Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel addressed his play call late in the team’s 34-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills, specifically a fourth down play in which they were called for delay of game.
Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson was trying to lead the team down the field with 4:13 remaining in the game to at least get a tie and force overtime against the Bills in the NBA wild card matchup. AFC. Thompson and the Dolphins had the ball at the 48-yard line when confusion seemed to increase.
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Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott, right, greets Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel after an NFL wild card playoff football game, Sunday, January 15, 2023. , in Orchard Park, New York.
(AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Miami running back Salvon Ahmed ran the ball over on third down without a win, though it appeared he was at least close to the first down marker. As the play clock began to tick down, Thompson and the team waited a long time for the play to come. Thompson would set the team up, but the play clock was running down and reached zero before the ball broke.
The Dolphins received a late game penalty, and Thompson’s next play was incomplete to Mike Gesicki. The Bills would take over and end the game on their next possession.
McDaniel’s decision-making was scrutinized on social media and he had the opportunity to address it at the postgame press conference.
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel looks at his score sheet during the first half of an NFL Wild Card playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, at Orchard Park. , NY.
(AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
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«There was some crowd noise that had to do with mishearing some digits on the wristband,» McDaniel said after the game. «There were some issues within the communication meeting and getting to the line of scrimmage and there was the excuse that you don’t use that you don’t use, but it’s a real compound variable because there were a multiple number of different people in the meeting when you’re in a good routine and you have maybe a bunch of offensive linemen that are being communicated by the same person, when you have a flow like that, it happens.It shouldn’t happen as much as it did.
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel speaks to reporters after an NFL Wild Card playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, January 15, 2023, in Orchard Park, New York.
(AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
«And then the last one in particular had to do with whether they were officials or coaches, there was some communication that we’d gotten the first down. So, we were deploying a group of players for the first-and-10 call and then it was articulated that we didn’t , which was the fourth opportunity. So that lack of communication, that’s all you do in this business, is that you never stop finding the things that you can improve on and it was a part of the reason why we couldn’t get out with a win, but it definitely wasn’t the only reason. There were a lot of people who can find various things they could do better, including me, and we’ll do that by pushing forward.»
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Miami went 4-for-16 on third down overall. The team had 231 total yards and averaged 3.3 yards per play.