Dolphins need to beat the Chiefs, even if Mike McDaniel downplays result

One of the biggest games on the Week 9 NFL schedule takes place on Sunday morning in Frankfurt, Germany, when the Miami Dolphins play the Kansas City Chiefs in a battle of top AFC contenders. 

Aside from potentially deciding home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs, it is also a big narrative-building game for head coach Mike McDaniel and his Dolphins team — even if he does not agree with that idea.

For as good as the Dolphins have been this season, especially offensively, there is one negative that has followed them around over the first year-and-a-half of McDaniel's tenure.

The Dolphins beat up on the non-playoff teams. Then lose to the playoff teams, badly. 

They have another opportunity against a playoff team on Sunday when they play the Chiefs, and McDaniel already knows how the narratives are going to go depending on the result. 

"I'll tell you what's going to happen with the Miami Dolphins. We lose, we can't beat good teams. We win, we're going to win the Super Bowl," McDaniel said Friday. "None of it matters. You have to be your best when your best is required, and that's when there's elimination games. So you're trying to build towards that and take advantage of every opportunity to best service yourself for the situation at end of the season."

Obviously the playoffs are what matter the most here for contending teams like the Dolphins because nobody hangs a banner for "Beat the Chiefs in Week 9," but those games can tell us a lot about teams and what their expectations can — and should — be when it comes to those elimination games. 

If you drive up your record because of a soft schedule and lose to all of the upper-level teams you play, what exactly does that say about your team? That is something the Dolphins do need to worry about, whether McDaniel wants to admit it or not. 

So far this season they have played just two teams currently in playoff position, the Bills and Eagles, and lost both games by a combined margin of 79-37. They didn't just lose those games — they were beaten decisively. 

They were just 2-6 against playoff teams a year ago (including their playoff loss in Buffalo), losing each of the final six games against playoff teams. They were also outscored 230-188 in those eight games. 

McDaniel might have been using hyperbole in his example about people saying the Dolphins are going to the Super Bowl if they win, but it would be a big statement for them to win that game and actually beat one of the top teams in the league. 

If they come out of Sunday with another lopsided loss to a top team, there should absolutely be questions asked about how good his team actually is. After all, the Dolphins are not going to be seeing teams like the Giants, Patriots or Panthers in January.