State of the Dolphins: Can Mike McDaniel rally the troops? - ESPN

MIAMI GARDENS — Standing at a lectern inside Cleveland's Huntington Bank Field, a normally loquacious Mike McDaniel did not mince words.

A 31-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns will do that to a head coach.

The Miami Dolphins looked listless in rainy conditions in Week 7. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw three interceptions before he was pulled in the fourth quarter. Social media activity swirled around the possibility of McDaniel coaching his final game.

McDaniel then promised changes.

«We'll watch the tape and change our style of play if we have to. Everything is on the table, when you go to a game you fully know you have the capability to win and get handed a very, very humbling loss,» the Dolphins coach said. «There's no if, and, or buts about it, guys need to be professionals and step up to the plate, and every person on our team, if you're saying, 'It's not me,' it's you. I told the team, that's what I have to subscribe to and we will be diligent in our cleanup of this game and the opponent for next week.

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»We say we want to win games, so we have to do the things necessary to win games. Until that happens, we will lose games."

That loss marked Miami's third in a row to drop its record to 1-6 — its worst start in McDaniel's four seasons in charge. Three of those losses were one-score games in which the Dolphins were in position to win.

But Dolphins players say they haven't quit on the season, or their coach. As they prepare to host a two-win Ravens team Thursday, (8:20 p.m. ET, Prime Video)