SHOWDOWN AT HOME: Dolphins, who’re 7-1 at Onerous Rock Stadium, might want to overcome a plethora of accidents, together with to go rusher Bradley Chubb, out for the season. Chubb, acquired in a commerce with Denver final November, led the workforce with 11 sacks and a league-high six pressured fumbles. PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK
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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) – The Miami Dolphins will likely be within the playoffs it doesn’t matter what, however there’s lots at stake of their showdown with AFC East rival Buffalo on Sunday evening.
The Dolphins’ probabilities at incomes the AFC’s prime seed ended after they had been blown out at Baltimore final weekend. However a victory over the Payments would give them their first AFC East title since 2008 and the No. 2 seed within the convention.
If Miami loses, it might fall to the No. 6 seed and sure would want to win three highway playoff video games to achieve the Tremendous Bowl.
Taking part in at residence might bode nicely for the Dolphins, who’re 7-1 at Onerous Rock Stadium.
Miami had three turnovers at Baltimore on Sunday and gave up a seasonhigh 491 yards as breakdowns in communication on either side of the ball stalled momentum.
Tua Tagovailoa was 22 of 38 for 237 yards and two touchdowns. Tyreek Hill caught six passes for 76 yards however dropped a possible landing when he was large open ultimately zone on Miami’s second drive.
Hill attributed the drop to poor focus.
“I’ll say, I by no means get that large open,” Hill mentioned. “The ball simply floated so lengthy. It was identical to, ‘Get right here’ to me. I simply need to make the play, man.”
When the Dolphins misplaced at Buffalo in Week 4, they turned the ball over twice and had been 3 of 10 on third down. Hill had 58 yards receiving, his second-lowest output of the season.
“The wonderful thing about this workforce is now we have such super leaders,” Hill mentioned. “You recognize what, I’m wanting ahead to seeing how we bounce again. I do know coach (Mike McDaniel) goes to get us ready, and it’s going to be what we want heading into the playoffs. It’s going to be fine.”
Miami might want to overcome a plethora of accidents.
Jaylen Waddle didn’t play towards Baltimore due to a excessive ankle sprain, and it’s not clear whether or not he’ll be accessible Sunday evening. And the Dolphins will face a Payments offense that has dominated them in recent times with out a number of key starters on protection, together with go rusher Bradley Chubb (knee), linebacker Jaelan Phillips (Achilles tendon). Cornerback Xavien Howard (foot) can be more likely to miss the sport.
Chubb has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his proper knee and can miss the remainder of the season, coach Mike McDaniel mentioned Monday.
Chubb suffered the harm within the final minutes of a Sunday`s 56-19 loss at Baltimore. He went down after making an attempt to make a deal with and grabbed at his proper knee. He was carted off the field.
McDaniel expressed remorse afterward when requested why Chubb and different Dolphins starters had been within the sport at that time, when the deficit was 30 factors with 3: 05 remaining.
“In hindsight, I might completely not have one in all them on the market if I had identified that he was going to get harm, for positive,” the second-year coach mentioned Sunday. “That’s a identified a part of the job that I perceive totally. It doesn’t look sensible in any respect.”
Added McDaniel on Monday: “It was a troublesome second that I want wouldn`t have occurred. Hindsight is 20/20.
Each resolution I make, I perceive how essential it’s to everybody that I`m doing the correct factor for the workforce and the group. When issues like that occur, yeah, the burden is nice. I all the time be taught from issues, and you may be relaxation assured that the correct intent will likely be utilized to each resolution I make as a result of I don’t take the burden of that frivolously in any respect.”
“No matter what we’re coping with personally at residence, or an harm to our physique, this sport goes to kick off when it kicks off and it’s going to go down,” veteran left deal with Terron Armstead mentioned. “You need to go on the market along with your finest foot ahead regardless.
So if you put together by means of the week, that kickoff time goes to be that kickoff time, irrespective of who’s on the field, it doesn’t matter what they’re coping with. That’s the way you’ve acquired to method it.”
WHAT’S WORKING
Miami has rushed for at the very least 120 yards in 4 of its previous six video games. The Dolphins had 154 yards speeding Sunday and averaged 6.2 yards per rush.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
A few of Miami’s midseason points with ball safety returned. Tagovailoa hadn’t thrown an interception in 4 video games however had two towards the Ravens. Backup Mike White misplaced a fumble late within the fourth quarter.
STOCK UP
De’Von Achane. He was Miami’s lead ball provider within the absence of Raheem Mostert, who didn’t play due to ankle and knee accidents. Achane had a 23-yard run on the first play of the sport and finished with 107 yards on 14 carries with a receiving landing.
STOCK DOWN
The secondary, which was affected by blown coverages and poor tackling. Howard solely performed 4 snaps due to a foot harm, and the Ravens focused backup Eli Apple all through the sport. Apple misplaced monitor of Zay Flowers on a 75-yard landing.
INJURIES
Chubb will miss the remainder of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his proper knee late within the sport. … Howard’s foot harm just isn’t anticipated to require surgical procedure, however he’s more likely to miss the Buffalo sport. … Tagovailoa is coping with a sore shoulder.
KEY NUMBER
100 – It was the fourth 100-yard speeding sport for Achane, which tied Karim Abdul-Jabbar for probably the most such video games by a rookie in Dolphins historical past.
NEXT STEPS
The Dolphins have overwhelmed the Payments simply as soon as prior to now 11 conferences. In the event that they win, they might not need to go on the highway through the playoffs till the AFC championship sport.
