No one would have believed you if you picked the Miami Dolphins to log a statement win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The way the trade deadline was handled, with teams having a tough time getting a read on their intentions, many flagged Miami to be in some kind of awkward in-between phase. But it has begun to make sense now, hasn’t it?

The Dolphins, who entered Week 10 at 2-7 and had lost four of their last five games, stunned the Bills in a 30-13 blowout home victory. Dolphins legend Terron Armstead believes there is, after all, a lot to look forward to this season.

“It gives hope. It gives an energy and an attitude that, I’ll say, ‘look out,’” Armstead, who had played with Tua in his final two years in the NFL, said on the Kay and Adams Show. “You get a convincing win like that against a really good, prepared team, you know that you’re capable.

McDaniel’s offense averaged 0.27 EPA per play against Buffalo, the eighth-best mark against a Sean McDermott defense in 154 games. That’s not easy to do. Especially without Tyreek Hill, who’s on injured reserve and not expected to be back until 2026. As of Week 10, the team has under 2% chance of making the playoffs. But Armstead is still hopeful. And for good reason.

In Week 11, Miami will face the Washington Commanders (3-7), a team that has evidently struggled offensively. They are currently allowing an NFL-worst 2,737 passing yards. In fact, they have given up a staggering 22 touchdowns this season, the second-most in the league. On a five-game losing streak, with four at least by 21 points or more, this marks the longest such stretch since the Cardinals in 2022. Now, if Washington drops its next game in a similar fashion, it’ll be a first since the 1965 Steelers. Will the Dolphins be able to do it?

With the Commanders’ wide receiver Terry McLaurin ruled out owing to a quad injury initially sustained in Week 3 vs the Baltimore Ravens and then again vs the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8, the Dolphins are reigning as the oddsmakers’ picks. Touted as the “iron man” for Washington’s offense, McLaurin, who was limited to just four games this season, has recorded 1000-plus receiving yards since 2021, when he played every game. His absence this coming Sunday has got to hurt.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels will not be traveling to Madrid either, and backup Marcus Mariota’s performance has been a hit and a miss. In the starting quarterback’s absence, he’s posted a 1-2 record, with four interceptions, four touchdown passes, and a rushing touchdown.

That said, the Dolphins then face the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, who are equally as bad as Dan Quinn’s team, or perhaps even worse with a 2-8 record. While they recently defeated the Carolina Panthers (5-5), we cannot overlook the poor run defense, the struggling offense and the mounting injuries. No wonder Armstead sounded confident.

Furthermore, the retired star also name-dropped the New York Jets (2-7), the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4), and the Cincinnati Bengals (3-6).

“I don’t want to put too much pressure, but the stars have aligned right now for the Dolphins to try to make a run to get back into this thing the best way that they possibly can,” he noted.

So, in simple words: Miami’s next few weeks could define the season and McDaniel’s job.

Terron Armstead believes Mike McDaniel’s era still has life

Just when it seemed like Dolphins owner Stephen Ross might fire head coach Mike McDaniel, the team bounced back with a big win. Ross did make a change by letting go of GM Chris Grier, but for now, McDaniel’s job is safe.

Adam Schefter reported that Ross will keep McDaniel through the end of the 2025 season. So, the win over Buffalo didn’t feel like a one-off. Instead, it looked like a statement that maybe Ross already has his guy. And for Terron Armstead, the connection between QB Tua Tagovailoa and McDaniel was the highlight.

“I still believe in Tua and Mike McDaniel because of the time that I spent there,” he said. “From what I saw—their work ethic, preparation, and the execution.

“We had success. We were the number one offense in the league. So, we can’t just overshadow that.”