ClutchPoints
The Miami Dolphins finally punched back at the Buffalo Bills, and Mike McDaniel used the postgame podium to swat away a different opponent, rumor season. Asked about reports that the Dolphins fielded multiple offers for De’Von Achane and Jaylen Waddle, the head coach called the chatter “frustrating,” noting that calls happen any time a team struggles, but he never viewed those two as anything but Dolphins.
On the field, Miami delivered its cleanest statement in months with a 30–13 win over Buffalo. Tua Tagovailoa threw two touchdowns, including a 38-yarder to Waddle, while Achane closed the door with a late burst on the ground. The Dolphins led 16–0 at halftime and held firm as the defense forced turnovers and squeezed the Bills at key moments via the ESPN Box Score.
This was the kind of result that reframes a news cycle. Waddle looked spry and decisive, working the intermediate windows, punctuating his day with that second-quarter shot. Achane provided the knockout runs that turned a tense finish into a comfortable one. And Tagovailoa, who had beaten Buffalo just once before Sunday, managed the game, took the layups, and trusted the run game to flip the script Miami has lived for most of the rivalry.
The defense did its part, too. Miami harassed Josh Allen, came up with takeaways in the red zone, and made the explosive plays feel expensive. That complementary rhythm mattered as much as any number on the sheet, and it tracks with the week-to-week tweak McDaniel referenced recently, leaning into what fits this roster now rather than forcing what worked a year ago.
As for the rumor mill, McDaniel’s stance was plain. Interest from other teams is normal; turning that into “they’re shopping stars” is not. He sounded more annoyed by the noise, and Sunday’s result gave him the perfect punctuation. Miami needed a win. Achane and Waddle needed no defending beyond their play.
The post Why Jaylen Waddle, De’Von Achane trade rumors ‘frustrated’ Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel appeared first on ClutchPoints.
