How the Dolphins Are Trying to Avoid Falling Into a Trap Game

The Miami Dolphins are hosting the New Orleans Saints this weekend, and the Dolphins couldn’t be better set up for a win.

They’re at home, coming off a bye, getting healthier on both sides of the ball, and are the better team on paper. Miami has even played better recently, entering on a two-game winning streak, while the Saints have two wins all season.

However, the phrase “any given week” is a cliché for a reason. Upsets happen every week in the NFL, and many of them are trap games, like the one the Dolphins have on Sunday against a struggling team.

The Dolphins are hoping their own experience as an overlooked team can help them not do the same to the Saints.

After all, it certainly felt like the division-leading Buffalo Bills overlooked the Dolphins a few weeks ago, allowing Miami to snap an eight-game losing streak to its rival.

Dolphins’ Mentality to Avoid Trap Game

“This particular team, I’m very focused on that – my eyes are wide open to see at the drop of a hat if anyone is taking anything lightly,” coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday. “What I’ve witnessed thus far in our work week, we’ve benefitted from being on the other side of that recently, meaning it’s probably what the last four teams that have had to play us have been battling.

“You’re talking about a record, and what does that mean? ‘Jack S.’ for this Sunday, you have two teams playing a football game, and if one team decides to give the ball to the other team two, three times, the other team is probably going to win.”

Miami has fallen victim to trap games under McDaniel before. Perhaps the most famous was the team’s collapse at home on Monday Night Football against the Tennessee Titans in 2023.

The Dolphins came into that game at 9-3, while the Titans were 4-8, including a 1-6 mark on the road. Just as this week, the Dolphins had a winning streak going into that game, and their opponent started a second-round rookie quarterback.

The Titans had Will Levis, and the Saints will start Tyler Shough on Sunday.

At 4-7, the Dolphins are not the traditional model for a team susceptible to a trap game. Those teams usually have winning records. That said, Miami could get caught looking ahead this weekend.

The team knows it likely needs to win out to have a shot at the playoffs, and there are tougher tests ahead against teams like the Steelers, Buccaneers, and Patriots.

“I think our main focus is collectively focusing all of our energy on our football,” quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said Wednesday. “What does that look like? For every position that’s different, but I think that’s what our formula has been these past couple of weeks, and that’s what we’re trying to accomplish.”

The Dolphins don’t, and shouldn’t, care about style points, but it’s interesting to look at the Washington Commanders game, too. Miami escaped with an overtime victory in Madrid, but it definitely played down to its opponent throughout that game.

You could argue Washington is better than New Orleans, but really, those teams and Miami are all occupying the same tier based on their record.

On Sunday, the Dolphins can prove they belong in a different tier and avoid falling victim to the same thing that’s helped them climb back into the race in the first place.

“The NFL will teach you the hardest lessons that will have you lose sleep at night if you make the mistake of taking anybody lightly,” McDaniel said. “Whether people have taken our team lightly, not really important debate to me; however, I think it makes our team a little more aware of the negative effects of thinking that your nameplate or your team logo earns a win because it does not.”

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