Coach Adam Gase is critical of his own play-calling last Sunday.

Play-calling was ‘too cute’ vs. Chargers

DAVIE — Adam Gase is still blaming himself for what he considered faulty play-calling in the first half of Sunday’s 19-17 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Gase, the second-year coach who also calls plays, said after the Dolphins got a field goal on their opening possession he got “too cute” and relied on too much schematic “crap.”

“I wasn’t giving our guys a good chance,” Gase said of the first-half possessions after the opening field goal.

“I was just doing things in the first half that just didn’t let them just go play and win one-on-one matchups.”

The Dolphins trailed 10-3 at halftime. He sounded as though he was looking for a chess match with Chargers coach Anthony Lynn that never materialized.

“Really, I should have just believed what I was seeing and just got to the things that we could attack, coverages they were playing,” Gase said.

Gase said once he decided to let his playmakers make plays, things got better.

No decision on Timmons

Gase said he still hasn’t decided whether linebacker

Lawrence Timmons, who has been suspended indefinitely, will return to the team this season. Gase also said Dolphins executive

Mike Tannenbaum has taken over the Timmons matter, for the most part.

“I haven’t made any decisions,” Gase said Thursday. “I’m going one day at a time right now. And I know there’s steps that are being made with what’s going on with him. Mike’s really kind of taken the lead on that and so I’m getting updates as we go.”

Gase said his focus is getting guys ready for the New York Jets.

Injury update

Running back Jay Ajayi (knee), wide receiver DeVante Parker (ankle), middle linebacker Rey Maualuga (hamstring) and defensive tackle Jordan

Phillips (ankle) sat out practice Thursday. Parker was downgraded, as he was limited Wednesday.

Wide receiver Jarvis Landry (knee) was limited, an upgrade from Wednesday when he didn’t practice. Running back Damien

Williams (ribs) also was upgraded. He had full participation after being limited Wednesday. Center

Mike Pouncey (rest) also missed practice.

Gase didn’t classify either the Landry or Ajayi knee ailments as serious concerns.

“I wouldn’t say ‘serious,’ ” Gase said. “But they both got banged up a little bit in that last game. I know Jay … was off his feet one time where he got spun around in the air there and took a pretty vicious hit.

“Jarvis had a couple where he took some shots. It’s probably a little more preventative than anything.”

No red-zone threat

The Dolphins were 0-3 in red-zone touchdown opportunities against the Chargers last week. Gase said the Dolphins don’t have a specific red-zone target, and he doesn’t sound as though he wants one.

“I’ve never really had a go-to guy in the red zone,” he said. “Just spread the ball out, make it tough. You want them to have to cover everybody — run, pass, whatever we decide to do, different formation. You want everybody to be effective down there.”

Gase took the blame for the inside-the-20 outcomes.

“Everybody’s got a little pride, a little something that they’re better than the other guys, and you lean on the things you know they’re really good at,” he said. “But we had some opportunities. [We had] some bad play calls. They did a good job.”

“I’ve never really had a goto guy in the red zone. Just spread the ball out, make it tough.” Adam Gase, dolphins coach

WINSLOW TOWNSON/AP Dolphins running back Damien Williams (ribs) was upgraded Thursday. He had full participation after being limited Wednesday.