Mike McDaniel: Late-season schedule gives Dolphins a chance to change narratives
A narrative has emerged regarding the Dolphins of the past two years. Great at home, not as great on the road. Especially when the weather turns.
This year, the Dolphins finish with four of their last six games away from home, including games at Green Bay, Houston, Cleveland, and the Jets.
Coach Mike McDaniel was asked by reporters on Tuesday about the road games at the end, including the Thanksgiving night visit to Lambeau Field.
“I think, well, if you’re wanting to change a narrative, you’re going to have an opportunity," McDaniel said. "I don’t really worry too much about things, pretending like I have any idea of what’s good or bad. I know if you’re playing the right competitive football, you’ll always have unique challenges to your schedule. If you’re playing the right type of football, you’ll have prime-time games. You can have short or long weeks. All those things. I think we’ve found a way to develop our team both years. I’m firmly expecting that same thing again this year. I think that the opportunities down the stretch of the season are ones that this team at that point in time will be thirsting for. That’s something that when I saw the schedule, I was pretty excited.”
McDaniel was later asked to explain why he's confident the team will rise to the challenge of the late-season road games, especially since in Green Bay, Cleveland, and New Jersey weather could be an issue.
“Well, I mean, these are the things that we’re trying to establish ourselves to take the next step as an organization," McDaniel said. "We’re trying to do that anyway, so the fact that the schedule gives us the opportunity to do what we’re working tirelessly to try to accomplish, I thought it was fitting. I guess I don’t go into the schedule with expectations. I think all games are hard. All teams, all opponents are hard. You have to be a tough-minded football team to be your best at the end of the season. That’s a formula that we’ve found in portions of the season that we have a very direct concerted goal of making sure that we take the next step as an organization. So yeah, I’m not in the business of hiding [from] something. We’re going to have to pay the piper at some point.”
The piper has been paid in each of the last two seasons with a one-and-done road loss in the playoffs, one in Buffalo and one in Kansas City. The goal for all teams is to get enough wins to earn playoff games at home.
The Dolphins had the chance to do that last year, but faltered down the stretch, for the second straight season. This year, it will be even harder to finish strong.
