Narratives aside, Dolphins have chance to leave no doubt where they stand in NFL
It’s been a buzzword surrounding the Dolphins and their accomplishments throughout the season: narrative.
The narrative that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is a product of his teammates and coach Mike McDaniel’s scheme.
The narrative that the Dolphins can’t beat a worthwhile opponent.
And there’s no shortage of narratives present for Miami’s home game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
“Obviously there’s a lot of context going into the game,” fullback Alec Ingold said. “There’s a lot of storylines, a lot of narratives. You don’t want to put all your eggs into one basket for any team, any game, any prep.”
Sunday’s game is about the Cowboys (10-4) but it also marks the beginning of what will be a telling stretch for the Dolphins (10-4), the first of three games against winning teams to end the regular season. It’s sure to paint a clearer picture of a team that is almost assured of a spot in the playoffs but still has a range of finishes, from the AFC’s No. 1 seed to a wild-card slot.
With the end of the regular season approaching, the stakes are as high as they’ve been for the Dolphins, who continue to lead the AFC East and remain in contention for the conference’s top seed. Miami can clinch a playoff spot with a win against Dallas and needs to continue to win to not only keep up with the conference-leading Baltimore Ravens but fend off the Buffalo Bills.
But to do so, the Dolphins will have to do something in their final three games that they haven’t done throughout the season: consistently beat quality opponents.
The Dolphins are solely focused on their Christmas Eve matchup with the Cowboys, so much so that McDaniel jokingly informed reporters that any mention of narratives, playoff seeding or the final three-game stretch to players should be answered with a polite “eff off.”
No profane messages were uttered at the team’s practice facility in Miami Gardens this week, but the messaging was clear from players and coaches alike: Dallas is the only thing that matters.
When informed that the Dolphins could secure a playoff berth with a win, Tagovailoa said he wasn’t aware of the clinching scenarios.
“I wish you didn’t share that,” a surprised Tagovailoa said.
As bowl season kicks off across college football, the Dolphins’ game against the Cowboys could be dubbed “The Narrative Bowl.”
Miami has played just three games against teams that currently possess a winning record and is 0-3 in those games, struggling against the Bills, Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
But the Cowboys have had similar problems against tougher competition, with a 2-2 record and their lasting image being a 31-10 blowout loss to the Bills.
“That’s going to be the narrative at the end of the day,” outside linebacker Bradley Chubb said. “All we can control is how we go out there and handle it. They are a great team that has won a lot of games and done a lot of good things and put up a lot of points. On the defensive side of the ball, we pride ourselves on not giving up points, so it’s going to be a battle on that end. They have a great defense as well, and we feel like we’ve got a great offense, as well. It’s going to be a battle. Like I said, people feel like we haven’t beaten a team, but like I said, it’s a chance to go out there and prove it. We’ve got to go out there and make sure we handle business.”
McDaniel believes that the team’s setbacks have been valuable lessons. The Dolphins’ first loss to the Bills, which came a week after a historic 70-point outing, was a humbling experience that changed the way the team practiced going forward. Their defeat to Philadelphia was a reminder of how clean a game they must play on the road, while the loss to Kansas City in Germany showed that players don’t need to press in key moments. And their latest defeat to the Tennessee Titans taught them how dialed in they must be down to the final seconds to secure a win.
Opinions of the Dolphins vary, from those who believe the team is a formidable playoff contender to those who are still waiting for a notable victory. But in these next three weeks and beginning on Sunday, Miami has the chance to leave no doubt about where they stand among the NFL hierarchy.
“Much like us two weeks ago, this Dallas Cowboys team has a bone to pick with football in general and we’re going to get their best shot,” McDaniel said, “which is what we want because we’re not just trying to accumulate wins, we’re trying to get better and be our best in this time of the year. We built up all year to have a challenge like this, so we’re excited to take it.”
This story was originally published December 23, 2023 at 9:13 AM.
