Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Miami’s Ajayi joins select RB company
Dolphin records third 200-yard game this season
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Miami Dolphins tailback Jay Ajayi continues to produce performances that will have his name etched in NFL record books.
Ajayi, the 2015 fifth-round pick who is leading the Dolphins with 1,213 rushing yards this season, finished Saturday’s 34-31 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills with 206 rushing yards.
It was the third game of the season in which the former Boise State standout had at least 200 yards rushing. Ajayi is just the fourth NFL player to ever rush for at least 200 yards in three games in the same season, joining Tiki Barber (2005, N.Y. Giants), Earl Campbell (1980, Houston) and O.J. Simpson (1973, Buffalo).
Campbell’s 1980 season had four 200-yard games, and Ajayi will have a chance to match that achievement next Sunday in Miami’s regular-season finale against the New England Patriots, which will be played at Hard Rock Stadium at 1 p.m.
“My body of work is starting to show itself. I have all the confidence in myself, and I believe my team has confidence in me know what I can do,” said Ajayi, who scored his eighth touchdown of the season on a 2-yard run. “I’ve proven that I can be one of the best running backs in this league.”
Saturday’s performance moved Ajayi into fourth place on the Dolphins’ all-time single-season rushing list. He is 45 yards behind Delvin Williams (1978) for third place.
Ajayi did injure his shoulder toward the end of overtime during Miami’s final drive, but Ajayi wasn’t too concerned about what he said was an “AC joint” injury.
Abdul-Quddus suffers injury
Dolphins safety Isa Abdul-Quddus suffered a neck injury that kept him from playing in the final quarter of the Bills game, and might keep him from playing next week.
The play occurred when Abdul-Quddus, the Dolphins' starting free safety, collided with teammate Xavien Howard on a 18-yard pass that Buffalo tight end Charles Clay scored on after shedding Abdul-Quddus' tackle.
Abdul-Quddus has been an important defender for the Dolphins. He’s contributed 77 tackles, which is the second most on the team, two interceptions and one sack this season.
Michael Thomas, the Dolphins' backup safety and special teams captain, replaced Abdul-Quddus, playing alongside strong safety Baccari Rambo for the rest of the game, and logged eight tackles and one quarterback hit.
Howard struggles in fifth start
Howard, the Dolphins’ rookie cornerback, made his fifth NFL start and the second-round pick struggled defending Buffalo’s Sammy Watkins.
Watkins caught seven passes for 154 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins, and two of his more impressive receptions came with Howard defending him.
Howard, who was replacing an injured Byron Maxwell (right ankle) in the lineup was playing his second game since coming back from a right medial collateral ligament injury that sidelined him for 10 weeks.
Wake climbing sack charts
Defensive Cameron Wake, who was selected for his fifth Pro Bowl this past week, recorded a sack in the second quarter, giving him 11.5 for the season. He now has 81.5 sacks in his career, moving into a tie for second place with Pittsburgh’s James Harrison among undrafted players in NFL history.
He also moved past former Dolphins legend Jason Taylor for the most sacks by a Dolphins player in their first eight seasons with the team . ...
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill had the hard cast on his injured left knee removed, and was walking around Saturday with a soft cast on his knee.
While Tannehill is still struggling to walk, the Dolphins haven’t put him on injured reserve because Miami hopes he’ll be healthy enough to play in the postseason.