MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – It’s no surprise that all eyes will be on Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on Sunday as he looks to remain undefeated (2-0) against the AFC’s top-seeded Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens would clinch the 1 seed with a win, while the Dolphins would need just a win or tie or a Ravens win or tie in Week 18 to lock down home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Tua Tagovailoa, who spoke with reporters on Wednesday, wouldn’t even entertain the idea that this team is peaking at the season’s most important time.
“No one is talking about, ‘Oh, we need to beat this team to do this, we need to beat this team to do that.’ Guys come in and, ‘hey, how was Christmas? It was good, it was good.’ Then guys go to their meeting rooms and guys lock in. Then when it’s time for us to break and have some time, guys – we understand what’s at stake. But I think if you overdo it, it could get to a point where you start chasing ghosts in a way. Whereas if you study the way you study and you do things the way you’ve done things, and then if you add just a little one each time on top of that, we could possibly be the team that we’ve always wanted to be since training camp, since OTAs, things like that.”
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa
Tagovailoa, who has defeated the Ravens both times in his career, knows how important a third straight victory would be after NFL fans worldwide watched Baltimore demolish the San Francisco 49ers in a 33-19 Monday night drubbing.
Tagovailoa and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will likely be competing for NFL MVP honors after 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw a career-high 4 interceptions against the vaunted Ravens defense on Monday.
Still, the Dolphins understand the task at hand.
“I didn’t watch the game,” Tagovailoa admitted Wednesday. “I think I was sleeping probably from after opening gifts and whatnot and spending time with family. But watching the film, they (Ravens) played the 49ers well. You don’t just show up to a game and get the amount of turnovers that they had. We know that they’ll be ready for us and we have to be ready for them.”
Wednesday injury report
Miami began the week of preparation for Sunday’s AFC showdown with the Baltimore Ravens short-handed at wide receiver.
Both of Miami’s starting receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill are nursing serious left ankle injuries that likely will impact their practice participation, if not their availability, for the game.
Robbie Chosen, one of the team’s most experienced receivers, was evaluated for a concussion after making a catch in the first quarter and did not return to the game on Sunday.
Jaylen Waddle, whose 72 receptions for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns made him the first player in team history to record three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons, suffered a high ankle sprain to his left leg in Sunday’s 22-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys, and head coach Mike McDaniel admitted those kinds of sprains can “be tricky.”
“He’s a really, really tough player,” McDaniel said about Waddle, who became the first Dolphins player in franchise history to produce three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons last week when he gained 50 yards on his one reception, a deep bomb from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
McDaniel has not yet rule out Waddle from playing in Sunday’s game.
Also listed on Wednesday’s DNP (Did Not Practice) report were starting left tackle Terron Armstead, running back De’Von Achane, running back Raheem Mostert and offensive guard Robert Hunt.
Tagovailoa was also limited in practice due to a left quad/ thumb issue on his throwing hand. He is not expected to miss any time with the injuries.
Safety Jevon Holland continued to practice in a “limited” fashion Wednesday after missing back-to-back games vs. the Jets and Cowboys due to an injury to both of his knees.