South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Dolphins at Steelers | 8:15 p.m. Mon., ESPN
■ Baker, Wilkins draw fines from NFL for illegal hits.
DAVIE —Two Miami Dolphins players were fined following the team’s Week 7 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Linebacker Jerome Baker was fined $21,056 by the NFL for an illegal hit he landed on Bills quarterback Josh Allen. And rookie defensive lineman Christian Wilkins was fined $10,527 for striking an offensive lineman, which led to an ejection.
The fines come ahead of the Dolphins’ Week 8 matchup on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4) on Monday night.
Baker blitzed up the middle of the field untouched and pushed Allen around Allen’s shoulders as the quarterback was trying to escape the pocket. Baker was not assessed a penalty during the game.
Baker, a second-year starter who leads Miami with 38 tackles this season, is appealing the fine.
Wilkins struck Bills rookie right tackle Cody Ford on the second play of the game and was disqualified. It is unclear whether Wilkins will appeal his fine.
Injury report: Starting left tackle J’Marcus Webb (shin) is cleared to play Monday after being a full participant during the Dolphins practice week, meaning Miami will have its same offensive line start for the second consecutive game.
The Dolphins will support starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and their offense that has awakened with four touchdowns in their past six quarters behind Webb, rookie left guard Michael Deiter, fourth-year center Evan Boehm, undrafted rookie Shaq Calhoun and right tackle Jesse Davis.
It is just the second time this season the Dolphins will have the same offensive linemen start in consecutive games.
“We’ve had a lot of different
groups in there, and I think every week, regardless of who’s in there, we’ve got better,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said. “Hopefully it continues that way. It’s a big test this week against a really good defensive line.”
The last time Miami played with the same offensive line in consecutive weeks was in Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys, when Davis injured his right elbow that caused him to miss one game and former starting right guard Danny Isidora suffered a seasonending foot injury.
The Dolphins have started five different offensive lines during their 0-6 start, thanks to injuries and the blockbuster trade of former first-round pick Laremy Tunsil before the season.
Veteran center and captain Daniel Kilgore (right knee) and longtime safety Reshad Jones (chest) will be out for the second straight game because of their injuries.
Standout cornerback Xavien Howard, who said earlier this week that he wants to play in Pittsburgh, is officially marked as questionable to play.
If Howard does suit up for the Dolphins, it will be his first game since Week 4. His knee injury began to flare up during Miami’s bye in Week 5, and he has missed the past two games.
Defensive end Avery Moss (ankle), defensive back Chris Lammons (ankle/turf toe) and outside linebacker Trent Harris (foot) are also questionable to play in Pittsburgh after being limited in practice this past week.
Safety Bobby McCain (shoulder), wide receivers Albert Wilson (hip) and Jakeem Grant (hamstring), and backup quarterback Josh Rosen, who popped up on the injury report with a neck injury this past week, are also cleared to play against the Steelers.