The Miami Dolphins had an opportunity on Sunday to wrap up the AFC East and additional solidify their playoff positioning, giving themselves an opportunity to earn the No. 1 seed within the convention. All they needed to do was defeat the Baltimore Ravens.
Alas, that did not occur. Miami was blown out by Baltimore 56-19, with Lamar Jackson torching the Dolphins for 321 yards and 5 touchdowns on 18 of 21 passing, whereas backup Tyler Huntley additionally threw a landing move and Gus Edwards and Melvin Gordon every ran for a rating.
As a result of the Dolphins misplaced and the Buffalo Payments concurrently defeated the New England Patriots, subsequent week’s division matchup will decide which of Miami and Buffalo wins the AFC East. The Dolphins have a one-game lead in the intervening time, however a Payments victory subsequent week would imply the groups are tied within the standings, with the Payments proudly owning the head-to-head tiebreaker. The winner clinches the convention’s No. 2 seed.
Worse but, the Dolphins suffered a spate of accidents on Sunday that might depart them extremely shorthanded for the showdown with Buffalo.
Cornerback Xavien Howard suffered a foot damage in the course of the Ravens’ first offensive drive of the sport. He was taken to the locker room on a cart and initially deemed questionable to return earlier than later being downgraded to out. Following the sport, head coach Mike McDaniel mentioned the workforce is “not sure” the severity of Howard’s foot damage simply but.
Later within the recreation, Tua Tagovailoa suffered a shoulder damage and was additionally deemed questionable to return. He was changed within the lineup by backup Mike White and didn’t return, presumably as a result of lopsided rating. Tagovailoa said after the game that he was “simply sore,” so it does not appear prone to hold him out of subsequent week’s recreation, although any damage to a quarterback’s shoulder does carry a point of concern.
The Dolphins, nonetheless, suffered a devastating damage late within the recreation as edge rusher Bradley Chubb suffered a non-contact knee damage and was quickly ruled out. Professional Soccer Speak reported the Dolphins fear a torn ACL for Chubb, who will get an MRI on Monday to verify the extent of the damage. McDaniel mentioned that in hindsight, he clearly should not have had Chubb in the game with the workforce down by so many factors. “It does not look very sensible in any respect,” he mentioned.
The Dolphins had been already with out working again Raheem Mostert and huge receiver Jaylen Waddle on Sunday, and Waddle, not less than, seems unlikely to play subsequent week, both. And Miami had beforehand misplaced star edge rusher Jaelan Phillips for the season to a torn Achilles. They’re additionally coping with quite a few accidents alongside the offensive line.
With Chubb maybe becoming a member of him on the sideline, the workforce could possibly be down its two greatest move rushers each subsequent week and all through the playoffs.
It is all lower than ultimate for a workforce that gave the impression to be positioned very effectively forward of the postseason, however is now on the point of having to play a number of street video games to make it by way of the AFC gauntlet, and accomplish that whereas working shorthanded at one in all soccer’s most necessary positions.
