Dolphins working through series of injury ‘unknowns’; Vic Fangio answers for late TD drives

MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins are dealing with a number of “unknowns” when it comes to their long list of injuries as they go from a devastating Monday night loss to the Tennessee Titans to hosting the New York Jets on a short week Sunday.

Running back De’Von Achane popped up on the Wednesday injury report with a toe injury. Liam Eichenberg, now the Dolphins’ No. 1 center with Connor Williams out for the rest of the season, was learned to be dealing with an ailing calf. Cornerback Xavien Howard indeed is receiving treatment on the hip he hurt in the game from a collision with safety Brandon Jones, although he made it through the finish line Monday.

All this while the Dolphins were already working through injuries to Tyreek Hill for his ankle, which had him miss significant time against the Titans, and left tackle Terron Armstead’s ankle and knee, which caused him to be inactive Monday.

The team didn’t practice Wednesday, held walkthroughs Thursday and won’t get a true chance to test players in a regular practice until Friday.

Achane, Hill and Eichenberg were among those that once again were estimated to sit out a practice had the team held one. Howard and Armstead, along with running back Raheem Mostert, who was partially a non-participant Wednesday due to veteran rest, were upgraded to limited participation on the injury report. Safety DeShon Elliott (concussion protocol/ribs), right guard Robert Hunt (hamstring) were still listed as non-participants.

“We’re setting a PR (personal record) here, for my tenure,” McDaniel quipped about the number of injuries. “But it’s really just unknowns because, for us, we’re orchestrating two walkthroughs (Thursday). That’s where my mind’s been wrapped up. I know there’s a lot of people really, really pushing themselves in terms of rehab and there’s a lot of people that really, really want to go work the taste out of their mouth this week.

“There is a lot of question marks. The one thing I’m not questioning is the gusto with which whoever is playing on Sunday will be providing. We have a very focused team on the New York Jets.”

Safety Jevon Holland, who has missed the last two weeks with MCL sprains in both knees, right tackle Austin Jackson and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel — both dealing with oblique ailments — were listed as limited on the Wednesday and Thursday injury reports, as was running back Chris Brooks, working back from injured reserve for a knee ailment.

McDaniel appeared optimistic about Hill’s chances to play against the Jets after the scary moment Monday night when he was down in pain after a tackle out of bounds and missed about half the game from the middle of the first quarter to the third quarter.

“He’s at such a great spot (mentally),” McDaniel said. “He’s going to take care of everything in his hands. He’s such an important part of our team that we’re going to make sure that, when he’s on the field, he’s not at risk of further injuring himself. … We’re just going to be prudent and smart with him.”

Hill said on a social media livestream Wednesday night of his ankle: “I’m good. I’ll be all right.”

Fangio answers

Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, on Thursday, answered for the two late touchdown drives his defense surrendered Monday night against the Titans.

While McDaniel had previously mentioned miscommunications in the secondary leading to the alacrity with which Tennessee drove down the field for the two touchdowns and a two-point conversion, Fangio said there weren’t communication issues on the back end.

“I don’t think communication was the issue,” Fangio said Thursday. “I needed to call it better, and we needed to play it better. We’re teammates in this operation, players and coaches, and we all just needed to be a little bit better.”

He added the drives were unusual in that the big plays early in the series made it largely a red-zone two minute drill for Tennessee. On the second drive, which started with a big play to DeAndre Hopkins, Fangio said, “We just didn’t pick it up the way we usually do and had a problem with that.”

The experienced defensive coordinator said the best thing to do is just flush that game and move on.

“You just have to do it,” Fangio said. “That’s part of playing in the NFL. I think the best thing to get it going is just to get out there and practice and prepare for the next opponent, and not sit around and just think about the last game.

“I’m pretty good at moving on to the next one. But I’m just disappointed in the way that it ended. We had been pretty good all year in two-minute situations, if you remember. We were out there with games on the line, and we just didn’t get it done this time.”

Ingram reaction

The Dolphins made the signing of outside linebacker Melvin Ingram to the practice squad official Thursday.

“It was awesome just to be around the guy,” McDaniel said Thursday. “He’s a magnetic personality that he had a lot of teammates that were pumped to see him.”

Ingram worked out for the team Tuesday before the two sides agreed to terms.

“The workout was what we needed to see, which is why he’s here, but then a workout is far different from a game,” said McDaniel. “I wouldn’t shortchange him and go zero to 60. We’re going to take it day by day.”