He ‘stepped up big’ late in Dolphins’ loss to Bills. Could that mean more playing time?
The game was already out of reach Sunday, but Patrick Laird found himself in position to showcase himself as the Miami Dolphins took the field for their final drive in their 37-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
The undrafted rookie running back had all of seven touches to that point in his young NFL career — and three to that point in the game.
But in the span of the Dolphins’ final six plays, Laird consistently found ways to get involved in the team’s last-ditch effort to put up points. The running back caught four catches out of the backfield for 46 yards.
“It’s always fun getting out there and playing during the game,” Laird said. “I’ve been playing on special teams predominantly throughout the season — and I love that role — but obviously I have a love for playing running back. It felt good to get out there and play a little bit.”
Laird finished the game with 58 scrimmage yards on seven touches (six catches for 51 receiving yards and a 7 yard rush) despite playing just 16 snaps on offense.
And considering the Dolphins’ porous running back situation, Laird very well could see his opportunities increase sooner rather than later.
“You saw Patrick Laird, who really stepped up big at the end of the game last week,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “He got thrown in there and all of a sudden gets five, six catches or whatever it was. You never really know when your number is going to get called, but if you do well, usually your number will get called again.”
Just look at the rest of the Dolphins’ tailbacks.
Mark Walton was cut after yet another arrest — this time on a charge of aggravated battery on a person known to be pregnant. Kenyan Drake is in Arizona after being traded three weeks ago. Kalen Ballage is averaging just 1.9 yards per carry. Fellow rookies Myles Gaskin (1 rush, 0 yards; 1 catch, 0 yards in two games) and fullback Chandler Cox (zero touches in nine games) round out the Dolphins’ backfield.
So with the way Laird played on Sunday, does he envision a chance to get more snaps?
“Our coaches are smart,” Laird said. “How much they want to put me in, I’ll let them decide that. I’ll just come in prepared to execute as best I can every time.”
That’s been his mind-set all season, and it’s helped him get on the field despite not knowing if he would even make the team coming out of training camp.
Laird went undrafted out of Cal, where he began his college career as a walk-on before becoming a two-time captain and rushing for 2,153 yards and 14 touchdowns on 425 carries and adding 608 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 99 catches in 41 career games. His 51 catches out of the backfield as a senior stand as the school’s single-season record by a running back.
He impressed over the course of training camp and led the team with 114 rushing yards on 25 carries in the preseason. He has carved out a role away from the offense, playing at least two-thirds of the Dolphins’ special-team snaps in five of the past six games.
“I think he earned that,” running backs coach Eric Studesville said earlier this season. “I think how he came and performed and prepared and when he got his opportunities and things he did with it, I think he made us more believers. The whole thing is opportunity. What do you do with those chances when you get them? I think he maximized those early on in the year. I see no reason why he wouldn’t with any opportunity going forward.”
This story was originally published November 21, 2019 at 3:36 PM.
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