Mike McDaniel Owns Dolphins’ Collapse After Blowing 17-Point Lead to Panthers

The Miami Dolphins sit second bottom of the AFC East after losing to the Carolina Panthers in week five.

Mike McDaniel Owns Dolphins’ Collapse After Blowing 17-Point Lead to Panthers

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel (Image via IMAGO)

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Mike McDaniel’s Miami Dolphins were -1.5 point favorites against the Carolina Panthers before kickoff and looked on pace to justify the odds. However, the AFC East side blew a 17-point lead and fell to their fourth loss of the season in five weeks.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw back-to-back touchdown passes to De’Von Achane and Darren Waller right before the ten-minute mark in the second quarter. The Panthers reduced the gap through a 7-yard connection between Bryce Young and Xavier Legette.

Two consecutive field goal conversions from Ryan Fitzgerald and a one-yard punch-in from RB Rico Dowdle following a 7-play, 85-yard drive gave the Panthers their first lead in the tie.

McDaniel’s Dolphins replied immediately. Parker Washington’s kickoff return gave them a favorable field position for Tagovailoa to hit Jaylen Waddle for a 46-yard touchdown run.

However, the Panthers went down the other end with an 8-play, 83-yard drive, which Young finished off by setting up TE Mitchell Evans. Even though Miami had more than two minutes and a timeout in hand, they failed to add to their tally. The game finished in a 27-24 win for the Panthers, who improved to 2-3, leaving the Dolphins at 1-4.

Losses are tough, but who really cares? We deserve for it to feel terrible. … No one cares about our feelings. That’s a hard one to deal with, but it should be.

Mike McDaniel said in the post-game press conference

The Dolphins gave up 239 rushing yards (206 of them were gained by Dowdle, which is 7.5 yards per carry) and 418 overall yards, with Young completing 19 of 30 for 198 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception.

[Run defense] is not good enough… No ifs, ands, or buts about it. You don’t give up that many scrimmage yards unless you’re uncoordinated in certain ways. I need to make sure that guys don’t fray and handle it themselves.

McDaniel added

Dolphins also gave up 9 penalties for 64 yards on 10 flags as per NFL Penalties.

Mike McDaniel is in deep trouble after another bad start to the season

Only two years ago, the Dolphins were the only team with the necessary resources to challenge the Buffalo Bills in the East in the post-Tom Brady, New England Patriots era. McDaniel received constant praise for keeping the Miami franchise competitive with two tours to the playoffs.

Mike McDaniel Owns Dolphins’ Collapse After Blowing 17-Point Lead to Panthers
Mike McDaniel (Image via IMAGO)

The current Dolphins resemble a mere shadow of the teams from the 2022 and 2023 seasons, despite the core group of players remaining unchanged. If anyone asks around the Dolphins facility, they will point fingers at the head coach.

A passionate outburst from Mike Oliva of the Dolphins Talk in his latest piece is indicative of it.

Coaching instincts that you either have or you do not. Mike McDaniel does not have them. This team is bad, but McDaniel is bad as well. He is a bad head coach, and he is bad at his job. I don’t know how many more games Miami will win the rest of the year, but we are at the point where if McDaniel were fired at any time, nobody can say he wasn’t given a fair chance to keep his job.

So, does that mean McDaniel is on the clock? Not quite. Not for the moment, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Now if they lose two more games in a row and are still winless and there are helicopters and banners flying… Again, that’s not what they want to do. That’s not what they’re planning to do.

Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show

McDaniel is 28-27-0 as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. If he’s still around for week six, then he will lead the Dolphins against the Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium.

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