In their first game since the Miami Dolphins and Chris Grier parted ways, the team had one of their best performances of the season. Fans were quick to point out that it only took losing Grier to make that happen. The team celebrated a win no one believed they could accomplish.
Fans continued making the joke throughout the hours and days after the game, but there might be something to this that no one seems to be pointing out, and it could be the reason Miami won the game, but not for the reasons fans are discussing.
For 10 weeks, the Dolphins players have listened to questions about leadership, accountability, and, more importantly, their head coach's future.
For the first time in Week 10, Dolphins players could concentrate only on football
No single player or Mike McDaniel will say that the outside was seeping into the locker room, but it's impossible to ignore. The media questions continued without end regarding McDaniel's future. It's pressure no player wants to deal with, especially if you like the head coach in question.
When Grier and the Dolphins dissolved their relationship, the questions surrounding McDaniel's future also left the building. It became clear the head coach would, at the very least, ride out the season. It also served as a wake-up call, reminding us that anything could change.
Miami has only played one game since Grier left, but it was crystal clear they were playing much looser, less worried about individual plays, and more concentrated on a three-phase team effort. To put it better, they looked relaxed for the first time this year.
The Dolphins didn't just magically start playing well because Grier was no longer with the team, but the indirect support shown by Stephen Ross regarding McDaniel eliminated some of the outside drama that was infiltrating the team.
It's hard to say whether the forces from the outside were having an impact on the team's play, but to some degree, they had to play a small part in it. If players were worried about playing poorly and being fired by the coach, perhaps they tried a little too hard. Perhaps they got away from their roles within the system, or maybe they, too, didn't see the point.
Buffalo was one game, but it's the kind of game that can turn a locker room into believers. On Sunday, the Dolphins played their most complete game in all three phases. They need to do that week in and out, but the blueprint for success is in place, and now they know they can achieve it, regardless of the reasons why.