MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins are getting better despite their 0-3 start to the season, coach Mike McDaniel said, but there are “growing pains” involved.

The Dolphins kept it close for most of Thursday’s 31-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills, after entering the game as 12.5-point underdogs. Speaking after the game, McDaniel said he is not proud of any loss but admitted Friday morning that the team is improving week over week.

“The team has gotten better in a couple weeks and is getting to the point where you can reasonably expect to go to a game on Sunday and have the expectations to win through good football,” he said. “However, there’s still things that we are falling short of and we’re trying to make that it’s not the same thing over and over.”

The Dolphins have allowed opponents to score on 18 of their 23 possessions this season, not counting kneel downs. They own the NFL’s second-worst scoring defense through three games, allowing 32.3 points per game.

They also replaced their entire starting secondary from a season ago, and reintroduced two starters from 2023 who missed most of or all of the 2024 season in Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb, respectively.

That’s important context, McDaniel said, in determining this unit’s capabilities at this point in the season.

“The growing pains are real and what I think you see from a group is guys getting frustrated with not playing in cohesion but attacking it through their relationships that they’ve built,” he said. “They’re not tapping out, they’re not being lethargic to the ball so these are works in progress. You want it to be soon, you do everything in your power to be sooner but you can’t replicate – as much as I try – you can’t replicate game situations, especially in hostile environments.

“Last year it was a new defense to everyone. This year it’s a new defense to several players that we’re counting on.”

The Dolphins are also counting on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who played well if not risk-averse for most of Thursday’s game. He threw a pair of touchdowns and led three scoring drives, one of which he kept alive with an 8-yard scramble on third down.

But 11 of his 22 completions were behind the line of scrimmage, and he threw an interception on Miami’s potential game-tying drive. On the play, Bills defensive lineman Deone Walker beat right guard Dan Brunskill right off the snap and was closing in on Tagovailoa before half of the Dolphins eligible receivers had reached the line of scrimmage.

McDaniel said the Bills’ defense forced Tagovailoa’s hand for the most part and he praised his quarterback for taking care of the ball – but insisted he could still improve.

“I think what you saw is, there was some growth from Game 2 to 3 in his pocket play,” McDaniel said. “He was extending plays in the appropriate time for the most part. He was able to get a critical third down with his legs and then actually slide and protect himself. There was some good stuff that we were happy about and then there was some stuff that he needs to get better at.

“I was happy with what he needed to develop on and there’s always stuff that I find that he can improve on to give him tangible focus for that improvement, like what to do when there’s a jail break situation on a pass play in a driving situation, where to put the ball, not just how to get it out so that you don’t get tattooed.”

The Dolphins have an extended break before hosting the New York Jets on Monday Night Football in Week 4. McDaniel said he wants players to rest and spend time with their families before returning to the practice facility in preparation for the Jets.

When they do return to Hard Rock Stadium next week, Tagovailoa should have a new target in the passing game; McDaniel said tight end Darren Waller is expected to make his Dolphins debut after missing their first three games with a hip injury.