MITCHELL, Florida – Before practice on Thursday, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel would not rule out starting four injured players, and that was reflected in the team’s final injury report before their Wild Card playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The first two injury reports were based on an estimate, therefore safeties and Jevon Holland were among the four players labeled as questionable even though they did not participate in the team’s sole actual practice of the week on Thursday.
Both wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and running back Raheem Mostert, who were designated as limited participants the whole week and missed the Week 18 AFC East final matchup against Buffalo, were labeled as questionable.
Following an NFL-high 18 running touchdowns at the end of the regular season, Mostert is expected to return to the Dolphins lineup.
Waddle’s return to the starting lineup will provide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with one of his best weapons going into his first NFL playoff game.
Not only will Tagovailoa be playing in his first NFL postseason, but it will also be the coldest game of his career.
On Wednesday, Tagovailoa informed reporters that he believes the coldest temperature he has ever played in will be “a bit lower than 20′′ degrees.
In Kansas City, the weather is predicted to be below that, with a wind chill that will make it feel even worse.
Joking that he doesn’t intend to hit “Uncle” Dan Marino up for any Isotoner gloves, Tagovailoa stated that he thinks “the whole thing is a mindset” and that he will wait to see what his squad might need to change on the field.
It’s possible that none of the four will be permitted to play until 90 minutes before start on Saturday, when Miami’s inactive list is made public.
The remaining five, The fact that players on this week’s injury report did not get a game status indication indicates that they will be available. These five are tackle Terron Armstead (knee/ankle/back), running back De’Von Achane (toe/ribs), cornerback Jalen Ramsey (knee), and center Liam Eichenberg (calf/ankle). Wide receiver Tyreek Hill (ankle/quad).
On Thursday, Achane, Armstead, and Eichenberg all participated fully in practice.
The game on Saturday will kick off at 8 p.m. and will only be available to view on Peacock.
The squad will win its first postseason game since 2000 if Miami prevails.
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