MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott (concussion) and right guard Rob Hunt (hamstring) will miss Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, according to coach Mike McDaniel.
Miami’s injury situation has the potential to affect the outcome of Sunday’s game.
Lots of other key players are questionable, according to Friday’s injury report, including wide receiver Tyreek Hill (ankle), center Liam Eichenberg (calf), left tackle Terron Armstead (knee/ankle), safety Jevon Holland (knees), running back De’Von Achane (toe), right tackle Austin Jackson (oblique), linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (oblique), cornerback Xavien Howard (hip) and running back Raheem Mostert (knee). Running back Chris Brooks (knee), who is still on injured reserve but has been designated for return, is also questionable and could be activated for the game.
McDaniel said Hill will be working tirelessly on rehabilitation with his injured left ankle over the next couple of days to get ready for the game.
Hill has played in all 32 games, including the playoffs, since joining the Dolphins last season.
Hill, the NFL’s leading receiver 1,542 yards, is in the running to become the first player to have 2,000 yards receiving in a season.
Due to competitive reasons, McDaniel declined to divulge the backup plan at center if Eichenberg can’t play. Eichenberg is the backup to starter Connor Williams, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in last week’s 28-27 loss to Tennessee.
Miami signed centers Jonotthan Harrison and Matt Skura (practice squad) as contingency plans. Miami has also used guards Lester Connor and Robert Jones as centers during OTAs, minicamp and training camp but not in games. Of course, Eichenberg had never played center in a game until this season.
McDaniel complimented offensive line coach Butch Barry for his lineup juggling this season.
“If you’re voting for Pro Bowl offensive line coaches,” McDaniel quipped about a voting position that doesn’t exist, “submit your Pro Bowl vote for Butch.”
McD said DeShon (concussion) and Hunt (hamstring) are out for Jets game. Many others such as Tyreek (ankle), Eichenberg (calf) and Achane (toe) will be questionable
— Chris Perkins (@chrisperk) December 15, 2023
McDaniel said the injuries on the offensive line don’t necessarily shrink the playbook.
“With a lot of guys having a lot of experience doing a lot of things, with the offensive line having to block certain things with certain rules, there can be a happy medium,” McDaniel said, “hopefully to the point that it would be un-noticable to all of you guys.”
Safety watch
Miami played the final two drives against Tennessee with Brandon Jones and Elijah Campbell at safety because starters Holland (knees; inactive) and Elliott (concussion; left game in fourth quarter) were both sidelined. There’s an outside chance Jones and Campbell, a special teams standout who hadn’t played from scrimmage all season, are required again this week against the Jets.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said it was a bit different working with Jones and Campbell instead of Holland and Elliott.
“This is the time of year for every team in the league where more backups have to be ready and go in there and play,” Fangio said. “We have confidence in those guys, but obviously when you’re missing your two starters, it sets you back a little bit. But I have confidence in Elijah and Brandon.”
One thing to keep in mind is Holland and linebacker Jerome Baker are regarded as the quarterbacks of the defense, the guys who get everyone lined up correctly. Baker (knee/injured reserve) is out until the Buffalo game, the last of the regular season. When Holland is out, Elliott gets everyone lined up correctly. When both are out, along with Baker, things presumably get a bit more difficult, a situation Miami could face against the Jets.
Tua takes the blame for red-zone woes
The Dolphins haven’t been efficient recently in goal-to-go situations, especially against Tennessee. Tagovailoa took some of the blame for Miami being 2 of 5 in the red zone against the Titans.
“I think that’s something that I have to take, because when we were down in the red area, there were some calls that I made that didn’t help us,” he said. “There were some decisions that I made as well that didn’t help us. We had opportunities down there and in games like that here in December, you have to execute those.
“I think we only had two field goals down there (in the red zone). We had one blocked and we came out with six points while we were in the red area. We had a fumble as well on the first drive. Can’t end it like that. Can’t do that.”
The tackle on Tyreek
It appeared Hill was the victim of a horse collar tackle, which is illegal, or a hip drop tackle, which is legal but controversial, or both when he sustained his left ankle injury against Tennessee.
TV commentators said it was a horse collar tackle by Titans cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, but replays show it could have been both horse collar and hip drop.
McDaniel didn’t seem overly concerned.
“It wasn’t flagged,” he said. “I think guys do anything they can to try to tackle Tyreek because he’s hard to tackle.”
No beef between McDaniel and Fangio
Many fans were upset the Dolphins didn’t blitz Tennessee rookie quarterback Will Levis during the final two possessions of Monday’s game. McDaniel was asked if he had any issues with Fangio’s strategy and whether they talked about Fangio’s approach.
McDaniel said they did, and there was no hostility.
“We talked through what we saw, why stuff happened, so that we can coach our players so that you learn from it,” he said.
McDaniel sounded as though he trusts Fangio implicitly.
“I’m very aware our defensive coordinator is one of, if not the best, defensive play callers that I’ve ever been around,” he said.
“You talk about (the) timeliness of certain calls. Your job is to prepare players and put them in the best position to succeed. Within that, knowing the scheme and knowing the offense, each and every week, the last person I’m worried about doing everything they can for the team is Vic Fangio.”
