Bills, Dolphins update injuries. And an interesting pro- and anti-Tua ESPN exchange
The Buffalo Bills will be without at least three key defensive contributors in Sunday’s game against the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium (1 p.m., CBS).
Meanwhile, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he isn’t sure if left tackle Terron Armstead will be able to play through a toe injury. He played through the injury against Baltimore but hasn’t practiced at all this week and wasn’t spotted during media viewing on Friday.
“Up in the air,” McDaniel said of his status for Sunday. “I don’t think he knows yet if he will play. We have multiple contingency plans.”
If Armstead cannot play, Greg Little — or whoever plays left tackle — would have his hands full with future Hall of Fame Von Miller, one of the best pass rushers of his generation.
But McDaniel also said that Armstead is “a vet we can count on if he’s able to play without taking [practice snaps]. Traditionally you have to practice to play. He has proven otherwise. That being said I thought it would be extra helpful if we didn’t hurt how he’s treating it, making it worse with practice and we need to get guys prepared should he not be able to go.”
Cornerback Xavien Howard, who has been limited with a groin injury, has indicated he expects to play. “I’m confident he will able to go if he’s able to go,” McDaniel said, adding that Howard and Sam Madison are optimistic he will play. “His position coach is very confident.
As for receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr., who has a rib injury, “Ced wants to play. We want him to play,” McDaniel said. “We will take that up until game time. It’s hard to play football and keep them out of the equation and play and breathe. That’s player and coaching staff and medical staff” decisions.
On encouraging sign: Wilson practiced Friday without the red non-contact jersey.
The Dolphins could be without tight ends Hunter Long (ankle) and Cethan Carter (concussion protocol). Neither practiced the past three days.
Meanwhile, Bills coach Sean McDermott said Friday that safety Micah Hyde (neck), cornerback Dane Jackson (neck) and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (hamstring) will miss Sunday’s game.
Hyde was second-team All-Pro at safety last season. Phillips, the former Dolphins player, started one of Buffalo’s first two games. And Jackson started the first two games for Buffalo after starting six games last season.
Buffalo is still without top cornerback Tre’Davious White, while Miami remains without cornerback Byron Jones. Both are on the physically unable to perform list, requiring them to miss at least the first four games.
So the Bills are expected to start two rookie cornerbacks: Kaiir Elam and Christian Benford. And not only if Hyde out, but Buffalo’s other exceptional safety — 2021 first-team All-Pro Jordan Poyer — is in question for Sunday because of a foot injury.
“If you have good players go out, [their defense doesn’t] really change,” McDaniel said. “They just ask people to make up the difference.”
Incidentally, McDaniel said he thinks of Dan Marino and Jim Kelly when he thinks of Dolphins-Bills.
”It’s been a cool matchup and rivalry because of the extensive history playing each other,” McDaniel said. “For the same division, it couldn’t be two more different places. One team has to play in a place that’s a lot hotter; the other has to play in a place that’s a lot colder. It balances out.”
ESPN EXCHANGE
There have been several lively exchanges between ESPN analysts who think highly of Tua Tagovailoa and those who don’t.
One such exchange happened between Dan Orlovsky (who’s pro-Tagovailoa) and Keyshawn Johnson, who remains unimpressed with Tagovailoa and said Sunday’s game didn’t change his perception of him. Orlovsky shook his head as Johnson spoke.
Then there was this exchange, on “Get Up,” between former NFL players Domonique Foxworth and Chris Canty on ESPN:
Canty, a former defensive lineman, said: “I’m not [sold]. Tua did a great job of not blowing the layups. What I mean by that is being able to hit open receivers with busted coverage. You can go back and look at the tape. [One touchdown] to Jaylen Waddle was high and behind him in the red zone.
“The other throws to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle were coverage busts by Marcus Williams and Marcus Peters looking in the backfield.”
Foxworth, a former NFL cornerback, then said: “You can’t leave a game when a man throws for 469 yards and six touchdowns and try to criticize him. That pass to Waddle had to be high. There was a linebacker right there. That pass to Mike Gesicki, those are the things that make a difference. I am with you when there is a breakdown in coverage and hit a wide-open person, we don’t have to give you a bunch of credit.
“But when they needed that game-winning touchdown, they doubled Tyreek Hill, he threw it high and behind Waddle to keep him away from the safety, threw it high to get it over the linebacker. The pass had to be there. The touchdown to Gesicki seemed too high, but he knew Gesicki could get there. That’s the accuracy stuff I think makes Tua special. He can miss five throws a game, but if he hits one or two at the right time to those guys, it might be six.”
