Dolphins are left with obvious Mike McDaniel decision after loss to Packers

Stephen Ross won't like to hear the truth, but he needs to make a change after the 2024 season. Injuries didn't derail the Miami Dolphins' playoff hopes. It's a harsh reality to admit it, but Ross made a mistake.

The sky didn't suddenly fall after the Dolphins lost to the Packers on Thanksgiving night. No, the sky had fallen quite a while before they entered that week. This isn't about not making the playoffs this year, and it isn't some random "knee-jerk" reaction to being beaten ugly yet again. This is about reality.

Statistics don't lie, and while some NFL teams can point to a quarterback rating, a rushing yards ranking, or a top defensive unit playing the best in the NFL, one statistic above all else matters the most: the win/loss column.

To be clear, this year could have just as easily gone a different way had Tua slid instead of diving at Damar Hamlin early in the season. Maybe the Dolphins beat the Colts, Titans, and Seahawks and hold their own in the AFC playoff race. That, however, still doesn't change this statistic.

In the Dolphins' past 16 games against teams with winning records, they are 1-15.

This is quite unacceptable and the real reason the Dolphins can't win in the playoffs or win the division. They have to be better than what they are. Miami is that bully who preys on the weak until someone bigger comes along and puts them in their place. It only adds to the narrative that they are "soft."

How sad is this? The Dolphins put up 70 points against a Broncos team that was one of the worst in the NFL last year. This year, the Dolphins are praying the Broncos will lose a few games so they can sneak into the playoffs.

At what point does Stephen Ross realize the Dolphins need significant change?

Firing Mike McDaniel may not make a lot of sense. This team is built for his offensive system and will be for at least another year. Firing Chris Grier makes a lot of sense. A new GM would have a full season to evaluate the head coach and quarterback.

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Ross has to do something because this isn't about making the playoffs anymore, it's about how this team is built, how they are playing, and why they can't beat teams with winning records. All those other narratives about cold weather, Tua Tagovailoa's arm strength, the lack of an offensive line, and more, can all be attributed to not beating good football teams. And that comes down to Grier's blinding belief that this team is good enough.

If Ross believes this Dolphins' roster is good enough to win, he needs to fire McDaniel because this team is not prepared to win every Sunday. They simply are not a physical football team. If Ross believes the roster is not where it should be, he needs to fire the guy who built it.

The Dolphins are not good enough, no matter what McDaniel, Ross, and Grier say publicly. They are not a missing piece or a player away from being great, and injuries are not an excuse. Great teams beat everyone. Good teams beat the teams they should and will compete against better teams, winning some of those games. The Dolphins can't beat anyone good, so what does that really make them? A winner on paper with a fast roster?

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