Rex Ryan puts Mike McDaniel on blast for failing Dolphins - “Guy froze in the biggest moment”
Mike McDaniel, the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, made some questionable decisions in the Wild Card game against the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins played third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson, and McDaniel didn't make the game any easier for him.
He put him in a difficult situation on third and took a lot of time calling plays during the fourth quarter. McDaniel's playoff debut as head coach had it all. The Dolphins were late to snap the ball on 4th & 1, and that might have lost them the game.
#Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel rippin a fat hit on the sideline😱
Head coaches now vape on the sideline, pretty crazy🤯
https://t.co/ardz7Nagtf
Many criticized Mike McDaniel's decisions during the game, and he was criticized after as well. Rex Ryan believes the Miami Dolphins HC folded under pressure. Here's what he said on Get Up:
"This dude froze. We can say, well, we want he froze. And I've seen it happen before with coaches. And guess what? It wasn't like it happen once it happened, what? Three - four times? In the fourth quarter. To me, I don't want to hear it."
He added:
"You can get the playoff. You got to anticipate. As play caller you anticipate. And so now you got this. As soon as that thing happens, yeah, it's easy to shut off saying well, it's first down. No, you got to be thinking if it's short, I'm going to this."
Ryan continued:
"If it's not, I'm going to this. You've already thought about it. The next play. This is chess, you're playing in the National Football League. It's chess. It ain't about Okay. It says this. That's not how you call plays. And so to me, I think the guy just kind of froze in the biggest moment."
The Miami Dolphins ended up losing the game 34-31 and this will sting them for a while. Had Tua Tagovailoa not gotten hurt during the season, the story could have been very different for both the Dolphins and their head coach Mike McDaniel.
Mike McDaniel did a good job in his first season as Dolphins HC
Although the Buffalo Bills had the final laugh, Mike McDaniel did quite well in his first season as a head coach in the NFL. Despite playing with a third-string quarterback, the Dolphins came very close to defeating the Bills.
The amount of criticism being levied at Mike McDaniel right now, whose team was 14 point dogs, on its 3rd string QB, and started the game down 17-0, is simply astounding to me.
Tua Tagovailoa is expected to return as the Dolphins' starting quarterback next season. If he manages to stay healthy, this team has a very high ceiling. Tagovailoa threw for 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 13 games this season.