The Miami Dolphins held an opponent under 30 points for the first time this season and walked away winners for the first time, too, in a 27-21 win over the New York Jets on Monday.
Dolphins head coach Mike Daniel praised the defense for stepping up and creating three turnovers and holding off the Jets’ rally. He acknowledged that defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver urging the defense to play with more aggression paid off.
“Yeah, I’m going to call for Anthony Weaver to call for more violence more often. It was awesome,” McDaniel told reporters on Monday. Particularly, I would say that the first takeaway epitomizes what I see our team to be, which I think was an 80-yard drive, that Jack Jones (forced a fumble on) and no one quit.
Jones forced the fumble at the Dolphins‘ 4-yard line in the first quarter, and the Dolphins turned around on offense and went 96 yards in 15 plays to go up 10-0. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown to tight end Darren Waller.
Dolphins Weren’t All ‘Fired Up’ Before First Fumble
Before the fumble, the Jets looked poised to take the lead on the 12-play, 82-yard drive. Jets quarterback Justin Fields moved the ball with a mix of passes and runs, which included a 19-yard scramble.
“There were a lot of plays that guys weren’t fired up about on that drive,” McDaniel said about the defense. “But we kept playing and kept fighting. We made them earn each yard.”
“Down in the red zone, you get the takeaway, and then I think there was a 96-yard drive, 15 plays, and that complementary football. I think it was the biggest turning point in the game. So that and the resolve and just staying together.”
Miami built a 17-3 lead and didn’t let the Jets get closer than six during a fourth quarter comeback attempt. The Dolphins ended a three-game losing streak where opposing teams had piled on 97 points in that span.
“It was a rough start to the season, but having young players at a lot of positions and watching them understand their failures and not blink when a lot of people are telling them to blink, I’m very proud of that,” McDaniel said. “And the takeaways, the first one in particular, were monumental. Being plus three was a nice place to be.”
Dolphins Change Narrative in Takeaway Department
Miami had one takeaway going into Monday’s game, and the Dolphins flipped that script with fumble recoveries by Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jaelan Phillips, and Dante Trader Jr. The Dolphins defense also held the Jets to 4-9 on third down and 1-2 on fourth down.
“It’s gigantic,” McDaniel said about his team’s takeaways. “It’s not like those critical variables in football. Generally, it’s not that they’re under emphasized, but you want to make sure that people just don’t hear it with a numb ear to like takeaways or whatever.”
“You have to have people inspired and people be very focused. You have to continue to – when you’re not getting the results — it’s interesting,” McDaniel added. “The game of football is kind of like life. You get your best version of yourself if you aren’t only responding to positive reinforcement. The stay-with-it-ness or whatever — after the game, some of my phrases aren’t the best — but that’s kind of like the NFL journey.
Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel Praises ‘Violence’ on Defense