The Miami Dolphins were just three points away from breaking the NFL record for most points in a single game, but the team opted not to kick a field late in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos.
The Dolphins, who won 70-20, finished two points shy of the all-time single-game record of 72 points.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel shared why the team made the decision to not go for the record, sharing that it wasn’t something he’d normally do in that situation.
Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel on not kicking a field goal for NFL record-73 points.
“It felt like chasing points, chasing a record is not what we came here to do… 10 times out of 10 you concede and kneel down.”
McDaniel later said that’s karma and we want good karma for Dolphins. pic.twitter.com/GCqXwmAoar
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) September 24, 2023
“The message I thought it would send wasn’t really in line with how I view things,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel clearly took the classy approach, as he didn’t want to embarrass Denver any further than the team already was. He also made a point that the team could get a regular season record and still finish the season the same way it did last season.
It seems like he has bigger goals in mind for the now 3-0 Dolphins.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also talked about having respect for the opponent when it came to chasing the scoring record.
Tua on not going for NFL points record: "It's about respect in the NFL. … We're not trying to go out there and humiliate teams."
— Dolphin Nation (@Dolphin_Nation) September 24, 2023
Tagovailoa had a huge day before he was eventually lifted for backup quarterback Mike White (who also threw a touchdown on Sunday). Tagovailoa finished the game with 23 completions on 26 pass attempts, 309 passing yards and four touchdown passes.
Running backs De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert were two of the biggest beneficiaries of the Dolphins’ scoring outburst, as they both found the end zone four times.
Achane had two receiving and two rushing scores in the game. The rookie running back carried the ball 18 times for 203 yards, a breakout performance at this stage in his career.
The veteran Mostert ran for three scores and had an additional one receiving, finishing the day with 82 rushing yards and 60 receiving yards.
Miami’s offense has been on fire through the first three weeks of the season, scoring 36, 24 and 70 points in its first three games.
The Dolphins are still atop the AFC East standings after Sunday’s win, and it’s clear that McDaniel has big expectations for this team beyond the regular season.
Miami will look to continue its offensive dominance in Week 4 of the 2023 season against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Oct. 1.
