Mike McDaniel may need summed up the Miami Dolphins’ harm considerations heading into their wild-card playoff sport towards the Buffalo Bills finest with a reference to a phrase rapper Drake popularized greater than a decade in the past.
“It’s just YOLO (You Only Live Once). That’s what we’re doing these days,” the Dolphins’ coach stated Monday, about 24 hours after his crew clinched the AFC’s No. 7 seed with an 11-6 win final Sunday over the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium.
Aside from the quarterback questions that may dominate the week’s storylines, Miami has a number of extra accidents to watch earlier than touring to western New York for a postseason bout with the AFC East-champion and second-seeded Bills.
McDaniel stated operating again Raheem Mostert had a “significant break” in his injured thumb that triggered him to depart the win over the Jets after accumulating 71 yards on 11 carries.
“It’s a serious injury,” McDaniel stated. “It’s hard to know if he’ll be able to play this week. I never put anything past Raheem Mostert.”
There’s extra uncertainty with Miami’s two tackles. On the left facet, Pro Bowler Terron Armstead has missed the previous two video games with toe, pectoral, knee and hip accidents. At proper deal with, Brandon Shell left Sunday’s sport with knee and ankle illnesses. That’s a complete of six physique components for 2 offensive tackles.
“I don’t know those statuses,” stated McDaniel, who had Greg Little at left deal with and slid proper guard Robert Hunt out to proper deal with for the tip of the sport with Shell out. “Both of those guys have exceeded expectations, actually, this year with regards to their timelines. There’ll be more of that late-week fun.”
Star receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle suffered ankle accidents towards the Jets. Hill returned to motion, however Waddle went down late, on one of many remaining performs earlier than Jason Sanders’ profitable 50-yard discipline aim.
McDaniel stated he thinks — however doesn’t know if — Waddle would have been in a position to return had the ankle harm not occurred within the remaining minutes. The wideout will probably be receiving therapy, and McDaniel stated he’d be “very surprised” if he wasn’t in a position to play at Buffalo this Sunday.
League leaders
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa might have missed his previous two begins and 4 begins general, however he held on to his NFL lead in quarterback ranking because the 2022 common season concluded Sunday.
Tagovailoa completed with a 105.5 passer ranking, edging Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (105.2).
Tagovailoa, whose standing is unclear for Sunday’s 1 p.m. wild-card playoff sport on the Buffalo Bills, threw 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his third NFL season. He accomplished 64.8 % of his passes in throwing for 3,548 yards. His 8.9 yards per try additionally led the league. In extra superior metrics, he had the highest completion proportion on throws of 15-plus yards by means of the air, profitable on 56.1 % of such passes.
Tagovailoa was not an preliminary Pro Bowl choice in 2022, however he’s a primary alternate behind fellow AFC quarterbacks in Mahomes, the Bills’ Josh Allen and Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals.
He did it with two large receivers ending within the high seven of the league in receiving yards. Hill, with 1,710 yards, was second to the Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson (1,809). His 119 receptions had been additionally second to Jefferson (128).
Hill earned his seventh Pro Bowl in seven skilled seasons, his earlier six all with the Chiefs. He set profession highs in receptions and receiving yards in his first season in Miami.
Waddle, the second-year standout receiver, simply missed a primary Pro Bowl choice, though he’s a primary alternate, however he completed seventh within the league with 1,356 yards. His 18.1 yards per catch led the NFL.
The Hill-Waddle duo (3,066 yards) grew to become the fourth pair of teammates to mix for 3,000 receiving yards in a season, becoming a member of the Detroit Lions’ Herman Moore and Brett Berriman (3,174 in 1995), St. Louis Rams’ Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce (3,106 in 2000) and Denver Broncos’ Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders (3,023 in 2014).
Hill set a Dolphins file together with his 1,710 yards, besting Mark Clayton’s 1984 mark of 1,389, and Waddle completed slightly below Clayton.
Miami defensive deal with Christian Wilkins completed the season with 98 tackles, most by any NFL defensive lineman since 1994. It additionally topped Jeff Cross’ franchise file for tackles by a defensive lineman (93 in 1993). Linebackers Elandon Roberts (107) and Jerome Baker (100) every completed with triple-digit deal with totals.
Mostert cut up time within the backfield with Jeff Wilson Jr. within the second half of the season and Chase Edmonds within the first half of the yr, however his 891 dashing yards had been nonetheless good for twentieth within the NFL. His 4.9 yards per carry ranked in a tie for eleventh within the league with simply six operating backs — plus 4 quarterbacks — ending with a greater clip.
Concluding the common season 9-8, the Dolphins accomplished a 3rd consecutive common season with a profitable file. The final time the franchise had such a stretch was from 2001 to 2003.
The Dolphins introduced their 2022 crew award winners Monday. Hill was named the Dan Marino Most Valuable Player, as voted by South Florida media. Tagovailoa gained the Don Shula Leadership Award, determined by the gamers. Fullback Alec Ingold earned the Ed Block Courage Award, chosen by the athletic coaching workers for professionalism, energy and dedication. Defensive finish Emmanuel Ogbah gained the Nat Moore Community Service Award.
Browns curiosity in Flores?
Could former Dolphins coach Brian Flores end up united with quarterback Deshaun Watson?
The Cleveland Browns have requested permission to interview Flores, at present linebackers coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers, for his or her defensive coordinator opening, in response to a number of stories, together with ESPN and NFL Network.
Flores, whereas main Miami, famously pursued Watson whereas the quarterback was suspended as a member of the Houston Texans for sexual misconduct and sexual assault allegations from a number of feminine therapeutic massage therapists.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com