Jeff Wilson Jr. on his Cowboys game: ‘Something my spirit needed.’ And Dolphins notes
A six-pack of Dolphins notes on a Wednesday:
▪ When Jeff Wilson Jr. bulldozed 6 yards to the Dallas 9, on a third-and-2, with 1:42 left against the Dallas Cowboys, he didn’t merely give his team a first down and give Jason Sanders a shorter game-winning field-goal attempt.
He also lifted his own spirits after a season marked by injuries and limited usage.
“It was something I needed,” Wilson said Wednesday. “It was something my spirit needed.”
His limited playing time this season had a lot to do with that.
Wilson missed the first six games with rib and finger injuries.
That — combined with Raheem Mostert’s excellence and the emergence of rookie running back De’Von Achane — left Wilson with only 24 carries for the season heading into the Dallas game.
With Mostert’s usage limited in the second half because of an ankle injury, Wilson had five carries for 21 yards on Sunday, including key 8- and 6-yard runs on that game-winning drive.
Wilson — who has 122 yards on 29 rushing attempts (3.6 per carry) — has handled his reduced role with a good attitude, but it isn’t what was envisioned after he ran 84 times and averaged 4.7 per carry in eight games for Miami last season after his midseason acquisition from San Francisco.
“It isn’t anything selfishly,” he said of wanting to play. “I just want to be out there at the end of the day. It isn’t about money. I love playing the game. If it was about the money I wouldn’t even be here because I haven’t made a lot of it throughout my career.”
That game “does something to my spirit and I needed it. I really did.”
Asked if he has discussed his reduced role with Mike McDaniel, Wilson said:
“We had some whispers about it when I got hurt. He told me how he feels about me. Nothing ever changed about that aspect. We had talks here and there but I’m not the guy to knock on your office every other week. I’m a man. It’s my job to figure it out.”
Wilson was a healthy scratch against Las Vegas but has been active every game since. Did injuries play a role in his reduced usage, or was it more a case of Mostert and Achane excelling?
“It was a little bit of both,” he said. “I had a finger going on, left pinkie - holding on to the ball, it was hard to grip.”
His message? “Don’t forget I’m here. I can play this game.”
His bruising running style is an asset in January games.
“That’s my cup of tea,” he said of his physical style. “That’s always been. I’ve always played with a chip on my shoulder and that hasn’t left.”
▪ A few injury updates: Tua Tagovailoa was limited with left thumb and quad injuries during Wednesday’s practice, but it would be very surprising if he didn’t play Sunday. Tagovailoa conducted his normal Wednesday news conference, after practice but before his injuries were revealed. He spoke like someone who plans to play…
Right tackle Austin Jackson, who was limited in practice with an oblique injury, said he is “cautiously optimistic” he will play Sunday, noting it’s a “tricky situation.”...
Safety Jevon Holland, who has missed four games in a row with sprained MCLs in both knees, was noncommittal about whether he would play Sunday. He participated in individual drills Wednesday (unlike last week) but was a limited participant in practice…
Missing practice altogether Wednesday: receivers Jaylen Waddle (ankle) and Tyreek Hill (ankle/veteran’s rest), Achane (toe), left tackle Terron Armstead (ankle, knee, back), guard Robert Hunt (hamstring), receiver Robbie Chosen (concussion) and Mostert (knee/ankle).
▪ Safety DeShon Elliott said he felt the fallout of his dynamic first-quarter tackle of Tony Pollard, who got much of his body in the end zone but didn’t score because the ball never crossed. Dallas ended up not scoring on that possession because of a fumble on a subsequent play.
Elliott said he was doing yoga on Tuesday and noticed his arm hurt. He said someone later showed him tape of the play and he believes his arm was strained on that play.
“Smart play, hustle play,” he said.
Elliott is fine now; he wasn’t limited in practice.
▪ Anticipation for Sunday’s game in Baltimore was palpable in the locker room.
“This is going to be a heavyweight fight,” Elliott said. “That’s all I’m going to say.”
Said Bradley Chubb: “Two great teams going at it, this is what you live for.”
▪ With a career-high six sacks, Andrew Van Ginkel has compensated for the loss of Jaelan Phillips to an oblique injury earlier in the season, and now, to a season-ending Achilles injury.
Pro Football Focus rates Van Ginkel sixth among 130 qualifying edge players.
What’s more, Van Ginkel is one of only three players (with Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson and Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt) with at least four sacks, five passes defended, one interception, seven tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits.
As for Chubb, PFF rates him ninth among edge players this season.
“We thrive off each other; we love seeing each other eat,” Van Ginkel said after each had 1 ½ sacks against Dallas. “When Chubb makes a big play, it gets us all excited. It’s just a love between us d-line. We feed off each other, and we want to see each other do well.”
▪ Since Armstead joined the team before the 2022 season, Dolphins players have talked about how they appreciate Armstead bringing players to the facility on Tuesdays to help them develop their skills and work on game preparation.
Tuesdays are typically an off day for NFL teams, but Armstead gives structure and mentoring to those who want to work part of the day.
“We get a whole group in here on off days,” Armstead said. “We go out there and we work our technique and go through calls and we simulate games and all those things…. In practice, you only get so many reps to take that step. So off days and offseason is when you see the most growth.”
What teammate has benefited the most from those Tuesday sessions?
“We’ve had everybody come in,” Armstead said. “But Rob Jones, Kion Smith. Yeah Kion Smith, that’s my son,” Armstead cracked.
“That’s my oldest. He’s one that I would say the most. He’s not going to miss a day or opportunity to work. But it’s really just that’s how the group is, how our room is. If the guys are feeling well enough to get out there, we go put the work in.”
Thanks to the offensive line and Tagovailoa’s quick release and the talented skill position players, the Dolphins have allowed only 27 sacks (third fewest in the league) and are averaging a league-high 5.0 yards per rush.
Miami has topped 2,000 rushing yards in a season for the first time since 2009.
This story was originally published December 27, 2023 at 5:37 PM.
