MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Mike McDaniel’s Miami Dolphins visit DeMeco Ryans’ Houston Texans Sunday in a game rife with playoff intrigue.
Who has the edge? Based on McDaniel’s history against his former colleagues, there are reasons for concern if you’re a Dolphins supporter. McDaniel’s offense historically has not performed as well against fellow branches of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree as it has against the rest of the league.
Miami Dolphins vs. Houston Texans Preview
McDaniel and Ryans’ relationship dates back to 2006, when the former was a first-year assistant for the Houston Texans and Ryans was the team’s second-round draft pick.
Since they were basically the same age, McDaniel and Ryans formed a bond that continues to this day.
“He’s one of the best coaches I have been around and one of my favorite people,” McDaniel said of Ryans in 2023.
Both in Houston and years later in San Francisco, where McDaniel and Ryans were assistants under Shanahan, there were many long talks about life and football, some stretching late into the night.
They both revealed much about themselves during those talks — information that, in an ironic twist, could be used against each other this weekend.
“I think philosophically, the tape makes more sense when you’re watching the opposing team, just because we kind of know the starting point and the philosophical beliefs,” McDaniel said. “At the same time, so much of what DeMeco coaches, it doesn’t matter that I know.”
Perhaps. But there’s also reason to believe that mutual familiarity has worked against McDaniel since he took over in 2022.
Does DeMeco Ryans Have Mike McDaniel Figured Out?
It’s hard to keep track of the extended (Mike) Shanahan family in the NFL. Technically, it includes Zac Taylor (Bengals) and Kevin Sefanski (Browns).
But for the purposes of this exercise, we’re only including current and former head coaches who worked directly with McDaniel (and the younger Shanhanan) in the past: Kyle Shanahan, Robert Saleh, Matt LaFleur, and Sean McVay.
Against those coaches, his offense has not met its standard.
The Dolphins have played 47 regular-season games in McDaniel’s three seasons as Dolphins.
Their averages in those games: 24.6 points per game, 6 yards per play, 39.1% conversion rate third downs, 61.7% conversion rate in the red zone, and a .553 winning percentage.
In their eight games against those McDaniel peers: 22, 5.5, 38.5%, 47.8%, and .500.
Is that causation or correlation? Do those closest to McDaniel have the blueprint to shutting down his offense?
We’ll find out in the next two weeks, when the Dolphins face Ryans’ Texans and Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers.