Technically, the Miami Dolphins didn’t lead a second of their 20-17 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Their first lead of the day came with zeroes on the clock in the fourth quarter, giving the team a win despite a lackluster performance for much of the day.
A sluggish Dolphins offense took some time to get out of neutral, and Miami’s defense allowed the Jaguars to jump out to a 14-0 lead before buckling down.
Yet, Mike McDaniel couldn’t be happier about it.
“Nothing against our two previous teams, but that game we don’t win the last two years,” McDaniel told reporters after the game. “And that’s because of the growth of the people that have been here for those two years, as well as the added influence from the new guys on our team.”
McDaniel gushed even more about the grittiness of the win in his locker room speech to players.
It's who we are 👊
Step inside the locker room after our Week 1 win 🔊 pic.twitter.com/2R9PFUUQwg
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) September 8, 2024
“I couldn’t have scripted a more perfect game for this team for game one,” McDaniel told the players. “What better example of how we do things here and how you win games as a team than today?
“This is the exact game that good football teams win. These are the separating factors. It’s frustrating as all hell and when you’re not living up to your own standard, it can crumble lesser people. So I commend everybody for this grown ass man win.”
In 2023, Miami struggled to win games against good teams, and rarely navigated adversity well. The Dolphins finished 1-6 against teams that reached the playoffs, and lost six out of the seven times they were held under 21 points.
It’s still too early to tell if the Jaguars are a contender, and it’d be premature to assume the first half hiccups for the Dolphins aren’t indicative of a larger issue. But on a rocky day, Miami found a way to win. That’s a good sign for the team.
