Dolphins loss doubly painful: Week 18 Bills clash to decide AFC East; Bradley Chubb, Xavien Howard injured

The Miami Dolphins had a chance on Sunday to wrap up the AFC East and further solidify their playoff positioning, giving themselves a chance to earn the No. 1 seed in the conference. All they had to do was defeat the Baltimore Ravens.

Alas, that didn’t happen. Miami was blown out by Baltimore 56-19, with Lamar Jackson torching the Dolphins for 321 yards and five touchdowns on 18 of 21 passing, while backup Tyler Huntley also threw a touchdown pass and Gus Edwards and Melvin Gordon each ran for a score. 

Because the Dolphins lost and the Buffalo Bills simultaneously defeated the New England Patriots, next week’s division matchup will determine which of Miami and Buffalo wins the AFC East. The Dolphins have a one-game lead at the moment, but a Bills victory next week would mean the teams are tied in the standings, with the Bills owning the head-to-head tiebreaker. The winner clinches the conference’s No. 2 seed.

Worse yet, the Dolphins suffered a spate of injuries on Sunday that could leave them incredibly shorthanded for the showdown with Buffalo. 

Cornerback Xavien Howard suffered a foot injury during the Ravens’ first offensive drive of the game. He was taken to the locker room on a cart and initially deemed questionable to return before later being downgraded to out. Following the game, head coach Mike McDaniel said the team is “not sure” the severity of Howard’s foot injury just yet.

Later in the game, Tua Tagovailoa suffered a shoulder injury and was also deemed questionable to return. He was replaced in the lineup by backup Mike White and did not return, presumably due to the lopsided score. Tagovailoa said after the game that he was “just sore,” so it doesn’t seem likely to keep him out of next week’s game, though any injury to a quarterback’s shoulder does carry some degree of concern. 

The Dolphins, however, suffered a devastating injury late in the game as edge rusher Bradley Chubb suffered a non-contact knee injury and was quickly ruled out. On Monday after an MRI to determine the extent of the injury, it is determined that Chubb suffered a torn ACL and will be out for the season, per Ian Rapoport.

McDaniel said that in hindsight, he obviously should not have had Chubb in the game with the team down by so many points. “It doesn’t look very smart at all,” he said.

The Dolphins were already without running back Raheem Mostert and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle on Sunday, and Waddle, at least, appears unlikely to play next week, either. And Miami had previously lost star edge rusher Jaelan Phillips for the season to a torn Achilles. They’re also dealing with numerous injuries along the offensive line.

With Chubb perhaps joining him on the sideline, the team could be down its two best pass rushers both next week and throughout the playoffs. 

It’s all less than ideal for a team that appeared to be positioned very well ahead of the postseason, but is now on the brink of having to play multiple road games to make it through the AFC gauntlet, and do so while working shorthanded at one of football’s most important positions.