Celebration of playoff berth muted

DAVIE — The Dolphins’ locker room conversation about clinching a playoff spot was understated compared to the rampant reaction by their fans when it became official Sunday night.

M a n y o f t h e p l a y e r s watched the Chiefs’ victory over Denver intently, eager to solidify the franchise’s first postseason berth since 2008, but right t ackle Ja’ Wuan James was asleep. He normally calls it a night around 9 p.m. and was perfec tly content to check the score in the morning.

Adam Gase said he had the game on at his house “k i n d o f a s b a c k g r o u n d noise” while he dissected film from the Dolphins’ win over Buffalo the night before. Long snapper John Denney, a man who’s been here 12 years and sniffed the playoffs just once, watched it quietly on the couch with his wife.

“It was exciting, but there was no balloons or drinks,” he said. “It was kind of surreal, to be honest, like, ‘Wow, this is happening.’ It’s been a while. This is what we’ve been working for.”

The only part of the game that elicited much from the players Monday was the enduring image of Kansas C i t y ’s 3 4 6 - p o u n d n o s e tackle Dontari Poe throwing a jump pass at the goal line to become the heaviest player in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass.

“That was prett y good, man,” said Dolphins defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, a svelte 310 pounds by comparison. “That was awesome. I would definitely love to have that opportunity. That was amazing. Good for him.”

Several players, including Jarvis Landry, were livelier on Twitter at the end of the Chiefs game, but Monday’s subdued atmosphere was centered mainly on the upcoming game against New England.

Most weren’t even willing to contemplate the tremendous achievement of rebounding from a 1-4 start to clinch a playoff berth with a week to spare.

“I don’t think there’s any right now,” James said of the sense of achievement the team might feel. “Keep staying 1-0 and take it week by week. The world wants us to think like that and take us off track, but we’re gonna keep doing what we’re doing.”

Injury update: Gase said the team is waiting on MRI results on Isa Abdul-Quddus, who left Saturday’s Bills game with what was described as a neck injury.

Abdul-Quddus was seen wearing a sling as he left the locker room. Abdul-Quddus had been dealing with a neck injury earlier this season.

The loss of Abdul-Quddus could be very signific ant because Miami is already w i t h o u t s t a r t i n g s a f e t y Reshad Jones.

Running back Jay Ajayi said after the game he had an issue with the AC joint in his left shoulder but that he expected he would be OK.

“Jay was just a little banged up for 32 carries,” Gase said Monday. “But I think he’ll be OK.”

Starting cornerback Byron Maxwell did not play Saturday. Gase seemed a bit optimistic.

“Maxwell, we’ll see how this week progresses,” Gase said. “I know he felt better toward the end of the week. But we just weren’t going to put him out there and possi- bly really hurt our chances for him to play this week.”

While it appears unlikely from the outside that he has any shot at playing Sunday, Gase declined to rule out quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has missed the past two games with a knee injury.

It’s possible Gase is merely trying to play mind games with the Patriots, but there has been progress lately. After the New York game, Tannehill denied an NFL Network report that his MCL had torn completely off the bone and reiterated his hope to play again this season. He no longer has his left leg in a hard cast and was walking without crutches at the Buffalo game on Saturday.