We are at the halfway point of the NFL season! The AFC East remains competitive with each team owning wins and losses against each other and preventing all-out domination. Parity is what makes the NFL great and allows for any team to win any given week.
Looking at this week’s games, the Miami Dolphins fly out to Germany to face the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills head down to face the Cincinnati Bengals, the New England Patriots host the Washington Commanders, and the New York Jets host the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football.
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Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots | New York Jets | Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
OUT
OL Rob Hunt (Hamstring)
Hunt suffered a hamstring strain in the second quarter of the win over the New England Patriots and was questionable to return. He ultimately did not return and was unable to practice all week, ruled out for Sunday.
S Brandon Jones (Concussion)
Jones suffered a concussion as he tried to intercept Mac Jones but was slammed down by Juju Smith-Schuster late in Sunday’s game. He was placed in the concussion protocol and did not travel with the team to Germany as he worked through his concussion.
QUESTIONABLE
TE Durham Smythe (Ankle)
Smythe did not practice on Wednesday after suffering an ankle injury in Sunday’s win over the Patriots. He was upgraded to limited on Thursday and Friday before receiving a gameday designation of questionable. Based on his positional demands as a blocking tight end, I would expect that he suit up.
WR Braxton Berrios (Hamstring)
Berrios appeared on the injury report Thursday with limited participation due to a hamstring injury. This likely occurred in practice and hopefully, his limited reps were more precautionary than anything. He was also limited on Friday and questionable for Sunday.
CB Justin Bethel (Foot)
Bethel showed up on the injury report with a foot injury and was limited on Thursday and Friday.
CB Xavien Howard (Groin)
Howard has been battling a groin injury dating back to Week 6, missing the last two games.
CB Nik Needham (Achilles)
Needham continues to ramp up as he works back from his Achilles tear last season. He made his season debut last week.
C Connor Williams (Groin)
Williams continues to battle through a groin injury dating back to Week 3. At this point, I suspect that he has a core muscle injury the team is trying to manage week to week. He has not played the last three weeks, though he was active but did not see snaps in Week 8.
ACTIVE
RB Raheem Mostert (Ankle)
Mostert has been playing through an ankle injury originally suffered in Week 7 but has not noticeably limited his skill set.
CB Jalen Ramsey (Left Knee)
Ramsey made his triumphant return last week following his left meniscus tear early in training camp. He played in 92 percent of snaps, securing one tackle and an interception in his first game back. Though he is playing again, he still needs to manage the workload through the knee and continue rehabbing as he rounds back into form.
RB Alec Ingold (Foot)
Ingold practiced in full all week due to a foot injury that has lingered since Week 5.
WR Jaylen Waddle (Back)
Waddle practiced in full all week after dealing with back spasms that forced him to leave the game briefly against the Philadelphia Eagles.
INJURED RESERVE
OT Terron Armstead (Left Knee)
Armstead opened his 21-day practice window following his IR stint that dated back to his Week 3 left knee injury against the Buffalo Bills. Prior to that game, he was working through a right knee injury, and back, and ankle injuries. This IR stint allowed him to get more healthy for the second half of the season and get the left knee close to 100 percent. By video, it appeared as though he suffered an MCL sprain with a six-week window of ample time to recover. The team has been performing well without him and may hold off on bringing him back until the last second.
WR River Cracraft (Shoulder)
Cracraft suffered what appeared to be a fairly significant AC joint sprain against the Denver Broncos in Week 3. He was placed on injured reserve shortly afterward and had his practice window opened on October 25th. While he may be healthy enough to return, the Dolphins have to be judicious in using their designated IR spots as they only have eight available. They have used them already on Jeff Wilson Jr, Jalen Ramsey, and Robert Jones and still need them for Terron Armstead, Devon Achane, and possibly Isaiah Wynn. That would leave them with two remaining spots, one of which could be used on Cracraft.
New England Patriots
OUT
WR DeVante Parker (Concussion)
Parker suffered a head injury on a brutal hit from Dolphins S DeShon Elliott as seen below. He was taken to the locker room and eventually ruled out with a head injury. This is at least his second concussion after suffering one last season, walking disoriented around on the field before teammates had to walk him off. He will miss this game as he recovers.
OL Calvin Anderson (Illness)
Anderson is out with an illness that I suspect is a recurrence from the summertime that landed him on the NFI list. He has since been placed on injured reserve.
QUESTIONABLE
TE Pharaoh Brown (Back)
Brown was a new addition to the injury report Wednesday after he did not practice with a back injury. He was able to get limited practice on Thursday and Friday.
LB Ja’Whaun Bentley (Hamstring)
Bentley suffered a hamstring strain sometime in the first half of Sunday’s contest against the Miami Dolphins. He was questionable to return but ultimately did not. He was limited all week and is officially questionable heading into the game. He may not be 100 percent but may be forced out there due to the fact that he is the defensive signal caller to ensure the defense continues to operate efficiently.
OT Trent Brown (Right Ankle/Knee)
Brown suffered a right knee/ankle injury against the Bills that appeared to be an MCL/high-ankle sprain mechanism. He continues to play all snaps every week.
DL Christian Barmore (Right Knee)
Barmore continues to be on the injury report with a chronic right knee injury dating back to Week 3 and has not missed any games.
