The Miami Dolphins may have dodged a bullet ahead of a key matchup with the Buffalo Bills.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill suffered an ankle injury in the team’s 23-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football. Facing a short week before they meet the Bills on Saturday, the Dolphins appeared to be in danger of losing one of their most important players, but the team shared a more optimistic update on Monday.
Hill Playing Through the Injury
Hill was hurt during Sunday’s game but played through the pain, icing his ankle on the sidelines between possessions. After the game, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said “there is legitimate concern” about Hill’s status for the Bills game, noted Nick Wojton of USA Today’s Bills Wire. McDaniel added that “nothing has been significantly ruled out” for Hill’s status for Saturday nigh’s game in Orchard Park.
Tyreek Hill, oh my god. Something new every week in this league.
The Dolphins got some good news on Monday. The NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe noted that the team expected Hill to be able to play through the pain.
“Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel says WR Tyreek Hill ankle injury seems more in bumps and bruises that he can work through,” Wolfe tweeted. “Sounds like he’ll be good for Saturday vs. Bills.”
The update could be bad news for the Bills. Hill has been a thorn in their side over the past two seasons, especially in the playoffs with the Kansas City Chiefs where he totaled 20 catches for 322 yards with one touchdown. The Bills have been more effective in keeping Hill bottled up in their three regular-season meetings over the last three years, holding him to 12 catches for 116 yards with no touchdowns.
Hill Chasing History
If Hill is able to suit up against the Bills on Saturday, it would keep alive his quest to become the first player in league history to reach 2,000 receiving yards. Hill has 1,460 yards through 13 games this season, and would need to average 140 yards per game the rest of the way to hit the mark. That could be a challenge this week, with heavy snow in the forecast for Saturday night’s game.
After being traded from the Chiefs to the Dolphins in the offseason, Hill said he had a feeling that he was headed to a career-best year.
“So when I got there, that’s what me and Coach McDaniel was talking about,” he told Fox Sports. “He was like, ‘Bro, we gonna get 2,000, bro.’ That’s the first thing he said to me. I’m like, ‘Man, you must be reading my mind.’ I’m not one of them dudes to get paid and just shed a dime. I want to continue to get better.”
Sunday’s game will also be critical for both the Bills and Dolphins to determine AFC East supremacy. Buffalo’s win over the New York Jets on Sunday coupled with Miami’s loss to the Chargers helped put the Bills in first place by two games. While the Bills would not be able to clinch the division yet, a win would give them control and keep them on track for the top overall seed in the conference.
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Dolphins Give Key Update on Tyreek Hill’s Injury Ahead of Bills Game