The Miami Dolphins didn’t follow on Christmas Day, however they launched a league-mandated harm report Wednesday which revealed new accidents to 2 beginning defenders.
The Dolphins, in estimations of follow participation whereas not going by way of drills, reported that linebacker Anthony Walker and security Jordan Poyer would have missed a Wednesday follow.
Poyer is coping with new knee and finger accidents. Walker has a brand new knee ailment. Each appeared to make it by way of final Sunday’s win towards the San Francisco 49ers wonderful.
The Dolphins face one other must-win sport towards the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Together with the Poyer and Walker accidents, huge receiver Jaylen Waddle’s knee ailment that stored him out of the 49ers sport additionally would’ve stored him off the follow area Wednesday. Cornerback Kendall Fuller, who’s week to week after hurting his knee Sunday, was listed as a non-participant.
Additionally deemed to be lacking a Wednesday session had been left sort out Terron Armstead and defensive sort out Calais Campbell, Armstead along with his ailing knee and Campbell for relaxation.
Listed as restricted for Miami: huge receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist/relaxation), quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip), linebacker Jordyn Brooks (quadriceps/knee), fullback Alec Ingold (ankle), huge receiver Dee Eskridge (knee).
For the Browns, they listed three gamers as non-participants in their very own follow report estimation: tight finish David Njoku (knee), defensive finish Ogbo Okoronkwo (knee) and defensive sort out Shelby Harris (elbow). Amongst these restricted: each quarterbacks in Jameis Winston (proper shoulder) and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (calf) and main huge receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee/shin).
No Christmas assist
Whereas indirectly affecting the Dolphins’ playoff possibilities, it didn’t assist that the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs locked up the AFC’s prime seed Wednesday with their win towards the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Miami might’ve used a situation the place the Chiefs nonetheless had one thing to play for on Week 18, within the occasion the Dolphins are nonetheless alive by the use of the playoff spot at present held by the Denver Broncos.
Ought to the Dolphins win Sunday in Cleveland and the Broncos lose in Cincinnati, one factor Miami would wish in Week 18 can be a Denver loss to Kansas Metropolis. However it’s now unknown if the Chiefs will play their starters towards the Broncos in that sport.
The best path for the Dolphins to get into the postseason can be to win out, have the Indianapolis Colts lose one in all their final two video games and the Broncos lose each of their remaining video games. However, they might even have two Los Angeles Chargers losses change both the Broncos or Colts situation, albeit unlikely because the Chargers face the lowly Patriots and Raiders.
Sanders, complementary soccer good to see in December
Coach Mike McDaniel mentioned one cause the Dolphins had been capable of take a 22-17 lead in final week’s 29-17 win over San Francisco was as a result of he had a lot confidence in kicker Jason Sanders and the Dolphins protection.
Sanders, who has made a franchise-record 23 consecutive area objectives, together with eight consecutive from 50 or extra yards, kicked a 48-yard area purpose to cap a seven-play, 41-yard drive that took 4:27 off the clock.
Six of the seven performs of that drive had been clock-chewing runs as McDaniel knew he might rely on Sanders for a protracted area purpose and the protection to make a cease.
The Dolphins’ protection, which is No. 7 within the league, received an interception two performs after the sphere purpose.
“You’ll be able to play acceptable complementary ball and that’s what we’ve been striving for,” McDaniel mentioned, “however the play-calling resolution was a direct results of that conviction and confidence which permits groups to essentially need to do above and past to beat you.
“And that’s the best way you wish to be enjoying December soccer, is hedging your guess, taking calculated dangers, however having the ability to lean on all three phases to get the ‘W.’ ”
Preparing for Myles Garrett
The Dolphins’ go safety bundle has an enormous problem this week in Cleveland’s Myles Garrett (12.0 sacks), one of many league’s greatest go rushers.
Left sort out Terron Armstead and proper sort out Kendall Lamm led a robust pass-protection bundle final week that didn’t permit any sacks on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa towards 49ers go rushers Nick Bosa (7.0 sacks) and Leonard Floyd (8.5 sacks).
Curiously, Tagovailoa has been sacked 14 occasions in 11 begins and there have solely been two video games through which he wasn’t sacked – the 32-26 additional time victory towards the New York Jets three weeks in the past and final week towards San Francisco.
Tagovailoa, 6-5 as a starter this season, has taken a number of sacks in six of his 11 begins.
Go safety, which additionally consists of tight ends and operating backs, has been feast or famine within the final 4 video games with Inexperienced Bay recording 5 sacks and Houston recording three.
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