Dolphins’ Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert out vs. Bills; plus Miami’s updated playoff scenarios
The Miami Dolphins were again without wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and running back Raheem Mostert for Sunday night’s clash for the AFC East with the Buffalo Bills.
With the two dealing with ankle injuries, both miss the game against the Bills as they were listed among the game’s inactive players announced 90 minutes before the 8:20 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium.
Both also missed last week’s 56-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens with the ankle ailments suffered Dec. 24 against the Dallas Cowboys. Without Mostert and Waddle, that’s 2,213 total yards of offense Miami is missing, as Mostert has surpassed 1,000 yards rushing and Waddle 1,000 yards receiving.
Rookie running back De’Von Achane was expected to handle a majority of the backfield workload for Mostert, with Jeff Wilson Jr. complementing the speedster with a physical presence in the run game. Among receivers that were in line to take on more targets with Waddle out was Cedrick Wilson Jr., who caught a touchdown on Miami’s opening drive in Baltimore last week.
Mostert and Waddle missed Wednesday and Thursday practices this past week before trying to test their ankles at Friday drills. They entered Sunday questionable to play, but national media reports early in the day already indicated the two would be inactive.
Meanwhile, safety Jevon Holland and linebacker Jerome Baker, who also entered Sunday night questionable, were not listed among inactives. They were available for the Dolphins.
Holland was only a concern because he was downgraded to questionable Saturday after carrying no game status designation Friday. He’s playing through lingering MCL sprains to both knee.
Baker was just activated off injured reserve for his knee injury Saturday and was expected to play. He took the spot that outside linebacker Bradley Chubb vacated with his placement on IR due to a torn ACL in his right knee. Edge rusher Melvin Ingram was elevated from the practice squad Saturday.
Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard was inactive after he was ruled out Friday. Healthy Miami inactives were tight end Tyler Kroft, tackle Kion Smith, cornerback Ethan Bonner, who was elevated from the practice squad Saturday for Sunday’s game, and quarterback Skylar Thompson, who was still available as an emergency third quarterback.
Playoff scenarios
The Dolphins’ playoff matchup scenarios were simplified ahead of Sunday night based on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ loss to the Tennessee Titans earlier Sunday and Saturday’s Pittsburgh Steelers win over Baltimore.
If the Dolphins defeat the Bills, which seals the AFC East and No. 2 seed in the playoffs, a rematch with Buffalo right back at Hard Rock Stadium is in order next weekend.
A Dolphins loss to the Bills means Miami falls to No. 6 as a wild card and travels to Kansas City to face the No. 3 Chiefs. Buffalo is then No. 2, winning the AFC East and facing the No. 7 Steelers.
Miami and Buffalo could tie Sunday night, which also accomplishes a division title for the Dolphins the same as a win. Miami would then get the Steelers in the first round, with the Bills finishing sixth.
Dates and times of matchups are to be announced after the completion of Sunday night’s game. For wild-card weekend, there are two Saturday games, three Sunday slots and a Monday night game.
2024 schedule
The Dolphins have three opponents to be determined based on teams that finish in the same position in the AFC West, AFC North and NFC North. They would host the AFC West opponent and visit the other two.
A Miami win or tie Sunday night means the team travels to Baltimore and Detroit for the Ravens and Lions next season, while hosting the Chiefs.
A Dolphins loss and drop to second in the AFC East means they will visit Cleveland to match up with the Browns, play the Raiders at home and travel to Lambeau Field to play the Green Bay Packers.
In 2024, aside from the usual home-and-homes against the Dolphins’ three divisional opponents of Bills, New York Jets and New England Patriots, the entire AFC East plays against the entire AFC South and NFC West.
The Dolphins have home games against the Jaguars, Titans, San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals. They have away games against the Texans, Colts, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.
Dates and times for all matchups will be announced in May.
