The Miami Dolphins are the first 0-3 team in the NFL this season, but coach Mike McDaniel is challenging his players to endure "tough times and not splinter."

Head coach Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins committed a deflating penalty and turnover in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday in Orchard Park, N.Y. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI UPI Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw two touchdown passes and an interception in a Week 3 loss to the Buffalo Bills. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI UPI Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes Thursday in Orchard Park, N.Y. File Photo by Jon Robichaud/UPI UPI Buffalo Bills running back James Cook totaled 108 yards and a score on 19 carries against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday in Orchard Park, N.Y. File Photo by Mark Black/UPI UPI Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill caught five passes for 49 yards and a touchdown in a loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday in Orchard Park, N.Y. File Photo by Mark Black/UPI UPI

Sept. 19 (UPI) -- The Miami Dolphins are the first 0-3 team in the NFL this season, but coach Mike McDaniel is challenging his players to endure "tough times and not splinter."

McDaniel spoke about his agenda for the Dolphins after their latest setback, a 31-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills (3-0), on Thursday in Orchard Park, N.Y.

The Dolphins, who were 12.5-point underdogs entering the night, kept the AFC East matchup tight until unraveling with a late penalty and turnover, but McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa refused to accept moral victories from the experience.

"There's some tough, tough lessons or tough things you have to deal with in the National Football League, and to be successful in it, you have to not have things, I say it all the time, but you can't have things cause you failure and it be in vain," McDaniel told reporters. "You have to have consistent growth and you have to be able to go through tough times and not splinter.

...

"The team has shown me that and we'll need that to get the results that we want. I think that's the biggest thing is a collective focus on our game to continue to improve it so that we can be on the right side of the win column."

Another loss for an already frustrated fanbase only ramps up the volume of critics calling for McDaniel to be fired ahead of the Dolphins' Week 4 matchup with the New York Jets. Oddsmakers list the coach as the heavy favorite as the first to lose his job this season. Dolphins fans are planning to fly a banner over Hard Rock Stadium for the second-consecutive home game calling for owner Stephen Ross to make that move, while also dismissing longtime general manager Chris Grier.

McDaniel said his young roster, which lost two major statistical battles in turnovers and penalties, is "worth the growing pains," but needs to play a cleaner game in order to win.

"If you want a different outcome, particularly the next game or the next time you play those guys, you have to learn from it," McDaniel said. "I've got to make sure that we have very beneficial couple extra days between our Monday night. We're going to have to get back in the meeting room and start the process again in terms of how we take the lessons from the last game and utilize them.

"Realistically, you've got to do that win or loss because the only teams that you want to be a part of are the ones that continue to improve as the seasons progresses. So not good enough as it stands, but we have a ton of season left and every opportunity is not one to take for granted."

...

The Bills, who averaged about 450 yards of offensive through the first two weeks, out-gained the Dolphins 360-276 on Thursday. They held a 23-19 advantage in first downs and 6.3 to 4.7 edge in yards per play. Conversely, the Dolphins converted 10 of 15 first downs and a fourth-down opportunity and did not allow a sack. The Bills converted at a 6 for 11 clip on third-down opportunities.

Tagovailoa completed 22 of 34 passes for 146 yards and two scores, but also threw the game's lone interception on a critical fourth-quarter drive. The Dolphins, who trailed 28-21 with about three minutes remaining, allowed a Matt Prater field goal, which effectively sealed their loss, on the next drive.

Tagovailoa's career record against the Bills dropped to 1-9, including an 0-6 mark in Orchard Park.

"Yeah, no moral victories, that's for sure," Tagovailoa said. "There's definitely some things that we can take away that is good, that's up to par within our standard of how we within the offense, and then with how the defense wants to operate as well, getting the stops, when they get those stops, we've got to capitalize on that and allow ourselves to get points when we get those opportunities.

"Never good to lose regardless of how a certain individual may have felt they performed. This is a team sport; we win together, we lose together."

Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed 22 of 28 passes for 213 yards and three scores. Running back James Cook logged 108 yards and a score on 19 carries.

...

The Dolphins took the initial lead Thursday when rookie running back Ollie Gordon II scored a 2-yard touchdown on the game's opening drive. Allen connected with tight end Dalton Kincaid five minutes later. The Bills defense forced a three-and-out before Allen threw a 5-yard score to tight end Jackson Hawes for a 14-7 edge.

Tagovailoa answered with a 16-play, 71-yard drive. He connected with wide receiver Jaylen Waddle on a 3-yard touchdown toss to end that possession and the score was tied at halftime. The Bills never trailed over the final 30 minutes.

They used an 8-play, 61-yard drive to take the lead back on the first possession of the second half, which ended with Cook's score.

Tagovailoa connected with wide receiver Tyreek Hill for a 5-yard score about three minutes into the fourth quarter, tying the game at 21-21. The Dolphins defense then forced a punt, but defensive tackle Zach Sieler was called for roughing the punter, giving the Bills a crucial first down.

"I've got to be better," Sieler said. "I can't make stupid errors like that. We've got to learn from each and every play. I can't do that. Obviously I've got to learn to get through a punt rush. ... Not one play decides the game, but it sure does feel pretty bad sometimes."

Allen made the Dolphins pay for the penalty with a 15-yard touchdown toss to wide receiver Khalil Shakir about three minutes later for a 28-21 lead. Tagovailoa threw his interception on the next drive, allowing the Bills to add to their lead and take time off the game clock.

...

"I think the quarterback has to be responsible for it, however, I wish I could just put it on him, but it's a tough job to do when there's someone in your face," McDaniel said of the interception. "Everybody needs to do better and we can't if -- you've got to ditch the ball to the flat in moments like that and that's what we have to learn from."

The Dolphins will attempt o earn their first victory of 2025 when they host the Jets (0-2) at 7:15 p.m. EDT Sept. 29 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Bills will host the New Orleans Saints (0-2) on Sept. 28 in Orchard Park.