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It’s been a challenging week for Miami Dolphins superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill after his home caught fire on January 3.
Due to the emergency, Hill was forced to leave practice early on Wednesday and miss practice on Thursday. Fortunately, he was able to return on Friday ahead of a crucial AFC East showdown with the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football.
On Sunday morning, Hill took to social media with a message ahead of the Week 18 face-off.
“Everything you got tonight 🙏🏿,” the playmaker voiced on X. The post immediately went viral with over 8.5K likes and counting in under two hours.
Hill had gone radio silent since the fire, so this public statement wasn’t just a rally cry to teammates and fans. It also symbolized that perhaps, the Dolphins superstar has turned the page back to football.
Tyreek Hill Must Lead Dolphins to Victory Over Bills
Despite their records and the way each respective season has gone for both teams, it feels like most people are counting out the Dolphins on January 7. After all, Miami is dealing with key injuries and the Bills have a ton of momentum.
Heavy projections powered by Quarter4 currently give Buffalo a 62%-win probability on the road in Miami — a very telling statistic. And ESPN Bet’s line on Sunday morning is still -3.0 in favor of the Bills.
But that doesn’t mean the Dolphins cannot take this game and win the division. To do so, they’ll need a big performance from Hill.
It’s no surprise Hill has been near the forefront of the MVP conversation this season. When “the Cheetah” has done well in 2023, so have the Dolphins.
Miami has lost five games this year. Below were Hill’s yardage totals in those outings:
- Week 4 at Bills: 3 receptions off 5 targets for 58 yards, 1 carry for 14 yards.
- Week 7 at Philadelphia Eagles: 11 receptions off 15 targets for 88 yards, 1 touchdown.
- Week 9 at Kansas City Chiefs (Germany): 8 receptions off 10 targets for 62 yards, 1 carry for 3 yards, 1 fumble lost.
- Week 14 vs. Tennessee Titans: 4 receptions off 5 targets for 61 yards.
- Week 17 at Baltimore Ravens: 6 receptions off 12 targets for 76 yards, 1 carry for 0 yards.
Were these performances considered bad? No, certainly not by NFL standards. However, you’ll notice that Hill has not achieved 100 scrimmage yards during any of the Dolphins’ five losses.
Counting his 99-yard outing against the Dallas Cowboys, Hill has hit that mark nine times in 2023. Each of those nine explosions resulted in a victory for Miami.
The two exceptions were the win over the New England Patriots in Week 2 — where the Dolphins won despite just 40 receiving yards from Hill — and Week 15 versus the New York Jets. Hill did not play during the latter, due to injury.
Latest on Dolphins Injury Front in Week 18 vs. Bills
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is good to go in Week 18, but there are several injury statuses that are less certain for the Dolphins.
For starters, outside linebacker Bradley Chubb and cornerback Xavien Howard will not be suiting up for Miami. Chubb’s torn ACL was season-ending, while Howard appears to be week-to-week with a foot injury.
Running back Raheem Mostert (knee/ankle), wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (ankle) and outside linebacker Jerome Baker (knee) were all listed as questionable for Sunday night, although NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported that Mostert and Waddle are “not expected to play.”
Pelissero added that “both should be ready for the playoffs,” but not Week 18. Obviously, these absences would be massive for the Dolphins offense if this report proves accurate.
Baker has been activated off of the injured reserve and is trending toward a return.
On the bright side, the following key Dolphins are without an injury designation heading into Sunday night: left tackle Terron Armstead, running back De’Von Achane, safety Jevon Holland, guard Robert Hunt, right tackle Austin Jackson, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, defensive lineman Zach Sieler, Tagovailoa and Hill.
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