DOLPHINS PLACE TAGOVAILOA ON IR

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve by the Miami Dolphins on Saturday, meaning he will miss at least three games before he can return from fractured ribs.

Tagovailoa already had been ruled out for today’s game at Las Vegas, with Jacoby Brissett set to start for the Dolphins and Reid Sinnett (USD) getting promoted from the practice squad in order to serve as the backup.

Tagovailoa also will miss games on Oct. 3 against Indianapolis and Oct. 10 against Tampa Bay, at minimum. The earliest he could return is an Oct. 17 game in London against Jacksonville.

He was injured after eight plays in last weekend’s 35-0 loss to Buffalo, leaving after Miami’s second series and not returning. Brissett played the rest of the way in that game.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins also announced that linebackers coach Anthony Campanile will not be with the team because of COVID-19 protocols.

Steelers rule Watt out

Pittsburgh star outside linebacker T.J. Watt won’t play against Cincinnati after all. The team has downgraded Watt to out for dayto’s visit from Cincinnati (1-1). Watt, who is dealing with a groin injury, was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report.

Watt got hurt in the second quarter of last weekend’s 26-17 loss to Las Vegas. He was limited in practice this week but said Friday he was hoping to play.

Watt’s absence means the Steelers (1-1) will be without both of their starting outside linebackers today. Alex Highsmith was already ruled out with a groin injury.

Packers won’t have Jenkins

Green Bay offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins has been ruled out for today’s game against the San Francisco 49ers with an ankle injury.

Jenkins got hurt during Monday night’s victory over the Lions, though he remained in the game. After listing him as doubtful on Friday’s injury report, the Packers (1-1) announced Saturday that Jenkins wasn’t making the trip to San Francisco.

The Packers also announced that tight end Dominique Dafney won’t play against the 49ers (2-0) because of a hip injury. The Packers placed Dafney on injured reserve, meaning he must miss at least the next three games.

Jenkins was a Pro Bowl left guard last season, but he has been filling in at left tackle for injured All-pro David Bakhtiari, who hasn’t played since tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament on Dec. 31. Bakhtiari is on the physically unable to perform list and will miss at least the first six games.

The Packers haven’t indicated how they might shuff le their line without Jenkins. Options include putting Dennis Kelly or Yosh Nijman at left tackle, or perhaps shifting right tackle Billy Turner to the left side and putting Kelly in Turner’s usual spot.