The Miami Dolphins may try to win the AFC East title even if Xavien Howard does not start on the right side of the team’s secondary. With a foot ailment, coach Mike McDaniel declared on Tuesday that he is only expected to be out for a week.
The good thing about Howard, according to what we learned today, is that surgery doesn’t appear to be necessary. As a result, it’s kind of a week-to-week measure, McDaniel said. We need to wait and watch how he reacts. That foot position is just difficult. Since every person is unique, we will consider that carefully before pressing and evaluating.
He is not scheduled to [be accessible on Sunday].
On Sunday, Howard, 30, appeared in just four snaps before abandoning the game. Eli Apple assumed the position of left cornerback and was the subject of four coverage targets. Against the Baltimore Ravens, the former Ohio State Buckeye gave up three receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown.
This season, Apple started three games for the Dolphins. Nevertheless, McDaniel was also questioned over the likelihood that Cam Smith, a rookie selected in the second round, or Nik Needham would play at the boundary corner.
According to McDaniel, “I think Nik [Needham] is doing a great job in his role.” “I believe I could trust him in a variety of roles. Being a highly intelligent football player, he is familiar with multiple positions. He’s doing a great job since his teammates truly think highly of him.
“I believe Eli [Apple] has also been performing admirably. As a rookie in the corner position, Cam [Smith] has developed in the ways that we have requested. To me, corners are similar to quarterbacks in that you have to exercise caution when positioning them so that their actions won’t leave any scar tissue. It’s not like he hasn’t done anything before. He’s improving significantly every week and every month, but some players have gained the respect of their colleagues by consistently competing on the field.
When facing the Dolphins, opposing teams average 213 passing yards; however, against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, that number skyrocketed to 330 (and five touchdowns). Miami has a chance to secure the AFC East and a lot of defensive problems going into their Week 18 matchup against the Buffalo Bills, but they only have 60 minutes to find answers.
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