Who’s hot, who’s not after the Dolphins’ loss to the Vikings
The Dolphins are at .500 after their third consecutive defeat following a 3-0 start.
Here’s a look at who’s hot — and who’s not — after the teams’ 24-16 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday
Who’s hot
▪ Tyreek Hill: When all else fails and the Dolphins seemingly have to make a weekly quarterback change due to injury, they can count on Hill. He caught a season-high 12 passes for 177 yards, his third game surpassing 100 yards this season. After Sunday’s game, Hill has recorded 50 catches for 701 yards and two touchdowns. He’s on pace for 141 receptions and 1,986 yards, both of which would shatter franchise records.
▪ Mike Gesicki: It was a breakout game of sorts for the fifth-year tight end who has struggled to find his place in Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel’s offense. Gesicki recorded six catches for 69 yards and two touchdowns, all season-high figures. The absence of fellow tight end Durham Smythe (hamstring) meant a bigger role for Gesicki — whose blocking struggles has led to limited snaps — and he delivered.
Who’s not
▪ Jaylen Waddle: The second-year receiver caught six passes for 129 yards but he contributed to a pair of turnovers.
With time running out in the first half, he bobbled a pass from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater that was intercepted by safety Harrison Smith and led to a Vikings field goal before halftime.
And on the offense’s penultimate drive, down 16-10, Waddle caught an intermediate pass downfield but fumbled the ball in Vikings territory. Minnesota recovered the ball and running back Dalvin Cook scored on a 53-yard run two plays later to effectively seal the game. To make matters worse, after the game McDaniel suggested Waddle sustained a shoulder injury on a long catch-and-run in the fourth quarter.
▪ Offensive line: The Dolphins’ offensive line was already in a troublesome spot entering Sunday’s game. The unit was using its third unique starting combination with left tackle Terron Armstead (toe) and right tackle Austin Jackson (ankle) out. Greg Little, who had started the last four games for Jackson, moved to his more natural spot on the left side, while Brandon Shell, the veteran lineman elevated from the practice squad, started at right tackle after filling in for Armstead against the New York Jets.
The unit as a whole struggled, allowing six sacks and a handful more hits.
McDaniel said both Armstead and Jackson were close to playing, lending optimism that his bookend tackles may be able to return for the Dolphins’ Week 7 game vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers on “Sunday Night Football.”
▪ Cornerback depth: The Dolphins’ already thin cornerback situation took another hit Sunday. The defense welcomed back Xavien Howard after a one-game absence because of a groin injury but lost Nik Needham and Keion Crossen to injuries.
Needham was carted off in the second quarter with what a league source told the Miami Herald is a season-ending Achilles injury, while Crossen went into the locker room with a knee injury and did not return. McDaniel did not provide an update on Crossen.
Needham’s injury continues to hamstring a cornerback room that hasn’t been at full strength dating to training camp. Rookie Kader Kohou did not play because of an oblique injury and Byron Jones remains on the reserve/physically-unable-to-perform list after offseason surgery on his lower leg.
For much of the game, 2020 first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene and core special teamer Justin Bethel filled in alongside Howard and they played well given the circumstances. But the additional injuries cast another cloud over a defense that had bright moments in the loss to the Vikings.
This story was originally published October 16, 2022 at 5:57 PM.
