Gase patient with Parker’s inconsistency
DAVIE — The DeVante Parker enigma continues for the Dolphins.
The upside for Parker is he wasn’t a total disaster in Monday’s 27-20 win over the Patriots, but he still made frustrating mistakes as he finished with four catches for 40 yards.
“We just need the consistency,” coach Adam Gase said Tuesday. “We have to keep trying to get him going. He can be such a huge piece of the puzzle for us.”
Parker had two drops, including one on the first play of the game when Jay Cutler hit Parker in the hands coming across the middle and he lost control of the ball as linebacker Elandon Roberts came at him.
The ball hit Parker 3 yards past the line of scrimmage, but he could have broken a long gain if he’d been able to catch it and get to the outside. He had a similar drop with about five minutes left in the game, when the ball bounced off his hands and was nearly intercepted.
“There was some good stuff, (but) there was a couple of them I wish we could have back that I thought were going to be some big plays,” Gase said. “I can see him understanding the concepts so well to where he knows he has a lot of green grass and he wants to go, but he’s gotta catch the ball first. And that’s really what happened on that first play.
“He knew he had a chance for a big one, and we just need him to focus on catching the ball first and run after that. He’s gotta trust his speed. There was some good technique things he did on his routes.”
Parker’s longest play of the night was a 15-yard catch in the first quarter, which is a letdown considering he should be the team’s No. 1 big-play threat. In each of the previous two games, he had one catch for 5 yards.
Parker, the No. 14 overall draft pick in 2015, hasn’t topped 70 yards receiving since Nov. 5 against Oakland. In 39 career games, he’s topped 100 yards three times. Going into Sunday’s game at Buffalo, he’s third on the team in catches (40) and yards (454). He has just one touchdown.
Williams healthy for Bills? Don’t forget about Damien Williams just because Kenyan Drake has excelled in his absence. The Dolphins believe their offense operates best with both running backs in the game plan, and Williams has been pushing to get back on the field.
He was knocked out of the game at New England on Nov. 26 with a shoulder injury and hasn’t practiced or played since. He was on the field for some light work on the side last week, though, and Gase did not rule him out for Sunday.
“We just got to keep getting him stronger and then when the trainers say he’s ready to go on the field, we’ll put him on the field,” Gase said.
Multiple media reports said Williams’ injury was a dislocated shoulder, which typically sidelines a player for 2-3 weeks. The Dolphins haven’t been that specific.
Williams accounted for 254 yards and one touchdown rushing and receiving in four games after the Jay Ajayi trade and is one of Gase’s favorite weapons. He was third on the team in total touchdowns (six) last season.
“We’re going to keep trying to get him ready to go, strengthen him up as much as we can,” Gase said. “I know this has been frustrating for him. He wants to get out there, he wants to help us. We need him. He’s a valuable piece of this team, not only on the team but his attitude.”
Gase planned to meet with the medical staff to gauge the likelihood of getting Williams on the practice field today or Friday.
Williams’ injury leaves Miami with inexperienced Senorise Perry and De’Veon Smith as the only other running backs on the roster behind Drake.
Drake, meanwhile, had 234 yards and a touchdown on 48 carries in the past two games, plus eight catches for 100 yards.
Gase downplays win over Pats: Under no circumstances will Gase take a moment to enjoy his team’s big win over New England. He was well past it by the time he met with the media Tuesday, turning his attention to Buffalo.
When pressed to at least acknowledge how much it meant to the organization to beat the Patriots, who had won decisively in each of Gase’s first three games against them, he said thanks but no thanks.
“It’s a good win for us because that was the most important game of that week,” he said. “And I know you want more than that, but really, if we lose next week, nobody really is going to give a (expletive).”
The locker room was more jubilant in the wee hours after Monday night’s win, with music blasting and players dancing. It’s the most excited they’ve been after a game all season, and even though Gase doesn’t want to dwell on it, he could tell the win was worth something extra to them.
“I think it means a lot to the players, because they have to go out there and they have the physical battle they have to handle,” he said. “Not everything’s gone quite right this year and guys have done a great job of just plugging along, figuring out a way to get better.”