#mike-mcdaniel

#mike-mcdaniel

You can recount the weekly heroics of running back De'Von Achane, or this week's heroics of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. You can wonder how the Miami Dolphins wavered in those final few minutes, but appreciate how they ultimately held it together. The view from field level is they made the biggest plays like Fitzpatrick's two-point conversion interception and a fourth-down stop to beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.

You're right. Owner Stephen Ross can't paint ex-general manager Chris Grier as the singular scapegoat or fall guy. After all, Grier led the way in collecting the most talent this franchise has had in two decades. Coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa are more responsible than Grier for the on-field disappointment, or, as you call it, the dysfunction. I think bringing back McDaniel and Tagovailoa while Grier is the only one to pay a price would be doing the rebuild halfway.

Only heightening the perceived danger for McDaniel is the long layoff between games following a Thursday nighter. Friday marked the first of nine days between Dolphins games, with Miami next hosting the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 9. It would give the team extended time to adjust to an interim coach scenario before it takes the field again. But McDaniel held a day-after web conference with reporters Friday morning as was already scheduled, an indication he seems safe again.

The Patriots had a lot on their plate going into Week 2, with a disappointing loss to the Raiders to kick off the season, and many analysts and fans feared doom and gloom was coming. It put a lot of pressure on Mike Vrabel to turn things around against a historically difficult game on the Patriots' schedule, playing the Dolphins in Miami, where they haven't won since 2019.

"I think the biggest thing is, initially, as a coach and a leader, I have to teach,"