For the Miami Dolphins, if there’s one thing that has become a weakness during the Mike Mcdaniel era, it is the team’s play in colder weather. That’s why before their Monday Night game in Pittsburgh, the team made a weirdly interesting decision to mitigate that problem.
The Dolphins find themselves somehow still in the playoff hunt, but needing a lot of help. A win in Pittsburgh would be a huge step, getting them back to .500 for the first time since Week 1. Still, the fact that it will be below freezing in Pittsburgh tonight does not bode well for the Dolphins’ chances of an upset.
So that is why the team, before one of their most important games of the season, made the choice to add an extra practice on Saturday…in Pittsburgh. In the cold. Under the lights of Acrisure Stadium.
Mike McDaniel’s Unorthodox Approach to a Familiar Problem
Interestingly, Saturday night in Pittsburgh was a rough one. The forecast called for a Winter Storm Warning that supposedly dropped 5-8 inches of snow in the area. That just made conditions even better for the Saturday practice.
“(Practicing in Pittsburgh on Saturday night) was something that was considered in the offseason. The odd part of the schedule is a Monday night on the road. It always feels like you’re so far removed from the last time you were on the football field. Doing it this way allows us to have our final full-speed practice about 48 hours from kickoff. It’ll be good, I think it’s an added bonus that we get to get ourselves into the environment, but realistically, that’s something we’ve been thinking about for a while to keep consistency about 48 hours from kickoff, having your last activity.” Mcdaniel said of the decision.
While he certainly believes it’s more about freshness for players rather than preparation for the cold, it’s still interesting to note the willingness to go out there in adverse conditions. While Monday’s forecast should be a little milder, it’s never a bad idea to be prepared for anything.
A Chance to Rewrite the Narrative
After all, when you look at the record for the Fins in cold weather games, especially in the Mcdaniel era, it is abysmal. Even with a win in 41 degree weather, Mcdaniel is still 1-7 in games player that are under 46 degrees at game time. Even worse, to top it all off, his primetime record is an appalling 4-12 since 2022. Furthermore, they’re 7-7 in the month of December and 12-22 on the road.
With this primetime game, Mcdaniel and Co. have an opportunity to shed those labels and exorcise the cold weather demons. A win against the Jets is one thing. Beating a playoff contender in the Steelers, even without TJ Watt playing, would be quite another. The game time temperature is set to be around the low 20s with wind gusts at times making it feel like 12 degrees. In a de facto playoff game for the Fins, they better hope that their somewhat wacky strategy pays off.
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