Should the Dolphins Rest Tyreek Hill?
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) prepares to enter the field for warm-ups before the start of a NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Dec. 11, 2023.
During the first quarter of the Miami Dolphins’ Monday Night Football matchup against the Tennessee Titans, star wide receiver Tyreek Hill landed awkwardly on his ankle and left the game. Hill later returned to action, but it was clear that he wasn’t fully healthy. Head coach Mike McDaniel elaborated on Hill’s health during a Tuesday press conference, referring to him as “day to day.” Hill was listed as a non-participant during Wednesday’s condensed walkthrough, and his status for Saturday’s game against the New York Jets is up in the air.
The Dolphins are coming off a disappointing loss in which they blew a 14-point lead against the Titans with 4:34 remaining in the fourth quarter. After the Dolphins embarrassed themselves on national television, Miami’s team captains held a players-only meeting to ensure everyone has the same mindset moving forward. It’s a sign that the Dolphins have great veteran leadership and guys who are locked in. This Sunday’s game against the Jets is pivotal for Miami as they try to claim the No. 1 seed in the AFC and the first-round bye that comes with it.
In regards to Hill, it would be wise for the Dolphins to proceed with caution and hold him out of Sunday’s game against the Jets. New York is 5-8 and no longer in the AFC playoff picture. The only thing the Jets have to play for is pride and the ability to be a spoiler for a division rival. Their starting quarterback this week is Zach Wilson, who was allegedly hesitant to take back the starting role. Wilson has struggled to rally the team around him due to his poor play on the field and how he failed to take accountability for his lackluster performance following a loss to the New England Patriots in his rookie year.
Wilson’s hesitancy to take back the starting role is a sign that he has lost confidence in himself to lead his team to victory. It doesn’t matter how talented a team is, if you have a quarterback who isn’t well liked within the locker room and doesn’t believe in himself, it’s gonna be very difficult to win games — especially when the Jets are overmatched against a Dolphins team determined to get back on track after last week’s loss. Jets left tackle Mekhi Becton and center Joe Tippmann were both limited participants in practice Wednesday,
Additionally, starting right tackle Carter Warren was recently placed on IR and will miss Sunday’s game against Miami. New York’s offensive line was already near the bottom of the league in pass-blocking and run-blocking win rate, and these injuries certainly aren’t helping matters. Meanwhile, the Dolphins’ offensive line could get a big boost with Terron Armstead’s return on the horizon. Should Armstead return to action, he may not have to worry about Jets starting edge rusher John Franklin-Myers who also did not participate in Wednesday’s practice.
While divisional games always hold more weight, this game is less important than the Dolphins’ final three games against the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, and Buffalo Bills. All three of those teams have very talented rosters and will still have something to play for. The Cowboys and Ravens are locks to make the playoffs, and even if the 7-6 Bills fall out of the playoff picture, they’re gonna want to play spoiler against the Dolphins.
The Dolphins are also on a short week, and Hill is their most valuable player. He’s has been dinged up all year, and Miami needs him at 100% for those last three games and the playoffs. The Dolphins still have Jaylen Waddle, who is a great receiver in his own right, and the team traded for Chase Claypool, who is more than capable of filling in as a WR2 that can stretch the field in place of Hill. They also have guys like Cedrick Wilson and Braxton Berrios, who are serviceable enough to handle an increased workload.
The Jets rank dead last in the league in offensive DVOA throughout the entire season, while the Dolphins rank 11th in the league in defensive DVOA. As great as the Jets’ defense is, they can only hold up for so long before they get exhausted. If the Dolphins run the ball efficiently against a Jets’ run defense that ranks 28th in the league in rushing yards allowed, they should be able to put away this team early even without Hill.
This is a Dolphins team upset with themselves after letting a 14-point lead slip away against a very beatable Titans team, and they’re gonna play a Jets team led by a quarterback who has lost confidence in himself, a team that hasn’t had a quarterback to rally around for most of the season, and nothing to play for except pride. Miami would be wise to use this week as an opportunity to give Tyreek Hill a week off in preparation for tougher and more important games that lie ahead.
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