The Miami Dolphins are going to Nevada this weekend for a prime time Saturday night meeting with the Las Vegas Raiders. The game is an unmissable match for Miami, which seeks to remain in a position to make the postseason for the first time since 2016, giving them the potential for their first playoff victory since 2000. The Dolphins enter the game in a fair and healthy way, especially considering the struggles for injuries that the team had last week.
The Dolphins activated Myles Gaskin running back earlier in the week, giving them back their full complement of running backs.
The only player who was excluded from the game by Miami is playmaker Solomon Kindley, who is dealing with a knee and foot problem. Miami listed point guard Ereck Flowers (ankle), tight end Mike Gesicki (shoulder), wide receiver Jakeem Grant (shoulder), defensive wing Shaq Lawson (shoulder) and wide receiver DeVante Parker (hamstring) as questionable For the game. With Parker, Grant, Gesicki, Gaskin and Preston Williams (currently in reserve due to a foot injury) missing last week, the team played without its top five players in terms of receptions in the year. The return of some, most or all of them (except Williams, which has not yet been activated by the IR), will be a great boost to the attack.
Also listed in the injury report, but released for the game, are linebacker Jerome Baker (knee), safety Clayton Fejedelem (without injury / thumb), safety Kavon Frazier (shoulder), cornerback Xavien Howard (shoulder), safety Bobby McCain (ankle) and linebacker Kyle Van Noy (hip).
On the side of the Raiders on the injury, the defensive side Clelin Ferrell was excluded from the game. Ferrell started 11 games this year in Las Vegas, registering 27 tackles, two sacks, three defended passes and two forced fumbles.
The Raiders listed the defensive tackle Maurice Hurst as questionable due to a calf injury. The rest of the injury report, including linebacker Nicholas Morrow (concussion / neck), center Rodney Hudson (knee / back), point guard Gabe Jackson (knee), tackle Sam Young (knee), safety Johnathan Abram (concussion / knee) ), cornerback Damon Arnette (concussion / neck), kicker Daniel Carlson (left ankle), quarterback Derek Carr (groin), defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins (uninjured), defender Alec Ingold (knee), running back Josh Jacobs (knee), cornerback Isaiah Johnson (back), linebacker Raekwon McMillan (elbow), wide receiver Hunter Renfrow (concussion), running back Jalen Richard (chest) and defensive tip Carl Nassib (uninjured) in the report, but they seem available to the game. Carr’s availability is a surprise, as his groin injury looks severe enough for Marcus Mariota to start.
Since the injury report was released, Morrow has been added to the reserve / COVID-19 list, joining linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski. McMillan, the former player chosen for the second round of the Dolphins in 2017, may have extended playing time.
As Bill Williamson of SB Nation’s Raiders’ Silver and Black Pride website wrote on Thursday: “Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden said on Friday that quarterback Derek Carr is’ optimistic ‘will be ready to play on Saturday at home against the Miami Dolphins. Gruden said he “doesn’t want to leave the cat out of the bag”, however. “Mariota could still play with Carr as a substitute if necessary, but Carr seems to be trying to be ready for the game.
Miami and Las Vegas begin at 8:15 pm (Eastern Time) on Saturday.