Injured Gore likely to miss last 2 games

With another season stumbling toward the finish line, the Dolphins can begin thinking about 2019, and that includes Frank Gore.

The NFL’s leading active rusher is expected to miss the rest of the season with a sprained foot, a person familiar with the situation said Monday. The person confirmed Gore’s status on condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t commented on the severity of his injury.

Gore was hurt in Sunday’s 41-17 loss at Minnesota. He has played in 126 consecutive games and made 122 starts in a row, and both streaks are the longest by an NFL offensive skill-position player.

Last week Gore, 35, said he was uncertain whether he wanted to play next year. That’s one of many offseason decisions looming for the Dolphins (7-7) now that they’re long shots in the AFC playoff race.

Gore’s injury means snaps for backup Kalen Ballage, the rookie from Arizona State.

“I’m ready,” Ballage said. “Obviously, you don’t want to lose somebody like a Hall of Fame running back. Frank can do everything — but I’ll just be ready to step into whatever role they need me to be in.”

Thin ice in Arizona: Another blowout loss leaves Steve Wilks on shakier ground as the firstyear head coach of the Cardinals.

Sunday’s 40-14 defeat in Atlanta to a then-4-9 team left the Cardinals at 3-11.

Arizona faces the Rams, who beat the Cardinals 34-0 in Week 2, in its final home game. That’s followed by the season finale at Seattle.

With dissatisfied fans and a team showing little or no improvement through the season, Cardinals President Michael Bidwill — who takes great pride in making the franchise relevant after years of losing — could decide that he can’t afford to give Wilks a second season to prove his worth.

“I really don’t listen to the outside noise,” Wilks said Monday of speculation about his job status. “I wake up every morning blessed, and I come in here with my nose down and just grind away, trying to get these coaches and players all on the same page and looking to try to get a win. That’s my focus.”

Briefly: Tennessee cornerback Logan Ryan says his left leg was broken in the Titans’ victory over the Giants, writing on social media he believes a player should release his own injury news. The cornerback says he will miss the rest of the season . ... The Falcons placed rookie running back Ito Smith on injured reserve with a knee injury and are closer to ruling out a return this season for starter Devonta Freeman, bothered by a groin injury.