The Miami Dolphins have faced a significant number of injuries this season, and just when it seemed like things were improving, another series of injuries struck the team. This couldn’t have come at a worse moment, as the Dolphins are fighting for their chances in the 2024 season while going up against a Buffalo Bills team that appears to be cruising with little concern about losing their grip on the AFC East.
A loss to the Bills won’t entirely rule Miami out of the postseason, but with a record of 2-6, they might as well begin planning for next season.
Miami Dolphins expected to be without multiple starters vs. Buffalo Bills in Week 9
This weekend was already looking grim for Dolphins fans, and things took a turn for the worse on Friday.
According to NFL Media’s Cameron Wolfe on Friday, the Dolphins will likely be without defensive lineman Zach Sieler, cornerback Kader Kohou, and safety Jevon Holland for their game against Buffalo on Sunday. This is the worst news for a Miami team that is barely hanging on. Last week, the Dolphins defense struggled to contain Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals in the closing moments of the game, and on Sunday, they may have difficulty keeping up with the Bills for the entire matchup.
With the defense so depleted, the offense will need to step up and keep pace with Buffalo. However, that’s a daunting task, as Miami’s offense has been the weakest aspect of the team this season.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made his return last week, but Miami head coach Mike McDaniel still hasn’t found a way to adjust his offense to effectively confuse the opposing defense.
Adding to the injury concerns, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reported on Friday that tight end Julian Hill will also be unavailable this weekend due to an injury.
Needless to say, the comments below Jackson’s post on X about Hill’s status ranged from “Oh, thank god!” to “There’s half our penalties and turnovers out of the way.”
No one is particularly upset about Hill’s injury, and it’s understandable—he’s had a rough season and has hurt the Dolphins with his subpar performance. Losing Sieler and Holland is a significant setback for the defense, and Kohou’s absence is also concerning. Cam Smith is expected to step in, but he didn’t perform well last week when given the chance.
This situation highlights yet another second-round pick by Miami general manager Chris Grier that hasn’t met expectations.
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