Parker overcomes ankle injury, has standout game
MIAMI GARDENS — After a hamstring hobbled him in the first two games, Miami Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker strongly professed he would not let nagging injuries stymie his progress.
“I’m not missing anymore games,” Parker said earlier this season.
And he has held up his end of the bargain through theDolphins’ 1-3 start.
Parker nearly avoided another serious injury in Sunday’s 31-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, playing through a sprained right ankle to lead Miami in receiving on a day where the Dolphinswere only able to kick field goals instead of score touchdowns.
Still, Parker led Miami with 10 catches on 12 targets for a gamehigh110 yards in the loss.
“DeVante is a great player for us, one that I’m always going to rely on especially in tough situations, and try to get him the ball and rely on him to win one-onone,” Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said of Parker. “He did somegoodthings versuszonecoverage today, just finding the spot and running after the catch.”
The Dolphins almost faced a situation where they would have had to play without their leading receiver froma year ago.
Parker suffered the ankle injury after the third play from scrimmage on Miami’s first drive of the game.
Parker was grimacing and limped toward the sideline after the play, where he was evaluated by a trainer after the injury, and then escorted by the trainer into the locker room.
Parker later returned to the sideline, trying to test out his foot by running off to the side, missing at least two offensive series in the first quarter.
When he returned, Parker quickly caught consecutive passes of 11 and 17 yards at the start of the second quarter that set the tone for his performance.
Parker, like the Dolphins offense, was unable to reach the end zone.
But his performance, especially after rebounding from his ankle injury, was a positive sign for the Dolphins despite their third loss of the season.
“He’s a big part of what we do. And itwas good to get him back in the game,” Fitzpatrick said.
McCain returns
Dolphins safety BobbyMcCain returned to play in the second half after being evaluated for a concussion at halftime.
McCain laid a wicked hit on massive Seahawks receiver D.K. Metcalf that broke up a completion that could have been a first down in the second quarter for Seattle.
WhileMcCain missed a few se
ries to end the first half, including Seattle’s 21-second score shortly before halftime, his return in the second half helped the Dolphins defense.
McCain wants to see the Dolphins defense get off to better starts after opening the game by allowing a 1-yard touchdown run by Seahawks running back Chris Carson.
“As a team, we’ve got to start fast and come out with energy and come out and just have a good start to the game because when you get behind in the game [and] yougetdownin the game, itmakes things hard on you and you’ve got your backs up against the wall,” McCain said.
Former Rock Canes
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll did not initially knowhowwell his new running backs Travis Homer and Deejay Dallas knew each other despite both playing at the University of Miami.
Now, Carroll knows he has two dependable players he can rely on in the future.
Homer, a sixth-round pick in 2019, scored on a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Russell Wilson to give Seattle a 17-9 halftime lead with three seconds remaining in the second quarter.
AndDallas, a fourth-round pick in April, gained 24 yards on four total touches in Sunday’s game.
“I remember scoring my first touchdown as a Hurricane in Hard Rock, and [Sunday] I gotmy first carry as a Seahawk in Hard Rock,” Dallas said. “So, it came back around full circle.”
Other notes return
to
Hard
The Dolphins had their starting offensive line intact, but had to try to slow Wilson without one of their best defenders.
The Dolphins had rookie Solomon Kindley starting at right guard after he popped up on the injury report Friday with a foot injury. Kindley, a fourth-round pick by the Dolphins, was one of the team’s best offensive lineman in Miami’s first three games of the season. …
Tackle Austin Jackson suffered a foot injury in the third quarter against the Seahawks. He briefly returned to the game before leaving again. …
Shaq Lawson, the Dolphins’ starting defensive end suffered a left shoulder injury on a thirdquarter sack of Wilson. Lawson used his left arm to bring Wilson down and landed on the ground hard. He later returned to the game in the fourth quarter. …
Dolphins rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who dealt with a fever that was not related to COVID-19 this past week, was active and backed up Fitzpatrick.
On defense, Dolphins cornerbackByronJones, the team’s highest-paid player, was inactive due to a groin injury he is nursing.
Jones missed his second game as a Dolphin, after signing a fiveyear, $82.5 million deal with the team this year, after missing just one of 50 games he played with theDallas Cowboys before joining Miami.
The Seahawks were without star safety Jamal Adams (groin), cornerback Quinton Dunbar (knee), linebacker Jordyn Brooks and safety Lano Hill (back) for Sunday’s game.
Among the other players inactive for both sides: Dolphins receiver Malcolm Berry, defensive tackle Jason Strowbridge and safetyKavonFrazierandoffensive tackle Adam Pankey; Seahawks running back Carlos Hyde, cornerback Neiko Thorpe and offensive linemanKyle Fuller.