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Earlier than many video games, the crew’s coach visits Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel after pregame practices to let him know which injured gamers can be found. Not Sunday. Earlier than this necessary sport with this costly listing of gamers.
Normal supervisor Chris Grier went to his coach with the report.
“It was fairly ominous this time,” McDaniel stated.
Left deal with Terron Armstead, out.
Web page rusher Bradley Chubb, out.
Cornerback Xavien Howard, out.
“Oh, for 3,” McDaniel stated.
You can begin anyplace The Dolphins misplaced to New England 23-21. You can begin with two interceptions by Dolphins quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Skylar Thompson that modified the day. You can begin with a protection that has had no turnovers and ranks thirtieth in that division.
You would possibly marvel how a crew that began 8-3 and was thought-about a high contender has seen its star fall with 5 straight losses to the purpose the place they’re hoping subsequent Sunday’s regular-season finale will even give them a shot on the playoffs. earn a ticket. .
Or you may say that this intersection of gamers with damage histories and this final season’s play was all the time fraught with warning indicators. Crossing your fingers shouldn’t be the plan. However that was a big a part of the Dolphins’ danger structure given how Grier constructed this roster.
Throw in quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was out with a concussion, and the Dolphins weren’t precisely unfortunate to have 4 of their high eight gamers out in a key sport of the season. That they had crafty planning that allowed the dangerous luck to indicate up.
“I am positive it is up there,” McDaniel stated when requested if that was probably the most begins he’d misplaced earlier than the large sport. “I do not actually have a look at it that approach simply because I belief the gamers now we have within the dressing room and we have gained a variety of video games with guys stepping up and beginning that have not been obtainable. “.
In fact, it is dangerous kind to speak about an damage after a loss. Each crew will get damage. The one drawback the Dolphins have is the gamers you feared would get damage as a result of their portfolios did on the identical time.
Armstead, the spine of this offensive line, was signed to a $75 million deal final season regardless of lacking a median of 5 video games a 12 months. Chubb was traded to a $120 million deal regardless of lacking two of his 5 seasons with accidents (and, sure, I hit the desk for that commerce).
Howard sidestepped the knee points that had been bothering him for a number of years, effectively, till Sunday. Perhaps it is simply dangerous timing. It occurs in soccer. Everybody will get damage. Those that get damage usually get damage extra.
Tagovailoa got here out of faculty with a surgically repaired hamstring, suffered a number of accidents in his first two NFL seasons and sat out Sunday with one other concussion, so Bridgewater began.
Bridgewater additionally seemed good till his 18th move was intercepted and returned for a landing as a result of he damage his hand. In got here his alternative, Thompson, a rookie, who threw one other interception.
“Simply missed the throw,” Thompson stated. “They’re the worst as a result of they’re beneath your management.”
Thompson has proven good kind to develop this season, however the seventh-round decide could possibly be the beginning quarterback subsequent week if the season is on the road in opposition to the New York Jets. That’s if New England loses to Buffalo and is smart within the Dolphins sport.
The Dolphins (8-8) not solely misplaced their fifth straight sport on Sunday. They’ve misplaced management of their playoff future. And, no, having these 4 high gamers on the sphere will not assure a win provided that they had been on the sphere the earlier 4 weeks.
However you need your finest gamers out for the season. You need Armstead there as a substitute of Kendall Lamm, who was signed to the apply squad in November. You need Chubb to assist with a move rush that sacked Patriots quarterback Mack Jones 3 times, but additionally noticed him look snug.
You want Howard at cornerback so Jones would not select a particular groups standout like Keion Crossen to placed on an island at cornerback. Or will the protection should depend on deal with Noah Igbinogen?
That is what it means. the expertise of any of the broken gamers is value a cube roll if you construct. However everybody. It comes all the way down to Invoice Parcells’ line. “If you happen to make exceptions, you are going to have a crew of exceptions.”
Look, “damage inclined” is not an indication you throw at anybody. You see gamers get damage on a regular basis after which get wholesome. You see gamers with dangerous knees or concussions go on to have wholesome careers.
However are you throwing the best picks and the most important {dollars} after these gamers? Perhaps one. Perhaps two. Perhaps you’ve got seen the issue when dangerous historical past mixes with dangerous luck.
Grier advised McDaniel earlier than the sport that they had been 0-for-3. They’ve now misplaced management of their season. The Dolphins head into the finale questioning who will play quarterback or, extra importantly, after Sunday, whether or not their play will even matter within the playoff chase.
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