For the second consecutive week, I couldn’t be happier for the Miami Dolphins’ players.
Those guys earned Sunday’s gritty, hard-fought 16-13 overtime victory against the Washington Commanders in Madrid, one week after earning an unlikely 30-13 win over the Buffalo Bills, through sweat, commitment and belief.
I’ve always pointed out that this Dolphins team has an unbreakable fighting spirit. I admire that quality. These guys won’t quit, they won’t tank, and they won’t give up. All of that, and more, was on display Sunday.
I’m not certain that this team can win, say, four or five of its last six games this season and finish 8-9, or, even better, 9-8. It’s doubtful.
But they’ll fight hard in every game. I’m sure of that.
Linebacker Jordyn Brooks, a true leader whether discussing his faith or displaying his tenacity with a game-best 20 tackles against Washington, sets an aggressive tone. So does 5-foot-10, 191-pound running back De’Von Achane, who had 165 yards from scrimmage Sunday. And so does center Aaron Brewer, who told us after being signed in March 2024 that he’s “head-hunting” on the football field.
And fullback Alec Ingold, who played with a broken thumb in 2023, defensive tackle Zach Sieler, a self-made man who deserved his contract extension despite having a disappointing season so far, and a host of other veterans. Those lessons get passed down to youngsters such as rookie safety Dante Trader Jr.
Lively newcomers such as cornerback Jack Jones, who humorously has a hard time expressing himself without a four-letter ‘s’ word or ‘f’ word, add freshness to the locker room. So does equally personable cornerback Rasul Douglas, interesting defensive tackle Benito Jones and charitable tight end Julian Hill.
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Congratulations to every player on that 53-man roster and the 16-player practice squad for digging out that win over the Commanders. It’s a fun group, and a good locker room.
Yes, I’m extolling this never-say-die virtue of a Dolphins team that has a 4-7 season record, a team that might be fortunate to be doing that well in the standings.
They got that win against Washington (3-8) by overcoming a bizarre decision by coach Mike McDaniel to forgo a game-winning field goal from the Commanders’ 1-yard line with 1:44 remaining to go for a game-winning touchdown. The decision failed. Running back Ollie Gordon II was stuffed for a two-yard loss on his fourth-down run.
But fortunately for McDaniel his players bailed him out by fighting hard to get the win. Jones had what turned out to be the game-winning interception in overtime before kicker Riley Patterson hit a 29-yard field goal to secure the victory.
It made me happy for the players.
Football-wise you know I’m not a big fan of this organization and how they handle their business. I think they have rewarded mediocrity and set the bar for achievement way too low.
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However, I’ve always applauded the players that McDaniel and former general manager Chris Grier gathered in the past three-plus seasons.
The players are professionals. They’re prideful. They’re dedicated.
This team is only mediocre talent-wise. The front seven has been a disappointment, the run game has been inconsistent, the offensive line has struggled, and the pass game is only a low-level threat.
Still, this team won’t ever quit.
Grier and McDaniel got this part of the team right.
Personally, I root for these players despite the way this organization has done things.
Professionally, I don’t root for either the players or the organization. I remain neutral and objective. I’ve told you many times that I’m not a Dolphins fan. I’m not a fan of any NFL team. I consider that to be a conflict of interest.
But on a human level, you’ve got to like this plucky team.
And now things are coming around. This team might be ready to turn a corner.
They’ve won three of their past four games, they’ve won back-to-back games for the first time this season, and after they catch their breath on this coming bye week, they’ll have a pair of winnable games against two bad teams — New Orleans and the New York Jets. They could be 6-7 heading into their final four games.
The Dolphins have a good collection of players. Realistically, I don’t expect them to make the playoffs, or even have a winning record. But I know they won’t quit while trying to attain either accomplishment.
