One of the standout leaders in the game was Tagovailoa, who firmly stood behind his coach’s decision.
“No. No,” Tagovailoa replied when asked if breaking a new record was tempting. “In the NFL, respect is crucial. We earned respect as we played, and that’s what matters to me. We didn’t aim to embarrass our opponents, but it may have seemed that way.”
For McDaniel, setting regular-season records doesn’t align with his goals. It simply isn’t his focus.
“I consider each decision carefully and recognize their significance,” McDaniel stated. “Chasing points and records wasn’t our intention for this game. It wouldn’t have affected the overall outcome of the season. In that situation, a kneel down is the standard choice. While setting a record would have been cool, it wouldn’t align with my beliefs to send the field goal team on for an extra three points. That’s not who I am.”
“I think it was the highest score since ’66 or something. That’s impressive. But a regular-season record won’t guarantee the same success we had last year. I’m not concerned about that regular-season record. It would’ve been nice, but it contradicts my values if we tried to squeeze in an extra field goal. That’s not my approach.”
Last season, Miami made it to the postseason with Tagovailoa sidelined due to a concussion, only to be eliminated by the Bills in the wild-card round. McDaniel hopes for some cosmic karma to favor them this time.
“I would expect the opposing team to feel the same way if the roles were reversed,” expressed the Dolphins’ second-year coach. “That’s called karma. Let’s keep the Miami Dolphins in good karma.”
The Broncos, who were shellacked on Sunday, had head coach Sean Payton and his winless team to blame.
Although Payton is in his first year with Denver, he has 16 years of head coaching experience and started coaching in the NFL back in 1997. Despite his extensive background, he was stunned by what took place.
“I’m speechless,” Payton admitted, via The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider. “In the NFL, you occasionally get beaten badly, but this was on another level.”
The game was different from the start, with Tagovailoa connecting with Tyreek Hill for a 54-yard touchdown just three plays into the game. Miami dominated from there, scoring touchdowns on five of their first six possessions.
While the Dolphins’ 70 points was the most eye-catching stat, the individual performances were equally outstanding:
- Tagovailoa completed 23 of 26 passes for 309 yards, four touchdowns, and a 155.8 rating
- White was 2 of 2 for 67 yards, a touchdown, and a perfect 158.3 rating
- Achane had 203 yards on 18 carries (11.3 yards per carry) and four total touchdowns in his second NFL game
- RB Raheem Mostert contributed three touchdowns, 82 yards on 13 carries, and a receiving touchdown
- Hill recorded nine receptions for 157 yards and a touchdown
As the dust settled from the Dolphins’ demolition of the Broncos, they had amassed a staggering 726 yards of offense, averaging an incredible 10.2 yards per play on 71 attempts. Along the way, Miami became the first team in NFL history to achieve 350-plus passing yards and 350-plus rushing yards in a single game, according to NFL Research.
“Seventy points is mind-blowing. It’s like something you’d see in a video game,” said Achane.
The Dolphins are now 3-0, blessed with good karma, possess the top offense in the NFL, and everything is sunny in South Beach.
