CBS 4's Steve Goldstein: Dolphins down to the business time of the season
MIAMI -- Three losses in a row have put the Dolphins in must-win mode. But it doesn't feel like the team is in big trouble after Saturday's great game and effort in Buffalo.
It was a loss sure, but felt it different than the previous two. The Dolphins can, and likely will, win most of all of the remaining games if they play the way they did in Buffalo. They need to beat the Patriots and Jets to clinch a playoff spot. If they beat Green Bay and split the last two games the odds heavily favor a post-season spot.
Frosty Night
Tua Tagovailoa put to rest the cold weather game topic. He didn't win but played an excellent game and proved he's more than capable in big games, on the road, in cold and snow. Case closed.
Secondary Battling
The injuries have severely hampered the defensive backfield. The Dolphins have gotten great efforts from numerous depth players but the loss of basically three starters hurt. There's no way around that. Noah Igbinoghene and Kader Kohou did all they could Saturday night but in the end, the Bills were able to drive for the game winning field goal.
Turn up the Passion
Mike McDaniel had an interesting post-game comment about the desire to win. He noted that he saw frustration from his team and that it affected ensuing plays. That led to a telling quote from the coach, "You have to get used to really wanting to win." The Dolphins have taken some major steps forward and the next step in the process is developing an attitude of losing is unacceptable. The team is still learning to play full 60 minute games and not let bad plays linger.