More injuries slam Dolphins: Baker, Van Ginkel, Goode all out long-term
An injury-ravaged Dolphins team lost three more defensive players, including two starters, during Sunday’s loss to Buffalo.
Linebacker Jerome Baker sustained a wrist injury and is out for the remainder of the playoffs. He had surgery Monday. Baker returned Sunday after missing four games with a sprained MCL.
Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel sustained a foot injury in the third quarter and also will miss Miami’s playoff opener at Kansas City at 8 p.m. Saturday (NBC, Peacock) and the duration of the postseason.
And outside linebacker
Cameron Goode ,akey special teams player, sustained a torn patellar tendon and is out for many months.
Meanwhile, cornerback
Xavien Howard appears unlikely to play in Kansas City because of a foot injury.
“It would be fair to say we are not planning for” Howard to play Saturday, coach Mike McDaniel said.
The Dolphins likely will need to add defensive players this week. They’re down to Duke Riley, David Long Jr. and seldom-using Channing Tindall at inside linebacker.
They’re down to Melvin Ingram and Emmanuel Ogbah at outside linebacker.
McDaniel said the team will explore outside personnel options.
McDaniel said he’s optimistic that running back Raheem Mostert and receiver Jaylen Waddle will play in Kansas City after missing two games with ankle injuries.
Amid a disappointing end to the regular season, a number of finished atop — or near the top of — several statistical categories.
Among the notable feats:
Tua Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing yards with 4,624, beating out Detroit’s Jared Goff (4,575).
He became the first Dolphins player to lead the league in passing yards since Dan Marino did it in 1992, with 4,116 yards.
What’s more, Tagovailoa’s 4,624 passing yards are third most in franchise history, behind Marino’s 1984 season (5,084 yards) and 1986 season (4,746 yards).
Tagovailoa became just the second Dolphins quarterback to throw for more than 4,500 yards in a season.
Among quarterbacks who played at least 10 games, Tagovailoa’s 69.3 completion percentage was the NFL’s third best behind Dak Prescott and
Brock Purdy.
Tagovailoa’s 101.1 passer rating was fourth best, behind Purdy (113), Prescott (105.9) and Lamar Jackson (102.7).
But Tagovailoa’s 62.7 passer rating in Sunday’s 21-14 loss to Buffalo was his worst of the season. He finished the night 17 for 27 for 173 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Rookie running back
De’Von Achane averaged 7.8 yards per carry on 103 rushing attempts. That’s the highest yardsper-carry average since the NFL/AFL merger — topping the 6.4 by Mercury Morris (in 1973 for Miami) and Jamaal Charles (in 2010 for Kansas City).
It’s the highest percarry average by any running back (minimum 100 rushes) since Beattie Feathers averaged 8.4 for Chicago in 1934.
Tyreek Hill led the NFL in receiving yards with 1,799, topping Dallas receiver CeeDee Lamb’s 1,749. Hill is the first Dolphins player to lead the league in receiving yards in a full season.
Hill’s 13 touchdown receptions tied Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans for the NFL lead. And Hill’s 119 receptions were tied for second most in the NFL, behind Lamb’s 135.
Though he missed the final two games of the season with an ankle injury, Raheem Mostert’s 18 rushing touchdowns led the league.
Zach Sieler’s 10 sacks were third among all defensive tackles, behind Baltimore’s Justin Madubuike (13) and Kansas City’s Chris
Jones (101⁄2).
Injured linebacker Bradley Chubb tied Tampa Bay’s Antoine Winfield Jr. as the league leader in forced fumbles with six.
TEAM STATISTICS
As a team, the Dolphins led the league in total offense, averaging 401.3 yards per game, just ahead of San Francisco (398.4). It marks the first time since 1994 (379.9) that the Dolphins have led the NFL in total offense.
It is just the second time that Miami has averaged 400-plus yards per game in a full season. The Dolphins averaged 433.5 yards in 1984.
The Dolphins were second in points per game at 29.2, behind Dallas’ 29.9.
But excluding defensive touchdowns, Miami averaged only 16.5 points in its six games against teams that are playoff bound.
The Dolphins finished the season with the NFL’s top passing offense, averaging 265.5 passing yards per game. It is the first time since 1993 that the Dolphins ranked first in passing.
The Dolphins averaged 235.8 rushing yards per game, which ranked sixth.
Defensively, the Dolphins permitted 318.3 yards per game, which was 10th best in the league. But the Dolphins were only 22nd in points yielded per game, at 23.0.
The Dolphins were 15th in passing yards allowed per game (221.2) and seventh in rushing yards relinquished per game (97.1).
Miami’s 56 sacks were third most in the league and set a team record.