Status of four key players uncertain
Dolphins coach Brian Flores says he’s disappointed Ryan Fitzpatrick must miss Sunday’s game on COVID list. DB McCain is set to play.
Dolphins coach Brian Flores said Friday he’s disappointed for Ryan Fitzpatrick that he won’t be able to accompany the team to Buffalo for Sunday’s game but is pleased how the organization has handled COVID protocols in the wake of Fitzpatrick testing positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, the status of four key Dolphins remained in question on Friday because of injuries, with receivers DeVante Parker and Jakeem Grant, guard Solomon Kindley and linebacker Shaq Lawson all listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Bills.
Parker has missed two games with a hamstring injury and Grant has an ankle injury sustained in last Saturday’s game against Las Vegas. Parker “is working hard to get back; we’ll see how it goes,” Flores said.
Both receivers were limited in practice on Friday, as were Kindley (knee/foot) and Lawson (shoulder). The expectation entering the week was that Grant would miss Sunday’s game.
Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel excelled in Lawson’s absence last week. But Lawson is valued.
“I think he’s playing well,” Flores said of Lawson. “I think he’s been able to pressure the quarterback and set the edge and do some good things in the run game. He’s been a big part of our defense this year and he brings great energy, and just as a teammate, he’s been great and as a student who’s someone that we’ve been able to coach, he’s been great.”
Safety Bobby McCain, who had been limited by an ankle injury Wednesday and Thursday, practiced fully on Friday and is good to go.
The Dolphins on Thursday promoted rookie receiver Kirk Merritt from the practice squad as a COVID replacement, giving them five healthy receivers on Sunday (Mack Hollins, Lynn Bowden, Isaiah Ford, Malcolm Perry, Merritt) if Parker and Grant cannot play.
Meanwhile, Flores said he’s “disappointed” that Fitzpatrick ended up on the COVID list. That leaves starter Tua Tagovailoa and backup Jake Rudock as Miami’s two quarterbacks on Sunday.
“He’s a big part of the team,” Flores said of Fitzpatrick. “I’m disappointed for him more than anything. I know how important this team is to him, but at the same time we’ve dealt with adversity throughout the season whether it’s COVID, injuries. We’ve had guys out multiple games and recently. We’ll just push forward and give our best effort on Sunday.”
The good news is that no other Dolphins player tested positive for COVID-19 this week besides Fitzpatrick, and no player was identified as a close contact of Fitzpatrick, which would have sidelined that player for Sunday’s game.
Head trainer Kyle Johnston, who has been in that job since 2018, “and our medical staff have have done a tremendous job,” Flores said. “He’s all over everyone about masks and distancing. We’ve taken every precaution, followed the protocols. As far as close contacts, we’re in good shape from that standpoint.
“The entire year, to do everything we do, bus rides, plane rides, meeting spaces, how we meet, how we can’t meet — a lot of things we’re used to that we haven’t been able to do. Kyle has done a great job. It’s ongoing, every night. Hopefully we’ll continue to do as best we can.
“We can do everything right and [COVID-19 is] airborne. It’s nobody’s fault. Guys can still get it, which they have. We’ve done everything we can and Kyle has spearheaded that.”
The Bills will be without receiver Cole Beasley (knee). Buffalo hasn’t said whether it will start quarterback Josh Allen or rest him and start backup Matt Barkley.
THIS AND THAT
The Dolphins are 5-1 when Myles Gaskin starts. Offensive coordinator
Chan Gailey said Salvon Ahmed got the start against Las Vegas because “Salvon had done extremely well, obviously, the week before so he got the start. Then all of a sudden,
Myles started running the football and getting some creases and making some plays, so he got the hot hand. That’s how we’ve been doing it this year — whoever gets the hot hand, we let them go.”
Gaskin had 169 yards from scrimmage in the Las Vegas game (87 rushing, 82 passing). Ahmed was held to two yards on six carries.
Linebacker Jerome Baker has seven sacks after producing a combined 4.5 in his first two seasons. So what’s changed?
“I’d say it’s more credit to our d-line,” he said. “Having Emmanuel Ogbah, having Shaq Lawson, having Kyle Van Noy, the offense has to gear towards blocking them first and it just helped me with more opportunities.
“Those guys will take up sometimes two or three guys. For me, it’s usually a one-on-one battle and sometimes I’m just free. I definitely give all credit to the d-line.”
In terms of yards re
● ceiving (969), this Dolphins tight ends group is the most productive in franchise history. The 11 combined touchdown catches by Mike Gesicki, Durham Smythe and Adam Shaheen are tied for most in franchise history.
“Obviously I have a biased opinion, but I think we have one of the better tight end rooms in the NFL in terms of depth and across the board,” Smythe said. “It also helps when you have a guy like Mike shouldering a lot of that production.”
Third-year veteran
●
Smythe, on one helpful intangible with this team: “I haven’t been a part of a team thus far in the NFL that is this tight across the board. There’s support across the board. I think there’s a trust that you know other people are going to get their job done, so it kind of allows you to focus on your own.”
Assistant defensive backs coach Curt Kuntz — hired by Flores from an Ohio-based high school early last season — leads the team’s third down meetings. Miami is best in the league in third down defense.
“He’s very detailed,” Baker said. “He tries to get every single thing they do on third down. I guess you can say he transitioned well.”
“Very good coach,” safety Bobby McCain said. “Give him credit where credit is due.”
Obligatory reminder: To make the playoffs, the Dolphins need either a win in Buffalo or a loss by either Baltimore (against Cincinnati), Cleveland (against Pittsburgh) or Indianapolis (against Jacksonville).