Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle in concussion protocol following hit to the head vs. Patriots

MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is in concussion protocol as a result of a hit he took in Sunday’s 24-17 victory at the New England Patriots. It’s unclear whether he’ll be able to play in this Sunday’s home opener against Denver.

Aside from that, coach Mike McDaniel said the team will keep an eye on edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and left tackle Terron Armstead, who McDaniel said were both disappointed they weren’t able to play against the Patriots.

And they’ll also watch running back Salvon Ahmed, who left the New England game in the second quarter with a groin injury. But McDaniel said it’s not a torn muscle.

“I don’t know the timetable with S.A.,” McDaniel said. “It’s not torn, so it’s not an overly long situation but those are tricky.”

If Waddle can’t play against Denver it’s likely that fellow wide receivers Braxton Berrios, Erik Ezukanma and River Cracraft would have their workloads increased.

But there’s a chance either Cedrick Wilson, who has been inactive both games, or Robbie Chosen, who is on the practice squad, could see some action.

Waddle took a big hit, one that might have been helmet-to-helmet, from Patriots linebacker Marte Mapu in the fourth quarter. Mapu was flagged for unnecessary roughness but Waddle went into the blue medical tent on the sideline after the play and didn’t return to the game.

“Jaylen is in the protocol and we’ll move forward,” McDaniel said. “He already started progressing in that process today.”

Waddle was upbeat in the locker room after the game. Media aren’t allowed to speak with players who leave the game with an injury and don’t return, especially players with head injuries.

However, Waddle was laughing with teammates and perusing his cell phone at his locker after the game. While fellow wide receiver Tyreek Hill was being interviewed someone asked Hill how Waddle was doing. Hill turned and asked Waddle, and Waddle smiled and replied he was OK.

As for Phillips, his back injury wasn’t reported until Friday.

“He was pretty frustrated that he wasn’t allowed to play,” McDaniel said. “From a medical perspective we thought it wasn’t worth the risk. But his mind was ready to contribute so he was disappointed, but understanding.”

Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel started for Phillips and ended with six tackles, one sack, three quarterback hits and a pass defended. 

McDaniel said the team will also keep an eye on Armstead, who has missed both games with back, ankle and knee ailments. Kendall Lamm has started and done fairly well in Armstead’s place. 

Snapping issues still exist

Center Connor Williams had three snapping issues against the Patriots, two in the shotgun and one when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was under center. Tagovailoa took the blame for the issues just as Williams took the blame for the three bad snaps last week (two under center and one in the shotgun) against the Los Angeles Chargers.

“That’s totally my fault,” Tagovailoa said of the issues against New England. “There’s things that I was changing up in which I shouldn’t and I’ve got to get that fixed with Connor.”

Last week a bad snap caused a lost fumble (turnover) at the Chargers’ 3-yard line. Against New England, a bad snap on third-and-1 from the Patriots’ 35-yard line caused a two-yard loss that precluded a missed 55-yard field goal attempt by kicker Jason Sanders.

McDaniel said he’d planned on going for it on fourth down but the botched snap made him re-think that strategy.

So you could say botched snaps have cost the Dolphins 10 points so far this season.

Regardless, McDaniel said the snaps aren’t a major concern.

“My level of concern is two-60ths of the game,” McDaniel said, referring to two botched snaps among the Dolphins’ 60 plays in the victory at New England.

“It’s an odd thing to be concerned with because it’s executed very well on so many occasions.”

Sanders’ thoughts on FG attempts

Sanders was a bit hard on himself after the game the Patriots game. Regarding his missed 55-yard field goal attempt that went wide left in the fourth quarter, he said he hit the ball well. Sanders pushed an extra point attempt wide right last week.

“I’m hitting the ball well,” he said. “I’ve got to start getting it done. That’s the main thing. I think it’d be a different story if I wasn’t hitting it well. But the ball is flying straight for me and I’ve just got to start getting it done.”

Sanders also had a 49-yard field goal attempt blocked in the third quarter when New England had defensive back Brenden Schooler lined up wide right and time the snap so he was unblocked coming in off the edge.

Sanders said they were aware Schooler was coming. 

“You bank on the op (operation) time beating anything off the edge,” he said.

The Patriots used the same technique on Sanders’ 55-yard field goal attempt but Schooler didn’t get there in time.

Hill: Patriots fans are some of the worst in NFL

At one point late during the Patriots game Hill waved goodbye to the New England fans. He explained his reasoning after the game.

“It felt tremendous, man,” Hill said. “Those fans are some of the worst fans in the NFL. And I’m going to stand on that; they are real nasty. Some of the things they were saying, I wouldn’t say in church. So, yeah, it felt great to wave goodbye to the fans, and I’ll do it again. Bye.”

During the week leading up to the game, Hill asked Dolphins fans who traveled to Gillette Stadium to call Patriots quarterback Mac Jones “sorry.”