the Bills’ defensive play-calling uses randomness to throw offenses off-guard. Belichick is one of the greatest defensive minds ever, but McDaniel respectfully disagrees.
Coach Belichick breaks down how the @BuffaloBills "spin the wheel" defense keeps you guessing
Game show host assistant @ochocinco helps do the honors 😂🎙️ pic.twitter.com/YlXP4Xv73x
— Inside the NFL (@insidetheNFL) October 5, 2024
“For me, it’s all in the eye of the beholder, but it seems to me that they have very strong reasoning for their motivations of play calls and the defenses that they run. I do think they know when to take a chance and when it’s best served to play the percentages and make offenses earn it.
“When I first played against the Bills, it definitely seemed more random, but you go against them twice a year and a system based on fundamentals and technique that they absolutely are as coordinated as a unit as there is in the NFL. To me, their principles of how they defend gaps while holding pass responsibilities, they have a bunch of different calls that establish very similar things and when they think you’re comfortable, they get a little more aggressive or there’s areas of the field that – the amount of coverages that they play is determined by the opponent. They’ve done a really good job; I’m not sure the percentages relative to other teams, but we see a lot of stuff that other teams don’t see, and to me, that means that’s because it’s calculated.
“When you are winning more than you lose over a long period of time, I think that those calculations are pretty fair and good. I have a lot of respect for the Buffalo Bills football team and Sean McDermott and the job that Bobby Babich has done, because they’ve earned my respect through – you can tell they work. They force a football team to go earn wins, not be gifted them, and that’s something I think isn’t necessarily a bad thing for our football team. I see a lot of deliberate intentional illusion of complexity, I think.”
WR3 Is Still A Work In Progress
Odell Beckham Jr. has nominally been back for the past three games, but he’s played under 20% of the snaps in all three, and has zero catches on three targets. That includes going untargeted in Week 8. Veteran receiver River Cracraft is returning to the team this week, as well. How can we expect this to shake out?
“I think you challenge, you identify ways that things can be – where a contribution can come from and you’re very clear with how the third wide receiver can add value, and you let players be players. We always have reason for everything that we do, who is on the field and who’s not – right, wrong or indifferent.
“I think Odell coming back from the offseason and the procedure and then having one game with Tua, it was a step in the right direction that doesn’t show up in a box score. Sometimes the opposing defensive coordinator can just randomly call a certain coverage that he’s No. 1 and runs a good route and there’s a floating defender in his vicinity that forces Tua to progress. I thought he attacked his responsibilities the best that he had since he’s been here and I thought it was a step in the right direction. With competition, that’s the supreme form of getting the most out of each individual player.
“I’m excited about the whole room, really, in terms of their growth. In the midst of box scores and stat lines and losses and records, fact tells me that that room has developed over the last three weeks, and that’s just based upon watching the film. So that for everyone involved is a good thing. It was probably the best game that the whole group of receivers had in a long time, maybe ever in terms of making plays without the ball. I think that the development of the offensive line allows for you to have more run opportunities that are productive, but you don’t average six a carry without receivers blocking. We have really, really good players on this team and two of the best in the NFL in that room, and they’re learning how to make plays without the ball because you know you get above and beyond attention.
“I say this all the time, but I equate it to basketball. If you have a double team, the way to stop getting doubled is not splitting the double; the way to stop getting doubled is getting an assist. With the way that the presentation of defenses are, if you’re trying to play football, have the time of possession, not turn the ball over and score points, you have to take advantage of what the defense is giving you.
“This past game that had – I think Budda Baker is one of the better safeties in the league. He starts from 15-yards deeps and goes downhill and sprints, a lot of receivers turn it down and our guys didn’t. So that development, the room is creating its own standard of play and in that, I see the ball coming to our two-star guys more because of their effort in other phases in the game, and then I see more contribution that I think a lot of guys would have – the box score would have looked a little different if the particular game [the] offense had more than eight possessions, but both offenses were staying on the field a good amount and you only have those opportunities that you’re given. I would be very hesitant to look at the receiver room right now and say that that is the forecast for the rest of the year. They’re trying to get us right and doing a great job doing it.”
Wait And See With Zach Sieler, Jevon Holland
Having two of their better defenders is going to help Miami against the division-leading Bills. Duh. The question is whether they’ll get in the game. Zach Sieler missed last week with a fractured orbital bone, and Jevon Holland now has a knee injury on top of having to play with a hurt hand.
On Sieler: “He’s one of several I won’t know at all until the closer to the game, and that’s just based upon you’d have to project. He’s doing well, and we know him as a player and a person; he desperately wants to play in this game so he will do everything he can to, and if he can’t, it’s because he’s unable to.”
No Surgery for Sieler?: “No surgery”
On Holland’s knee: “Overall for the season, not really concerned. It’s not major, but for this game, he’s deep working to try to make himself available. He won’t practice today, but that will be a process throughout the whole week and one that he’s been living here trying to get right to be available for this game.”
Up Next