October 9, 2020
Friday is a get-away day for coast-to-coast trips. The Dolphins ship out to San Francisco later today where they will take on last year's NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers. The home team offers plenty of challenges offensively, defensively and in the kicking game.
Here's what's happening today in Davie.
Happy Friday, Dolphins fans!
Injury Report
The Dolphins listed 10 players on the Thursday report:
Full participation: safeties Clayton Fejedelem (pectoral) and Kavon Frazier (shoulder), cornerbacks Byron Jones (groin/Achilles) and Xavien Howard (knee), wide receiver DeVante Parker (ankle), guard Solomon Kindley (foot)
Limited participation: defensive end Shaq Lawson (shoulder)
Did not participate: tight end Durham Smythe (knee), tackle Austin Jackson (foot), running back/wide receiver Malcolm Perry (illness)
The 49ers listed 12 players on the Thursday injury report.
Full participation: wide receivers Trent Taylor (ankle) and Dante Pettis (knee), safety Jimmie Ward (wrist)
Limited participation: quarterback Jimmy Garappolo (ankle), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (quadricep), running back Raheem Mostert (knee), cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring)
Did not practice: defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (biceps), cornerbacks K'Wuan Williams (knee/hip), Dontae Johnson (groin) and Emmanuel Moseley (concussion), wide receiver Deebo Samuel (illness)
They Said It
Matt Breida has played the second-most snaps this season among Dolphins running backs. The leader in that department is 2019 seventh-round pick Myles Gaskin. Inactive through the majority of his rookie season, Gaskin earned his way into 180 snaps through the first four games.
Keyword: Earned.
"You could see even when (Gaskin) was inactive, he was in here on his off days training," Flores said. "He and Patrick Laird were training on their own. I'd walk into the bubble and they'd be off in the corner with bands and just trying to get better."
Gaskin's desire for improvement went beyond the physical. He grinds out the mental reps to put himself in a position to be ready for all the elements of playing running back in the NFL.
"He's spent a lot of time with (Running Backs Coach) Eric (Studesville)," Flores said. "I think Eric has done a good job with him as far as getting the mental side of the game down. He took this past offseason and really trained and got his body fit for an NFL season after having been through one. He felt like he needed to make some changes and he made them. Then he comes to training camp and he was very consistent throughout training camp."
Around the Beat
Gaskin is the latest in a recent trend of Dolphins seventh-round picks to not only earn a roster spot, but considerable playing time in games. Gaskin, wide receiver Isaiah Ford, kicker Jason Sanders and fullback Chandler Cox were all drafted in the final round within the last four seasons.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald has more.
When narrating highlights on ESPN's NFL PrimeTime, Chris Berman had an old saying: "Nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills." Apparently this, too, can be said: "Nobody aces the seventh round like the Miami Dolphins."
Dolphins On Social
On this Day in Dolphins History
October 9, 1983 - Quarterback Dan Marino and wide receiver Mark Duper make their first-ever starts for the Miami Dolphins, with Marino passing for 322 yards and Duper netting seven catches for 202 yards. The offensive explosion produces 971 total yards between the Dolphins and Bills, with Buffalo winning the Orange Bowl encounter, 38-35 in overtime.
Stat of the Day
The Dolphins have a point differential of -3 through the first four games. Miami's first quarter of the season has come against opponents (New England, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Seattle) with a combined record of 11-5.
Know the Opponent
Last season, San Francisco ran the ball off either end 60 times for 363 yards, three touchdowns and 17 first downs. They also picked up 255 yards after contact on such runs – all of those stats were tops for San Francisco among potential gaps to run through (per Pro Football Focus).
Content On Tap
Friday means the return of Dolphins Today. Joanna gets you caught up on the latest from Davie on the Dolphins YouTube and social channels. Plus, Drive Time with Travis Wingfield welcomes Randy McMichael for Fins Flashback. We'll also hear from O.J. McDuffie and Seth Levit – the hosts of the Fish Tank – to hear their thoughts on the 2004 season and the win over the 49ers that year.
