Banged-up Dolphins not using injuries as an excuse while looking for first signature win

PHILADELPHIA — Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Terron Armstead and running back De’Von Achane are on injured reserve, as is cornerback Jalen Ramsey, even though he returned to practice last week. Cornerback Nik Needham remains on the physically unable to perform list, and CB Xavien Howard and guard Connor Williams were both inactive in Week 7 with groin injuries.

Six major contributors were not available for the Dolphins in their 31-17 loss Sunday night to the Philadelphia Eagles, and they lost another starter, left guard Isaiah Wynn, to a quad injury on their first drive of the game.

But injuries are no excuse. Every team is banged up, including the Eagles, whose defensive backfield was missing key players against the top-ranked offense in the league. And quarterback Jalen Hurts injured his left knee at some point and wore a brace in the second half.

Ultimately, the result was Miami’s second loss in as many games against a team with a winning record. ESPN’s Football Power Index says the Dolphins played the sixth-easiest schedule in the NFL through their first six games, leaving critics skeptical of the Dolphins’ 5-2 record.

“[Injuries are] definitely part of the job,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “It can add a layer to your decision making for sure, but that is something that I see as 100% my job. So I think that that’s not anything that’s going to go away, and it can’t ever be an excuse.

“We had a plan, it just wasn’t good enough.”

Playing without three starters on the offensive line for most of the night, the Dolphins allowed 14 pressures and four sacks while rushing for just 45 yards. The NFL’s top-ranked offense mustered a season-low 245 total yards — well-below its season average of 498.7 coming into the game. The Dolphins also committed 10 penalties for 70 yards.

And yet, the game remained in the balance until midway through the fourth quarter.

Miami tied the game on a 21-yard interception returned for a touchdown by Jerome Baker, but it turned the ball over on an interception at the Philadelphia 1-yard line with 11:33 left in the final quarter. Philadelphia scored on a grueling 13-play, 83-yard drive to seal the game from there.

Defensively, the Dolphins have reason for optimism, despite the final score.

Vic Fangio’s unit pressured Hurts 16 times and sacked him three times. The Dolphins’ defense forced its first two turnovers since Week 3 and registered its first defensive touchdown of the season.

“I thought that the 31 points wasn’t really indicative of how it felt on the field,” linebacker Jaelan Phillips said. “It felt like, especially as the game was going on, we were getting a really good rush. We were shutting down the run. They made some good plays and capitalized on some momentum, played really well. … I think that any given Sunday, the matchup between two teams like this, it can really go either way.”

Road losses to the Buffalo Bills and Eagles are disappointing to a team with Super Bowl aspirations because Miami hasn’t won on the road against a team with a winning record since Week 2 of last season, but they are also road losses against two of the best teams in the NFL. And Miami still holds a one-game lead over the Bills (4-3) atop the AFC East.

FPI gives Miami the 10th-toughest remaining schedule with games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens looming in the coming months.

“At the end of the day, we just look at each game week by week, not looking down the road,” running back Raheem Mostert said. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t get this win, but at the same time we’ve got to move forward.”

Armstead will be eligible to return from IR when the Dolphins play the Chiefs in Week 9, and McDaniel said he is “cautiously optimistic” Ramsey will be activated before the team’s Week 10 bye — after which, Achane will also be eligible to return from IR. Williams has missed their past two games but was able to practice last week, and his groin injury isn’t considered serious enough for injured reserve. Howard is expected to play in next week’s game against the New England Patriots, but it’s too early to tell.

Miami will also monitor the health of linebacker David Long Jr., who was evaluated for a concussion after a helmet-to-helmet collision with safety Jevon Holland and never returned to the game.

“The more good players you have, it definitely makes you better,” McDaniel said. “However … I kind of looked at what we do have and was very confident going into the game with the players that were scheduled to play a good amount of snaps. I think it will be awesome to have players return to our team. But going without X, Y, or Z, whomever it is wasn’t the reason that we lost. We were still capable of winning that football game.”