Dolphins miss three starters in loss to Bills. And Jones makes first start since knee injury
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle returned after a one-game absence because of a concussion. But the Dolphins played without three starters in its 48-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Center Connor Williams and safety DeShon Elliott were inactive because of groin injuries. They joined outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips, who was previously announced as out because of an oblique injury, as starters who didn’t play in the Week 4 game.
With Elliott sidelined, Brandon Jones — who played sparingly in the first three games of the season — made his start since tearing his ACL last October. Jones finished the game with two tackles. On wide receiver Stefon Diggs’ 55-yard catch-and-run, Jones missed a tackle along with cornerback Kader Kohou.
“I was happy that he got to play football,” Dolphins coach McDaniel said of Jones after the game. “We’ll check the tape and see how I feel about it afterward.”
Jevon Holland and Elijah Campbell were Miami’s other healthy safeties.
With Williams sidelined for the first time since signing with the Dolphins in the 2022 offseason, third-year player Liam Eichenberg made his first career start at center. He logged snaps at the position during the offseason workout program and filled in for Williams in Week 3.
“I think Liam did a tremendous job,” Tagovailoa said. “I’m very, very proud, very happy for what he’s done and the task that was asked of him. To come into this week, to play center on the road in a loud environment against this D-line, against this defense, [I’m] very, very proud of him in how he conducted himself and getting guys in the right places to block our run game and get guys in the right places to block our pass game. So, I’m very proud of him.”
Running back Salvon Ahmed, who was listed as questionable, was also active. So was left tackle Terron Armstead, but he exited the game and did not return after injuring his knee in the second quarter.
Quarterback Skylar Thompson (emergency QB), cornerback Eli Apple and tight end Tyler Kroft were also inactive.
This story was originally published October 1, 2023 at 11:40 AM.