CB Jonathan Jones (Knee)
After missing time earlier in the year due to an ankle injury, Jones is back on the injury report with a knee injury dating back to the Week 7 game against Buffalo. He was able to play last week.
OL Vederian Lowe (Ankle)
After suffering an ankle injury against the Bills, Lowe missed Week 8’s contest against the Dolphins.
DL Davon Godchaux (Illness)
Godchaux was limited Friday after not practicing Thursday due to an illness.
WR Tyquan Thornton (Foot)
Thornton was a late addition to the report on Friday, missing several practice reps.
LB Josh Uche (Ankle/Toe)
Uche has missed the last two weeks with ankle/toe injuries with the designations changing ever so slightly between knee and foot, it appears he originally injured the area in Week 5.
DL Deatrich Wise (Shoulder)
Wise played through a shoulder injury last week originally sustained in Week 7.
ACTIVE
CB Myles Bryant (Chest)
Bryant was limited all week with a chest injury with few additional details. Fortunately, he is the only player not dealing with a designation.
INJURED RESERVE
WR Kendrick Bourne (Right ACL tear)
Bourne suffered a right ACL tear early in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Miami Dolphins. He will undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the season.
New York Jets
OUT
LB Chazz Surratt (Ankle)
Surratt was unable to practice all week due to an ankle injury suffered in Week 8.
QUESTIONABLE
S Adrian Amos (Ankle)
Amos showed up on the injury report as a late addition on Friday with an ankle injury and is officially questionable for Monday. Details of what happened are not available meaning he is truly questionable heading into the game.
WR Allen Lazard (Knee)
Lazard also popped up on the injury report with a knee designation on Friday, getting limited practice in. Considering his age and body part, it would not surprise me to see him sit this game out.
ACTIVE
WR Xavier Gipson (Ankle)
Gipson was injured late in the second quarter of Sunday’s game when he was tackled by Dexter Lawrence on a three yard run on the right side. He was limited all week until Friday with an ankle injury but does not carry a gameday designation heading into Monday.
G Joe Tippmann (Quadriceps)
Tippmann will return to action after missing last week’s contest due to a quadriceps injury. It’s not clear whether this was a contusion of strain, but he had the benefit of the bye week to get additional rest.
G Laken Tomlinson (Hamstring)
Tomlinson appeared on the injury report this week due to a hamstring strain that left him limited on Wednesday and Thursday before practicing in full on Friday with no game-day designation.
WR Irv Charles (Shoulder)
After initially being listed as doubtful for Week 6 and missing, Charles has no designation heading into Week 8.
WR Randall Cobb (Shoulder)
Cobb missed the Week 6 matchup against the New York Giants with a shoulder injury. He practiced in full all week and will play Monday.
OT Mekhi Becton (Left Knee)
Becton continues to limit his workload during practice to minimize overstressing his surgically repaired knee.
INJURED RESERVE
OT Duane Brown (Hip/Groin)
Brown opened up his 21-day window as he returned from his hip/groin injury suffered in Week 2. He will not play this week despite practicing in full this week.
Buffalo Bills
OUT
LB Baylon Spector (Right Hamstring)
Spector will miss his second consecutive game after he aggravated his hamstring injury originally from late August in the Week 7 loss to the New England Patriots.
LB AJ Klein (Back)
Klein tweaked his back in practice on Wednesday which led to him sitting out on Thursday and Friday, officially ruled out Friday morning.
ACTIVE
QB Josh Allen (Right Shoulder)
Allen briefly put some worry into the fanbase Wednesday when he didn’t practice due to his right shoulder injury. During his Wednesday press conference, he highlighted how this was part of his recovery process and that trainers thought it was best that he took the day off.
He will continue to require either injections to manage the pain or just play through the discomfort. He’s very likely working through an AC joint sprain that simply needs more time to heal.
CB Christian Benford (Hamstring)
Benford was a late addition to the injury report with a hamstring but does not have a game-day designation. I suspect that he felt something during a rep, had it checked out, and officially missed some time, leaving him limited. Anytime a player does not take his normal amount of reps, it is considered limited whether it is 1 percent or 99 percent of reps.
S Damar Hamlin (Illness)
Hamlin missed Wednesday’s practice with “flu-like” symptoms but returned to full status on Thursday and Friday.
TE Quintin Morris (Right Ankle)
Morris suffered a right high-ankle sprain against the New York Giants several plays before his game-winning touchdown in Week 6. He has missed the last two weeks but was able to practice in full on Thursday and Friday. He is still likely not 100 percent, but healthy enough to play.
INJURED RESERVE
CB Kaiir Elam (Ankle)
Elam was officially placed on injured reserve on Thursday following the signing of DT Linval Joseph. His injury originally was suffered in training camp and since aggravated prior to Week 7. Considering the timeline, I suspect that he has some type of bone bruise that continues to produce edema and pain when playing through the injury. Had it been a ligament or even muscle strain, there would have likely been more of an acute presentation or something notable on film. It remains to be seen whether Elam will even come back this season.
NEW SIGNINGS
To read about each of the new players signed to the roster this week, click on the name below.
Top Photo Credit: Phinsider.com
