MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins are 4-5 (.444) in their first three games after the bye week in the previous three seasons under coach Mike McDaniel. That’s tied for 16th in the league since 2022 along with Denver and the Los Angeles Chargers. Last season the the Dolphins were a disappointing 0-3 in their first three games after the bye. Jobs will almost certainly lost if that happens again this season.

The Dolphins (4-7), who were back to work Monday after enjoying their bye last week, have designs on making a three-week run to .500. That’s largely because in their next three games they host New Orleans (2-9) on Sunday, then visit the New York Jets (2-9) and then visit Pittsburgh (6-5).

The schedule says this is the time for the Dolphins, who have won back-to-back games and three of their past four, to hit the accelerator. Pedal to the metal. Do some self scouting, get healthy, and thrive in that three-game stretch after the bye week.

But that’s not what’s happened in Miami in the previous three years. And make no mistake, the post-bye challenge is different each season. Three years ago it was keeping the momentum of a four-game winning streak going, two years ago it was re-establishing momentum after losing two of their last three games before the bye, and last year it was establishing footing with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sidelined. 

This year’s post-bye mission is reaching .500 by maintaining the focus and energy the Dolphins started a few weeks ago.

“There were a lot of things that we had to endure as a team, (and) there were a lot of lessons we had to learn to get our football to where it was before we (reached) the bye,” McDaniel said. “So this problem-solving solution has been much more about, alright we’re healthy, getting everyone to play the style of football as fast as possible and making sure that the time away wasn’t time off.”

The Dolphins, who are 32-30 (.516) under McDaniel, have been unspectacular after the bye recently.

Baltimore (11-1/.917) and Green Bay (10-2/.833) are the best teams in the NFL in winning percentage in their first three games after the bye since 2022. San Francisco (7-2/.778), the Los Angeles Rams (9-3/.750) and Philadelphia (9-3/.750) round out the top five.

New England (2-7/.222), the New York Giants (2-7/.222) and Arizona (2-10/.167) are the bottom three.

The Dolphins must be better.

At the very least, it’s an absolute necessity that the Dolphins win their next two games against the lowly Saints and Jets. In fact, those are practically must-win games. But the entire three-game stretch is big.

Consider the factors at work:

— The Dolphins, who could see the return of starting tight end Darren Waller (pectoral/inured reserve) and starting right tackle Austin Jackson (toe/injured reserve list) soon, currently have the most momentum they’ve had all season;

— McDaniel and interim general manager Champ Kelly could both be fighting for their jobs. And although it might be a stretch, it’s fair to include quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in that category, too;

— The bye is a week for self scouting, season review and recovery. Teams should be more aware of their trends, more aware of what opponents are doing, and should get a bit more healthy. That’s why the Dolphins’ sub-.500 record in their first three games after the bye is disappointing.

You could argue that the Dolphins have underachieved in three-game post-bye window over the past three years.

In 2022, the Dolphins went 1-2 in their first three games after the bye. They defeated Houston, extending their winning streak to five games, their best under McDaniel. But they lost their next two games, at San Francisco and at the Chargers.

In 2023, the Dolphins were a 3-0 in their first three games after the bye. They defeated Las Vegas, the Jets and Washington to run their record to 9-3, their best under McDaniel.

In 2024, the Dolphins went 0-3 immediately after the bye. They lost at Indianapolis in a game started by quarterback Tyler “Snoop” Huntley and finished by quarterback Tim Boyle. Then they lost to Arizona and Buffalo as Tagovailoa returned from a four-game absence due to a concussion.

The Dolphins, who started the season 1-6, have a chance to do something special in the next three weeks — go 3-0, run their record to 7-7, and put themselves firmly into the playoff picture with three games remaining. Or they could lose one of the next three games, getting their eighth loss, which almost certainly eliminates them from the AFC postseason race and again dooms them to the status quo.

Dolphins owner Steve Ross, in a statement in January announcing McDaniel and former general manager Chris Grier would be back for the 2025 season, said, “Continuity in leadership is not to be confused with an acceptance that the status quo is good enough.”

If the Dolphins don’t win their next two games, at the very least, status quo, and disappointment, will be guaranteed for the 2025 season.