In Week 14, the Miami Dolphins found themselves trailing by 8 points at the beginning of the fourth quarter against the 3-win New York Jets. In the final minute of regulation, Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins were behind by a field goal.
But Miami forced overtime and then won with a touchdown on the first possession of the extra session. McDaniel argued that it was possible because his team addressed battling adversity in a few different meetings between Weeks 13 and 14.
“There’s been a lot of very motivated, passionate meetings, whether it’s led by myself or Frank [Smith] and Weave [Anthony Weaver] or by players,” McDaniel told reporters. “It’s not always a bad thing when people think you can’t do stuff.
“I was an only child in Greeley, Colorado, which you guys don’t know what that is. It’s like 70,000 people. And I was 4-foot-10-inches tall in seventh grade. So there was a lot of people that said that I couldn’t. I see that in our team. There’s just so many people that can attest to being able to press forward regardless of who says what.”
McDaniel seemed surprised to be receiving questions about the team meetings. He also implied that the meetings were not supposed to be public knowledge.
“I don’t know how you know about a team meeting. I don’t know who the snitch is. But the team meeting isn’t the headline, the headline is guys coming together. I thought the vision of the team, I couldn’t be prouder of the fourth quarter,” added McDaniel.
In that fourth quarter, the Dolphins erased an 8-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Jets 32-26 in overtime.
Mike McDaniel Praises Dolphins Players for Responding
While McDaniel spilled the beans on Miami’s team meetings, he made it clear that they weren’t the deciding factor in the comeback against the Jets.
McDaniel argued that the difference came in how the Dolphins players reacted to the team meetings and then to the adversity they faced.
“Whatever I said, the players chose to believe. The players to chose to have an absolutely motivated practice week,” McDaniel told reporters. “The players chose to not to give up in this game and when you do that and you survive some adversity, the thing on the other side is the, that’s the best stuff, regardless.
“One thing I know about life, easy to way overrated and not that fulfilling.”
The Dolphins took an early 6-0 lead with a touchdown on the first drive of the game. But the Jets then scored 23 of the next 32 points. During that stretch, the Dolphins only kicked field goals.
But Miami’s offense responded with 2 touchdowns in the final 14 minutes of game action. The Dolphins also tallied a field goal and 2-point conversion during that time.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Dolphins Stay Alive in AFC Playoff Hunt
With the victory, the Dolphins improved to 6-7. They remain two games out of the final playoff spot in the AFC, but a loss would have likely ended any chance Miami had of going on a run over the final four weeks of the season.
McDaniel and the Dolphins now likely hope the Week 14 comeback can become a microcosm for their season. The Dolphins were down early but didn’t give up, coming back for a key win.
McDaniel’s club has now won four of its last five games since starting 2-6. But the road ahead won’t be easy for the Dolphins.
Miami will visit the first-place Houston Texans and then host the San Francisco 49ers over the next two weeks. The Dolphins end the season with two cold weather contests against the Cleveland Browns and Jets.
McDaniel’s team may have to win all four games to make the postseason.
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Mike McDaniel Breaks Silence on Secret Dolphins Team Meetings After Jets Win