The Miami Dolphins have done it again with the tale of two seasons. After starting the season 1-6, the Dolphins have won four in a row, and five of six to sit at 6-7 with four games to go, and their playoff hopes are still technically alive. This has become a bit of a trend from Miami, but the Dolphins have fallen short in past attempts to reach the postseason after digging themselves massive holes.
Monday night's game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh represents the kind that has kept Miami out of the playoffs in the past. A win on prime time, though, could change that narrative on its head -- and potentially be the key to Mike McDaniel staying in South Florida.
Dolphins must win against playoff team on the road to keep postseason hopes alive and change narrative
In 2021, the Dolphins famously became the first team to win seven games in a row after losing seven straight. Likewise, last year, Miami got off to a rough 2-6 start, but then won four of the next five games. On both occasions, the Dolphins showed their adversity and will to not give up, even though it would have been very easy to do so. However, neither of those teams reached the postseason, and it's because Miami failed to win on the road against would-be playoff teams.
Monday night against Pittsburgh represents that exact scenario. Not only does Miami need a win to keep its miracle playoff hopes alive, but McDaniel and company need to prove that they belong among the AFC's elite.
It would be one thing if the Dolphins had just lost when having to go on the road in cold conditions against good teams late in the year. But games of this magnitude have been outright embarrassments in recent memory.
After winning seven straight games on that magical 2021-22 team, Miami had to go on the road to Tennessee to try and take down the Titans -- the No. 1 team in the AFC. A tough environment indeed, but the Dolphins never even had a chance, losing 34-3 and were eliminated from playoff contention.
Last year, Miami went on the road to take on the Houston Texans in mid-December. While the game was much closer than the one in Tennessee, the Dolphins shot themselves in the foot time and again and fell short thanks to four total Tua Tagovailoa turnovers.
One thing those Dolphins teams had in common was that they both beat up on relatively bad teams, with one somewhat surprising win to go on their respective streaks before losing those key games. And this year's team is in a similar situation, having won three straight games against subpar teams after convincingly beating the Buffalo Bills to kick things off.
Now Miami has its true test -- the Steelers on Monday Night Football.
The 7-6 Steelers may not be the current favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, but they are the AFC North frontrunners and are a tough task for a Dolphins team trying to stay alive. Pittsburgh is coming off a key victory against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on the road and is carrying a ton of momentum heading into Week 15. The Steelers will look to build off that with two tough road games upcoming after Monday night.
In truth, we can only speculate what McDaniel's status is for 2026 as the Dolphins' head coach. Owner Stephen Ross may have already made his decision, and what happens Monday night or the rest of the season doesn't matter. But it's also possible that the Steelers game means everything for McDaniel.
McDaniel wasn't here for the meltdown in Tennessee, but he was the head man in Miami's poor performance last year in Houston. He was also here the year before when the Dolphins had an opportunity at the driver's seat of the No. 1 seed with a win in Baltimore, only to lose in embarrassing fashion and for Miami to lose the rest of the way.
McDaniel's been in this situation on a few occasions. And time and again, his team has been incapable of winning the big one. Ross may like McDaniel personally, but if he falls short again -- or if Miami doesn't look prepared at all -- then the longtime Dolphins owner must see the writing on the wall, and this needs to be McDaniel's final season in South Florida.
Chances are, with a win on Monday night (and even if Miami wins out), the Dolphins will be on the outside of the postseason. Nevertheless, they can only control the games in front of them, and it would be a great accomplishment if they were to finish the season at 10-7, regardless of other outcomes. Yet, it will be all for not if they can't win in Pittsburgh, and a sign that things haven't improved at all.