Coaching Revival After Streak for the Miami Dolphins

In the high-pressure world of NFL coaching, a losing streak can quickly erode confidence—both in the staff and the team. For the Miami Dolphins, a three-game skid in November 2025 threatened to derail their playoff hopes and cast doubt on head coach Mike McDaniel’s leadership. But what followed was a remarkable turnaround: a four-game win streak fueled by strategic adjustments, renewed team cohesion, and a willingness to adapt. Coaching Revival After Streak for the Miami Dolphins isn’t just about winning games; it’s about how McDaniel and his staff transformed adversity into opportunity, fixing the flaws that plagued the team during the slump and reestablishing the Dolphins as legitimate AFC contenders. This revival wasn’t accidental—it was the result of intentional, data-driven changes that addressed everything from offensive predictability to defensive lapses.

Coaching Revival After Streak for the Miami Dolphins began with a critical self-assessment by McDaniel and his coordinators following a humiliating 45-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. In a closed-door meeting the day after the game, McDaniel didn’t shy away from accountability, telling his staff, “We’re not putting our players in positions to succeed.” The coaching team spent the next 48 hours poring over film, identifying two key issues: the offense had become too pass-heavy (68% pass rate during the streak) and the defense was failing to generate pressure without blitzing. Offensive coordinator Frank Smith proposed a radical shift: leaning into the run game to take pressure off Tua Tagovailoa and open up play-action passes. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, meanwhile, adjusted the pass rush scheme to use more stunts and twists, reducing the need for blitzes and limiting big plays. “We stopped trying to be cute and started playing to our strengths,” Smith later told reporters. The first test of these changes came against the New York Jets, where the Dolphins ran the ball 35 times (a season high) and won 24-21—ending their losing streak and setting the stage for the revival.

Coaching Revival After Streak for the Miami Dolphins also involved a focus on player morale and communication. During the losing streak, players had begun to express frustration with the playcalling, with one veteran (speaking anonymously) telling ESPN, “We didn’t know what to expect on each drive.” McDaniel addressed this by holding a player-only meeting, followed by position-specific sessions where coaches asked for feedback. Running back Raheem Mostert, who had seen his carries drop from 18 per game to 10 during the streak, suggested more zone-running plays to exploit his speed. The coaching staff listened, adding three new zone concepts to the playbook that week. Tagovailoa, meanwhile, requested more pre-snap flexibility to change plays based on the defense—a request McDaniel granted, giving the quarterback more control at the line of scrimmage. “The coaches didn’t just talk—they listened,” Mostert said. “That made a huge difference in our confidence. We felt like we were part of the solution, not just the problem.” This shift in communication paid off: the Dolphins’ offense averaged 31 points per game during the win streak, up from 19 during the slump.

Coaching Revival After Streak for the Miami Dolphins included a defensive adjustment that turned the unit from a liability into a strength. Before the revival, the Dolphins ranked 23rd in the NFL in sacks (18) and 28th in opponent third-down conversion rate (48%). Fangio’s decision to simplify the defense—reducing the number of coverages and focusing on execution—paid immediate dividends. The Dolphins began using a “base nickel” package 70% of the time, allowing cornerbacks Xavien Howard and Kader Kohou to play more man-to-man coverage (their strength) and freeing up linebackers to rush the passer. The results were stark: during the win streak, the Dolphins recorded 12 sacks (including 4 from edge rusher Bradley Chubb) and held opponents to a 32% third-down conversion rate. “We stopped asking our players to do too much,” Fangio explained. “We focused on doing a few things really well, and it showed.” The Miami Dolphins’ defense, which had allowed 34 points per game during the losing streak, gave up just 20 per game during the revival—an improvement that proved critical in close wins over the Jets and Patriots.

Coaching Revival After Streak for the Miami Dolphins also highlighted McDaniel’s ability to adapt in-game—a skill that had been missing during the slump. In a key Week 15 game against the New England Patriots, the Dolphins trailed 14-7 at halftime. Instead of sticking to the pre-game plan, McDaniel adjusted, calling 12 play-action passes in the second half (up from 4 in the first) and using tight end Darren Waller (who had just returned from IR) as a decoy to free up Tyreek Hill. The changes worked: Tagovailoa threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, and the Dolphins won 27-24. “Mike didn’t let his ego get in the way,” said Patriots head coach Bill Belichick after the game. “He saw what wasn’t working and changed it—that’s the mark of a good coach.” McDaniel’s in-game adjustments became a hallmark of the revival, with the Dolphins outscoring opponents by 45 points in the second half during the win streak. The Miami Dolphins’ coaching staff also began using real-time data during games, with analysts feeding stats to McDaniel on the sidelines (e.g., “Patriots are 0-for-5 on third-and-long when we rush four”) to inform playcalls—a tweak that improved their third-down defense by 16 percentage points.

Coaching Revival After Streak for the Miami Dolphins wraps up with the team in a strong position to make the playoffs, thanks in large part to the coaching staff’s ability to adapt and lead. The revival hasn’t just fixed the Dolphins’ on-field issues—it has also reestablished trust between the coaches and players, a critical factor for any playoff run. McDaniel, for his part, remains humble, telling reporters, “This isn’t about me—it’s about our staff and our players working together. We made mistakes, we learned from them, and we got better.” As the Dolphins prepare to face the Ravens and Bills in their final two games, the coaching revival serves as a reminder of the NFL’s unpredictability: a team can go from the brink of elimination to a playoff contender in a matter of weeks with the right leadership. In the end, Coaching Revival After Streak for the Miami Dolphins is a story of resilience—both from the coaches who refused to quit and the players who responded to their adjustments. For the Dolphins, this revival isn’t just a temporary fix; it’s a blueprint for sustained success in the playoffs and beyond.