Miami makes O-line changes
Wilson inactive with Fuller making debut
LAS VEGAS — Following a week of speculation of what changes would come on the Miami Dolphins offensive line after the unit was drubbed in last week’s 35-0 loss to the Buffalo Bills, those alterations were revealed in Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
The Dolphins’ starting offensive line, from left to right, went: Austin Jackson, Jesse Davis, Michael Deiter, Robert Hunt and Liam Eichenberg. The team initially showed that alignment in pregame warmups ahead of the 4 p.m. kickoff.
Davis, after giving up the hit last week that knocked quarterback Tua Tagovailoa out of the loss to Buffalo and making an early exit himself with a knee injury, moved from right tackle to left guard.
In his place at right tackle, the rookie Eichenberg was put in. Eichenberg, a second-round pick the Dolphins traded up for, replaced Davis in the second half of the Week 2 game. He also started the opener at left tackle when Jackson missed that week of practice on the reserve/ COVID-19 list.
Jackson, a 2020 first-round pick, remained as the starting left tackle after he struggled there in the second-year player’s season debut last Sunday.
The movement also sent Solomon Kindley, who started the first two games at left guard, to the bench.
Wilson inactive
Dolphins wide receiver Albert Wilson was one of the team’s five inactive players announced prior to kickoff Sunday.
The designation came as a surprise with Wilson not listed on the Dolphins’ injury report released following Friday’s practice. Only Tagovailoa, who on Saturday was placed on injured reserve, was listed as out for Miami on Friday due to his fractured ribs.
Wilson, his last time out, dropped two passes in the Dolphins’ loss to the Bills. He finished that game with four receptions for 20 yards after he was held without a catch in the opener at the New England Patriots.
Along with Wilson, fellow wide receiver Preston Williams, tackle Greg Little and cornerbacks Trill Williams and Elijah Campbell were the other Dolphins inactives.
Speedy free-agent acquisition Will Fuller made his Dolphins debut as Miami kept five wide receivers and five tight ends active on Sunday. Fuller did not start, but he was in on Miami’s second offensive play after
Mack Hollins was a starting wideout with DeVante Parker and Jaylen Waddle.
Fuller, who signed a one-year, $10.6 million deal that included an extra $3 million in incentives this offseason, missed the opener against the Patriots serving the final game of his suspension from last season while he was with the Houston Texans and was away from the team for personal reasons last week against the Bills.
Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, the 2020 first-round pick, was active against the Raiders after he was inactive each of the first two weeks of the season.
For the Raiders, running back Josh Jacobs, who was doubtful to play, was officially deemed out ahead of kickoff. It set up former Dolphin Kenyan Drake to split the running back workload with Peyton Barber. Dallin Leavitt, Roderic Teamer, Malcolm Koonce, Jackson Barton, Nick Bowers and Damion Square were the other Raiders inactives, while former Dolphins offensive guard Richie Incognito is on injured reserve.
The Dolphins also had a pair of assistant coaches miss Sunday’s game due to NFL COVID protocols: Inside linebackers coach Anthony Camapanile and outside linebackers coach Rob Leonard.
TO streak continues
When linebacker Elandon Roberts returned an interception of Raiders quarterback Derek Carr 85 yards for a first-quarter touchdown, it extended the Dolphins’ streak of consecutive games with a turnover to 25.
Eric Rowe pressured Carr with a safety blitz, and Carr threw blindly right into Roberts’ abdomen. The inside linebacker more known for his tackling and run defense labored across the field without a Raider near him for the score.
The Dolphins own a 16-game advantage on the team with the next-longest active takeaway streak. The Dallas Cowboys have done it in nine consecutive games.
Phillips starts
Dolphins rookie edge defender Jaelan Phillips made his first career start on Sunday. He was more active in Week 3, receiving greater playing time than the first two weeks. Phillips was averaging 20 defensive plays per game entering Sunday at Las Vegas.
On one first-quarter play, Phillips showed excellent hustle to chase down Raiders receiver Bryan Edwards for a tackle after Phillips was in the backfield on the opposite side of the field where Edwards made a catch and evaded three would-be tacklers.