Why Didn't Mike McDaniel Go For the NFL Record?

Dolphins were on the doorstep of setting an NFL record for points scored, but passed on kicking a 45-yard field goal

The crowd inside Hard Rock Stadium was showering the Miami Dolphins with boos in the final minutes of the fourth quarter of Sunday's 70-20 blowout win over the Denver Broncos.

The offense was in scoring territory, sitting at Denver’s 28-yard line with 2:23 left in the game, in position to tie a 63-year-old NFL record for most points scored in a game, but the Dolphins ran the ball up the gut of the Broncos defense three straight times for minus-3 yards.

Then head coach Mike McDaniel had quarterback Mike White take a knee on fourth-and-14 instead of kicking a 45-yard field goal to make history in an attempt to score 73 points.

When the crowd noticed Jason Sanders and the field goal unit wasn’t coming onto the field, they expressed their displeasure so much that Pro Bowl receiver Tyreek Hill turned to the crowd and yelled, “What more do you want?”

The fans wanted the record, to make history. And so did many of Hill's teammates. But McDaniel preferred sportsmanship.

McDaniel believes in karma

“Chasing points, and chasing a record is not what we came to do,” McDaniel said, alluding to the Dolphins’ goal of playing deep into the postseason.

Miami’s 726 total offensive yards were second all time, to the 735 by the Los Angeles Rams in a game in 1951.

The Dolphins set or tied 13 team or individual records in the victory against Denver. But McDaniel passed on tying the Chicago Bears, who set a record for 73 points scored in an NFL championship game played in 1940. 

“It’s not really what I’m about,” McDaniel said when asked why he didn’t attempt the 45-yard field goal. “I will be fine getting second-guessed by turning down an NFL record. I’m very OK with the decision. The leaders of the team supported it. The captains supported it. That’s not the way you wanna get the record.

“That’s called karma and I wanna keep good karma with the Miami Dolphins.”

McDaniel seemingly is working on the Dolphins franchise juju, cleansing this franchise’s bad karma, which has led to two decades of disappointment, if not misery.

Not kicking the field goal was the classy thing to do, but it means Miami would have to settle for setting only 13 franchise records in Sunday’s win.

“We were right there at the end and I was hoping that we kicked it, but unfortunately we didn’t,” said tailback Raheem Mostert, who was one of two players (rookie tailback De'Von Achane was the other) to score four touchdowns Sunday. “I think that it was very professional.”

Even without the NFL record, the performance Miami put together Sunday against the Broncos should gain the attention of the football universe, which anxiously awaits Sunday's AFC East showdown with the Buffalo Bills.

“This is going to put a lot of teams on notice,” Mostert said. “We’re nothing to play with.”

“I think we ain’t done yet”

— Raheem Mostert (@RMos_8Ball) September 24, 2023

Payton embarrassed by Broncos effort

The Broncos learned that the hard way, getting dominated in all phases of the game but special teams, which allowed the Broncos to score on a 99-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter.

“Obviously, that was embarrassing and tough to watch,” head coach Sean Payton said in his postgame chat with the media, which became quite prickly.

Question from a media member: I know you said it's embarrassing, but this is kind of a historic game.

PAYTON: “I'm aware.”

Question: Third time a team has scored 70 points and produced over 700 yards

PAYTON: “What's the question? What's the question?”

Question. How do you feel about it being historically embarrassing?

“I just finished telling you,” Payton replied. “Next question.”

The biggest question South Florida should have is whether Sunday’s performance was a fluke, or a sign of things to come?

The upcoming game road game against the Bills, the reigning three-time AFC East division champions, will provide some clues.

So did Sunday’s chat at the coaches handshake after the game?

“I told [McDaniel] he's got a good team and wished him well,” Payton recalled. “Those guys have a good team.”