Mike McDaniel is not showing enough improvement in these areas

Not sure if Mike McDaniel can even do this but he needs to be more flexible in his approach in big moments.

We are who we are. It's hard to change who we are but let's not act like it can't be done. People make wholesale changes in their lives or learn completely new skills all the time. Mike McDaniel needs to learn how to change his philosophy in the biggest moments.

I'm talking about the interception at the end of the first half that led to a dagger of a TD. Miami just made a nice play and I, stupidly, figured they would just naturally take the clock down to the two-minute warning.

I should have realized that McDaniel wouldn't be able to help himself and would rush the offense into another play. Tua stares down Cedrick Wilson and Roquan Smith makes as casual of an INT you'll ever see.

Why did this have to happen? Why not just do what everyone else on Earth would do and just let the clock get to two minutes? Why are you doing everything you can to give the ball back to the Ravens with time on the clock?

The reason is in my opinion that McDaniel likes to zig when everyone wants to zag. I actually think he loves that.

Mike McDaniel's confidence is wonderful. It has led to 11 wins and winning isn't easy. But in these big moments where decisions against the best teams in close games playing it straight and traditional is often the way to go. This is where confidence morphs into hubris and that is not going to get it done in the NFL in big games.

He can simply not do stuff like this but it might be too much in his nature to change it. Because of his overall nature which has a ton of good to it. That's why unless a playoff game is won Mike McDaniel will be on the hot seat next year. You simply can't have this roster, even with all the injuries some you're responsible for and be out in the first round without some consequences.

I believe that Mike McDaniel is an excellent person. I think he has a good soul to him and genuinely wants to help everybody be the best they can be. I think the players respond to him positively. All this is great but if it doesn't translate to wins in the biggest of games and puts this team to the ultimate goal of Lombardi or even a deep playoff run it doesn't much matter. This is a results business and expectations have changed for this team based on resources pumped into it.

I don't know if the Dolphins win any more games but I do know that Mike McDaniel can change these three things if he wants to. It's up to him.

Follow me @2ndSatSports