Mike McDaniel’s Surprising Conservative Call in Dolphins’ 16-0 Victory
Mike McDaniel has built a reputation as a daring strategist in the NFL, often opting for aggressive play-calling that keeps fans on the edge of their seats. However, during the Miami Dolphins’ commanding 16-0 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 13, McDaniel took a decidedly conservative approach that caught many off guard.
A Shift in Strategy at Halftime
As the first half drew to a close, the Dolphins found themselves in an advantageous position following a pivotal interception by Rasul Douglas, who returned the ball 38 yards, placing Miami at the New Orleans 42-yard line with just over a minute remaining. Instead of pushing for a touchdown, McDaniel opted for a 48-yard field goal attempt.
De’Von Achane managed a 9-yard gain on the first play, leading the Dolphins to call their final timeout with 1:01 left on the clock. However, the following plays were less productive. Achane lost 2 yards on second down, and Tua Tagovailoa completed a short 6-yard pass to Malik Washington, moving the Dolphins to the New Orleans 29. With only 23 seconds left, Miami allowed the clock to dwindle before spiking the ball with just 2 seconds remaining, setting the stage for Riley Patterson’s successful field goal.
Mixed Reactions from Fans
The decision was met with a chorus of boos from the crowd at Hard Rock Stadium as Miami settled for the three points. When asked about his conservative call during a press conference, McDaniel provided insight into his decision-making process.
“A lot of you have noticed a lot of teams defer the decision so that they could get the ball after the half,” McDaniel explained. “Well, that’s under the pretense that you end the half with the ball or points because you keep a team from a possession.” He noted that while they started with the ball, the objective remained the same: to end the half with points or possession to deny the opponent a chance to score.
Evaluating the Risk
McDaniel further elaborated on his thought process regarding the field goal attempt. “The decision was a lot easier for me when the ball was on the 30-yard line because of Riley’s pregame,” he said, referring to kicker Riley Patterson’s warm-up. He acknowledged the high-risk nature of trying to gain additional yards with no timeouts left.
“In my opinion, I thought another snap was an unnecessary risk,” McDaniel stated. “We’re on the 30-yard line with no timeouts and high risk with a little reward. That’s what I thought.”
A Contrast to Past Boldness
While McDaniel’s decision to take the points instead of pushing for a touchdown worked out in this instance, it raised eyebrows given his more aggressive tendencies in previous games. For instance, he had previously opted to go for it on fourth down instead of kicking a field goal in similar late-game situations.
The clock situation certainly allowed for a few more plays, especially with 1:01 remaining after Achane’s run. Given Tagovailoa’s earlier struggles—he was 6-for-13 for 87 yards prior to that drive—some analysts believed McDaniel could have taken a few more chances, potentially setting up for a more decisive score.
In the end, the conservative approach did not hinder the Dolphins’ success against the Saints, but it did leave fans and analysts questioning whether this was a one-time deviation from McDaniel’s usual play style or a sign of evolving strategy as the season progresses.
