The NFL fined Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert for unnecessary roughness in last week’s game against the Bills.
Mostert lost $18,830 for illegal use of his helmet.
On a third-and-11 play with 5:07 left in the first quarter, Mostert caught a short pass from Tua Tagovailoa. He ran up the middlefor a 17-yard gain before lowering his head into the helmet of Bills safety Taylor Rapp. Officials threw a flag on Rapp for unnecessary roughness.
Rapp was not fined for that hit since Mostert initiated it, but Rapp was fined $11,255 for taunting in the third quarter. He was not penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for that play.
Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer was fined $11,193 for his unnecessary roughness hit on Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman. Poyer was penalized on the play. Coleman will not play this week with a wrist injury.
Dolphins cornerback Cam Smith was fined $8,874 for a horse-collar tackle.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said on Saturday that he wasn’t sure if Tyreek Hill would be able to play in Monday night’s matchup with the Rams and the injury report reflects that uncertainty.
Hill (wrist) is listed as questionable for the Week 10 game.
Hill was added to the injury report on Friday as a non-participant. He did not practice on Saturday either.
In eight games this season, Hill has 34 receptions for 446 yards with one touchdown.
Offensive lineman Austin Jackson (knee) is out. Receiver River Cracraft (shoulder), safety Jevon Holland (hand/knee), fullback Alec Ingold (calf), and safety Patrick McMorris (calf) are all questionable.
Everyone else for Miami is set to play.
Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is dealing with a wrist injury that might keep him out of Monday night’s game against the Rams.
Miami head coach Mike McDaniel said on Saturday morning that he isn’t sure yet whether Hill will be able to go.
“He’s doing everything possible, he’s a competitor, so we’ll see how he respond. Just trying to get him to game day. He’s prepared, and if his body lets him, he’ll play, but we’ll see,” McDaniel said. “All I know is that I know nothing, as Socrates would say. I’m optimistic that he’s going to do everything he can, but we’ll see. I wouldn’t say I was optimistic or pessimistic about it.”
The 2-6 Dolphins are two-point favorites at the 4-4 Rams in a game that Miami desperately needs to win if it’s going to turn its disappointing season around. Winning in Los Angeles will be a whole lot harder if Hill can’t go.
Rams receiver Puka Nacua threw a punch during Sunday’s win over the Seahawks, and he received an ejection for his reaction.
Will being sent to the showers prematurely make him less aggressive in the future.
“I don’t think so,” Nacua told reporters on Friday. “I think being able to be, especially around guys on our team, the young guys around [Byron Young], [Jared] Verse, Elias [Neal] and Omar Speights, everybody’s always ready to pack a punch. It’s nice to get back in there and be like everybody’s willing to hit. Just being a little bit extra aware of some of the thoughts after the play where people are like, ‘I’m going to take my opportunity.’”
For Nacua, the opportunity resulted in an action that resulted in leaving the game — and presumably a healthy fine. (The official numbers will be announced on Saturday.)
“It was just a natural reaction,” Nacua said. “I think that the phrase that kind of sticks out to me is reacting over responding. That was one thing that Coach [Sean] McVay always talks about is there are going to be ups and downs, but it’s how you respond to those moments that makes it and it will define you. Being able to learn from something like that, but then also being like I come from a tough background and I’m never going to feel like somebody’s trying to enforce their will. Outside the whistle, I’m going to make sure I stand on my ground.”
That’s the balance. Finding a way to respond that doesn’t result in the type of overreaction that robs the team of his services. Nacua is too good to not be playing. Beyond the 15 yards of field position, losing him increases the chances of the Rams losing the game.
And here’s the new reality for Nacua. While his willingness to, as he said, “pack a punch” will win him a certain amount of respect, it also will make him a target for chirping and other agitation, in the hopes that he’ll throw another punch. And draw another ejection.
The next test comes on Monday night, against the Dolphins.
The Dolphins desperately need a win. Whether they’ll have receiver Tyreek Hill on Monday night at the Rams remains to be seen.
Hill missed practice on Friday with a wrist injury, via Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald. Hill did not appear on Thursday’s initial injury report of the week.
Hill had been dealing with a foot injury in recent weeks.
The five-time first-team All-Pro — a Pro Bowler every year of his career — has only 446 receiving yards this season. His reduced production traces to the broader struggles of the offense, which has created an inability to get him the ball.
They can’t get him the ball if he’s injured. We’ll see if the wrist issue impacts his availability for Monday night’s visit to the Rams.
