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When the Dolphins play the Chiefs on Saturday Night as a part of this week’s Wild Card matchup, the temperature is expected to dip below zero. It’s currently predicted to be a shivering -7 degrees with a wind chill of -30! According to Yahoo Sports, this will make the contest one of the coldest in NFL history, and statistics show that cold weather doesn’t bode well for Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins.
In a social post by Chiefs Focus, the dismal statistics were laid out for the world to see. In temperatures of 40 or below, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is 10-1 in temperatures 40 and below with a 94.1% passer rating. Meanwhile, Tua is 6-13 in temperatures under 70 degrees and 0-4 under 40 degrees, with a measly 57% passer rating.
Adding insult to injury, the post even includes a meme of Mahomes gleefully playing in the snow.
It’s Not Just Tagovailoa Who Struggles in Cold Weather, the Dolphins Have a Streak Going
Dolphins fans really won’t want to see this, but the Chiefs Focus post wraps up, saying, “The Miami Dolphins are 0-10 in temps below 40 degrees (The longest losing streak in the NFL).” Cold weather might be something head coach Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins just can’t practice for down in sunny Miami Gardens.
Anyone who has attempted to play a sport in extreme weather can tell you, though that it can change the game—the feel of the ball, the hardness of the ground, how it feels to get hit, etc. Back in 2022, Mark Maxwell, the President and CEO of SportsWeather.com, spoke on the topic of weather effecting football gameplay for an article posted to FoxWeather.com. In the article, he says, “The air’s thicker when it’s colder. It does affect the performance of how far a quarterback can throw a ball.”
McDaniel’s Approach (…or Lack There of) to Cold Weather Games Has Been Questioned Before
McDaniel has been asked about preparing for extreme weather before, December 14, 2022 specifically. In an article by Marcel Louis-Jacques for ESPN from December of last year, the reporter quoted McDaniel, saying, “To me, you just decide whether you’re going to let it factor in or not, and then you adjust as best you can. There’s certain things that become harder when there’s moisture or it hits a certain level of frigidness. But the good news is that there’s not different atmospheres on both sidelines. We will be playing the game in the same elements.”
The Dolphins practiced in Miami that week, and the Bills beat the Dolphins in that one by three points. Despite it being a close contest, one can’t help but wonder if the game could’ve been won if McDaniel had opted to have his players practice in the elements they’d face on the night of.
McDaniels is obviously steadfast in his ways, though, as he opted to keep the team in Florida again. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, wrote that “McDaniel cited the need for the injured players to have ‘the best access for rehabilitation and all those resources’ at the team’s training facilities at Dolphins headquarters.”
Jackson also goes on to say that McDaniel even mentioned the same Bills vs. Dolphins loss from 2022 as an example of how the Dolphins are capable of “strong play” in cold weather. The young man is sure steadfast in his ways.
If the Cold Weather is the Bad News, the Good News is that the “Bye Week Master” Doesn’t Get a Bye
McDaniel became known as an “offensive wunderkind” over in San Francisco before taking the reins in Miami. It’s his youthful exuberance and imagination that has led this Dolphins team to a league leading 401.3 yards per game on the season.
At 40 years of age, Mike McDaniel is one of the youngest coaches in the NFL, but on the other sideline this week is one of the oldest in Andy Reid. Actually, with Pete Carroll retiring and Bill Belichick temporarily without a team, he is officially be the oldest current coach.
Reid will certainly get a bronze bust in Canton one day, and one of the reasons for that is how well his teams have played after a bye week. In his 32 years as a head coach, he’s accumulated a 28-4 record after a bye week. This puts his win percentage after a bye at an astonishing 87.5%! It’s become a bit of calling card, even effecting Vegas bets.
McDaniel and his Dolphins may have to beat the odds in this one if they want to come back to South Florida with a victory. But they should thank their lucky stars that they’re facing Wild Card Andy Reid and not feeling the full wrath of the “BYE Week Master.” Between the sub-zero temperatures and Andy Reid’s wizardry, the oddsmakers would have little reason to pick the fish.
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