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The Force is strong in Mike McDaniel. At least he’s hoping that’s the case.
The Miami head coach is planning to use some Jedi Mind Tricks in his preparations for an upcoming matchup versus the Bills. Unfortunately, most fans don’t believe it will work.
McDaniel will take his warm-weather Dolphins to snowy New York, where temperatures are expected to be below freezing. Even Bills players are struggling with the cold. Look no further than Shaq Lawson’s ‘jacket-under-jersey’ get up for practice on Wednesday.
Most teams keep a keen eye on the weather conditions ahead of upcoming matchups, particularly when travelling to a place far from home. One would think that would be the case when heading to a city that’s already experienced a massive snowstorm earlier this season.
But McDaniel is taking a different approach.
Instead, he plans to do “zero monitoring” of the weather, insisting that the only way to prepare for the cold is to just tell yourself that it can’t affect you.
Stronger, you are.
According to the StarWars.com dictionary, Jedi Mind Tricks are defined as a “powerful effect” that one can use to “implant suggestions into the minds of those they encounter.” In turn, one can make others comply with their wishes.
Mike McDaniel appears to be honing The Force in an attempt to use it proactively on his Dolphins players.
McDaniel said he will personally do "zero monitoring" of the weather this weekend in Buffalo
Added that the only real way they can prepare for it is "mentally deciding if it's gonna matter or not."
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) December 14, 2022
Interesting tactic.
Fans, of course, quickly disagreed. They see Mike McDaniel’s tricks backfiring.
One fan said, “What a disappointing answer.. we’re going to suck because we’re not prepared. 33-10 Bills.” Another wrote, “Yeah. That’s not at all how you prepare for inclement weather.”
This fan posted, “That’s a horrible idea. Weather should 100% affect your game plan. Are you going to run with your original game plan when you find that Tua doesn’t have the tools to sling the ball in 20mph snow gusts?”
Then again, this is Mike McDaniel. And he has already beaten the Bills once this season in a game that had some serious voodoo. Buffalo held 2:1 advantages in time of possession, first downs, total yards, and plays but somehow still lost, 21-19.
We’ll see if the coach can will his way to another victory, inclement weather or not.