“It’s Emotional. It’s Gut-Wrenching”: Mike McDaniel Revisits Eye-Opening Defeat as Dolphins Exit 2023 NFL Season With Disappointment

The Miami Dolphins‘ Super Bowl dreams lay in ruins. They entered the sub-zero Kansas City, hoping to win. Hoping to get one step closer to their first Super Bowl since 1972. However, fate had other plans for the team. In a blowout loss to the Chiefs, they only managed to put up 7 points. Obviously, there’s much sadness in their camp. But Mike McDaniel bravely came out to face the media and answer daunting questions.

Did he play the loss on the weather? Or on any one particular player? No, he said that the Chiefs beat them in every aspect. And they were the better team in the playoff game.

Mike McDaniel admits they were out-coached

He took to the podium, looking sullen. Anyone would be after such a loss. He asked in a monotone if there were any questions for him. When he asked how he would react to the loss, he said that they didn’t play up to their expectations. “We came here to win and it didn’t happen. We had high expectations for ourselves. It’s emotional. It’s gut-wrenching,” he admitted, with a hollow look in his eyes.

Additionally, he said that they were “out-coached” and “out-played” by the Chiefs. Whatever may have gone down tonight, they can look back and feel proud of themselves. The Dolphins had put up a solid season, going 11-6. The 2023 season will go down as their best season since 2008.

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However, what went wrong in the Chiefs game? And what can they learn from their second straight Wild Card loss?

What are the lessons for Miami after today’s loss?

The Dolphins’ offense had been the best thing about them this season. However, when it mattered most, they failed to show up. Their offense fizzled out right from the start of the game and put up just 7 points. Before entering Arrowhead, Tua Tagovailoa led the league in passing yards. His average was 272, while in tonight’s game, he recorded just 199 yards. An interesting stat to note is that it seems he shuts down in cold temperatures. He is 1-7 currently in games with temperatures below 50 degrees.

But of course, McDaniel didn’t lay all the blame on his QB. Moreover, he outlined the takeaways from the game. He said that now everyone needs to pull up their socks and get better. “We need to learn and try to take another step.” The last time the Dolphins even successfully went beyond the WC round was in 2000.

As the team now enters the offseason, they have their plates full. They have questions that need answering. They’re already getting better every year. But can they lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the first time in nearly half a century?

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