Gaskin returns from injury to reclaim Dolphins’ starting job. And the latest playoff odds
Myles Gaskin played for the first time in a month Sunday.
On a related note, the Miami Dolphins’ running game was much improved.
Gaskin, off injured reserve after a four-week knee injury, rushed for 90 yards on 21 carries Sunday in a 19-7 win against the Bengals. He had a long of 26, but did fumble on the carry, resulting in the team’s only turnover of the day.
Regardless, Gaskin now has the Dolphins’ top two rushing outputs of the season and on the year leads the team in ground production by more than 300 yards.
Gaskin’s reemergence couldn’t come at a better time. The Dolphins were without three running backs Sunday: Matt Breida (reserve/COVID-19), Salvon Ahmed (shoulder) and DeAndre Washington (hamstring).
“These guys work extremely hard,” coach Brian Flores said, “so a lot of credit should go to them. I don’t want the spotlight on me. It should be on the guys that are on the field, the players. DeVante [Parker] playing well. He played well for us. He made plays for us. So did [Mike Gesicki]. So did Myles Gaskin. I thought the O-line played well with the three young guys in there. I thought defensively, we made a lot of plays.”
Miami Dolphins playoff picture
The Dolphins are 8-4 for the first time since 2003, but their playoff odds actually shrank despite the win Sunday.
Miami’s win against the Bengals keeps the Dolphins at No. 6 in the current American Football Conference playoff picture. Miami remains a game behind the Cleveland Browns, who are the top Wild Card team at the moment, and has the edge on the No. 7-seed Indianapolis Colts because of a better conference record.
Still, the Dolphins’ chances to make the NFL playoffs are down to 46 percent, according to FiveThirtyEight. After its win against the New York Jets last Sunday, Miami’s playoff chances sat at 47 percent.
A few games Sunday swung against the Dolphins in the final moments. The Colts forced a fumble at their own 2-yard line with 1:22 to clinch a 26-22 win and improve to 8-4. The Las Vegas Raiders, currently fourth in the Wild Card race, also improved to 7-5 with a walk-off touchdown to beat the Jets, 31-28.
Two games Monday and Tuesday will have important playoff implications, too. The Buffalo Bills, leading Miami by a half game in the AFC East, face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday and the Baltimore Ravens, currently fifth in the Wild Card race at 6-5, face the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday.
This story was originally published December 6, 2020 at 6:59 PM.
