Mike McDaniel: No moral victories, but there was growth on Sunday

The final score was closer than some of the Dolphins' previous games with the Bills, but the result was still the same.

Bills kicker Tyler Bass's 61-yard field goal at the buzzer gave Buffalo a 30-27 home win, moving them to 6-1 against their division opponents since Mike McDaniel was hired as head coach in Miami. The Dolphins had fought back twice in the second half to tie the game before Bass hit the game-winning kick and McDaniel tried to focus on the positives that can come from that performance.

“There are no moral victories,” McDaniel said in a team transcript. “We lost as a team and you want all three phases to be looked at as if they could have been the reason we won. But there is growth, and you make sure you emphasize that because you want it to stay that way. You don't want it to take a step back. . . . This will hurt, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing overall. It just depends on what you do with it. I think the boys are motivated.”

quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said of Barry Jackson of the Miami Heraldthat he thought the game showed “we take a step “In the right direction,” but slow progress won’t make it happen at this point. The Dolphins are 2-6, which leaves them with plenty of ground to make up and no room for error as they head into the back half of their schedule.